Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-03
PoweRscritics

gested an effective approach
toward curbing the irrespon-
sible behavior Of Rep. Powell.
Unfortunately he again dis
played his failure to research
the facts or do his "home-
work" before publishing
statements which support
conclusions.
Mr.. Lawrence used this
statement in support Of Sem
ator Williams recent criti-
cism Of Rep. Powell:
"It happens that the Della
ware Senator (Williams) has
voted in support Of most all
Of the civil rights legisla-
ton introduced in Congress
since he has been in the Sem
ate"
In examining the Congress
sional Record, one finds the
following votes recorded by
Senator williams on civil
rights legislation in the most
recent S7th Congress:
On January IL, 1861 he
voted against liberalizing clo-
ture. On August 80, 1861 he
voted against q permanent
Civil Rights Commission. On
August 80, 1861 he voted
against liberalizing Part III
of the Civil Rights Act. On
September 10, 1861 he voted
against invoking cloture on
rules change debate. On May
IA, 1862 he voted against in
voking cloture on the Admin
istration's literacy test bill.
On July 20, 1862 he voted to
kill the ban on use Of Fed
eral funds for segregated
hospitals. On July 20, 1862 he
voted to kill the ban on Fed
eral funds to local areas
maintaining segregation. On
September IL, 1862 he vo-
ted to confirm the nominal
ton of Negro Thurgood Mar
shall to a y. s. Circuit
Court.
Only on the last issue has
Senator Williams supported
what may be considered a
pro-ciyil rights measure in
the Senate in the past two
years. Let someone on Mr..
Lawrence's staff examine his
voting record back to 1947
when he was first seated.
Perhaps David Lawrence
has him confused with Sena-
tor williams of New Jersey
who recently spent q cold
Sunday improving dilapidated
Negro homes In the Gum
Springs area, q non-prestige
community in Fairfax Coun-
ty.
The point Is that although
Rep. Powell may not be the
paragon of virtue. neither Is
Senator williams of Della
ware q champion Of civil
rights, nor David Lawrence
q writer who Is inclined to
base his statements on facts.
David d. Theall.
Aa 80
In his commentary on
New York's Congressman
Adam Clayton Powell. David
Lawrence voices a belief
shared by many that Powell's
colleagues In the House
would never attempt to re-
move him as Chairman Of
the Committee on Education
and Labor because they are
afraid Of being branded as
having racial prejudices. Ac-
cording to Lawrence. only
public opinion can force
Powell's removal, but leader
ship Of such q movement
would have to come from
highly respected Negro lead
ers.
But where are the highly
respected Negro leaders pos
sessed Of sufficient courage
and public spirit, who would
be inclined 10 come forward
In denunciation OF Congress
man Powell's activities7 Has
the pattern not been that
such Negro leaders prefer
either 10 remain silent when
the conduct OF another Me-
gro "a criticized by q white
man, or they come 10 the Me-
gro's defense7
The thing that must bring
the most disbursement 10
our foremost white cham
pions Of racial equality Is
knowledge Of the fact that
the kind of Negro leadership
visualized by David Lawrence
is In little prospect Of ma
terializing.
Harvey II. Hewitt