Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-06
CAMBRIDGE Vote

pOSlJlon CnaL LnOSe persons IN
Cambridge, Md, who voted
against the equal accommo-
dations" proposal are all ira
cial extremists" I think this
is a narrow and partisan
view unworthy Of The Star.
These were persons who, In
spite Of threats and pressures
from almost every side, had
the courage to stick to their
convictions. I would attribute
their vote to q love for indi-
vidual freedom, for Constitu-
tional government, and for
the American way Of life as
we have known it for the life
of our Republic.
without property rights
there would be no basis for
civil" rights for anybody. In
many cases the attempted
mixing of whites and Negroes
in q place Of business results
in the loss Of white patron
age and a financial loss to
the owner. Where such mix
ing Is forced by q law or
court order, 1t amounts to
depriving q person Of his
property without due process
Of law. The Supreme Court
has ruled that this Is o VIOLA
ton Of the Fifth Amendment
and such ruling Is still the
Flaw Of the land"
If their decision brings to
them disaster" as The Star
seems to believe 1t will, then
I can see nothing but disas-
ter for our form Of govern
ment.
Harvey H. Hewitt.
The air will now be filled
with piteous cries Of "in-
ferior citizenship" Negro in
Justice" etc., following the
narrowly defeated Cambridge
referendum.
Most rational Americans,
however, will look with scorn
upon Negro leadership Of the
type evinced in Cambridge
and will feel compassion for
the a We rage man-in-the-
street who tries to earn q
living rather than engage in
endless demonstrations.
Any positive effort by Mrs.
Richardson and similar So
called leaders would have
carried the day for the re-
ferendum and would have
brought a workable solution
to the sorry impasse which
had long plagued the city.
Perhaps equal accommoda-
tons are a right, perhaps
not. But rights are seldom If
ever won by sitting on ones
hands. 1t took votes in some
legislatures to establish sep
arate signs reading White"
and "Colored." 1t took more
votes to enact the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments to the Constitu-
ton. 1t took votes under the
Eisenhower Administration
to enact the first civil rights
laws since Reconstruction.
But it was beneath the
dignity Of Mrs. Richardson
and her misguided followers
to provide a handful of votes
"a precious franchise in a
largely enslaved world - to
achieve a potentially reason
able solution in an embattled
town.
Warren N. Low
y . =
The continual reference by
the radio and television
newScasters to Mrs. Gloria
Richardson's statement - a
vote is not necessary to lin
sure a right guaranteed by
the Constitution" is getting
trim g. If they repeat it
enough, most non-perceiving
Americans will be ready to
believe her.
There is no portion of the
Constitution enumerating
the right of access to private
property. There has been no
law passed by Congress. And
the local ordinance has been
defeated in the referendum.
1t would seem that the mat
ter is now settled, until some
law-making body changes it.
They have no case now for
further demonstrations.
Their own strategy has de-
feated them.
ID. M. Mckee.
= 4
The Oct. article by John
Barron concerning the public
accommodations referendum
in Cambridge, Md, unwit-
tingly or not, referred in two