St. Paul recorder., 1963-06-13
Events Change us.
Lethargy On Civil Rights

There indications that the us. powers that
be, who control to large degree, the actions and
attitudes Of the American people, have decided that
the time has for this country to face up to its
problem of race.
After a century Of preaching one philosophy
and practicing another-America's self deception
that this a democratic nation and that all men
free-our country has come slap dab up" with
the facts of life on the American race problem.
Now at long last the political, industrial, organ
lied labor the organized church forces Of the nation
to accept the fact that the old days race re-
lations, its fragrant discrimination, oppression and
segregation are on the way out More than that
the Negro's growing turbulence and impatence
which has precpitated the socalled peaceful revol
ution" has made impossible any turning back now
to the good old days" In those days anyone who
was for decent treatment for Negro-Americans
suspected Of being Communist.
AS we reflect that even now there has been an
attempt to smear the civil rights movement of the
present with the Communist taint. 1t only Sun
day in the TRIBUNE of Minneapolis that when
Richard Wilson of the Star and Tribune Wash
ington Bureau tortuously tried to ascribe some of
the militancy of the Negro to activity by men,
bers of the Communist party. Wilson tried to dress
up an old dodge with new words. 1t was clear that
the gentleman who is described in some areas the
Northern-bom Star and Tribune Southern Bour-
bon" Washington Bureau chief, was trying to give
the Communist party credit for the decent attempt
in the US. to right the racial wrongs. This is
tactic which would have harmed the march
toward desegregation but which will be scarce
ly noticed
The welter of events which have rapidly fol-
lowed after another in the present racial crisis
will continue in their momentum.
Tomorrow (this written Monday the Gov
ernor of Alabama in whose hands already lies the
responsibility for Birmingham and its brutal treat
ment of persons assembled for peaceful protest will
have his day in national infamy" when or If he
attempts to keep two Negro Alabama residents
from entering the tax supported state university at
Tuscaloosa.
If he is successful from keeping the two young
people from registering the Federal government
has no choice except to force their admission by
us. troops. If Alabama wants this and there are
to believe that thousands of members of the
majority do not want it. then the state will have to
pay the consequences Of an irresponsible political
demi-god Gov. Wallace whose political stock In
trade has been race hate and bigotry.
The Kennedys, President John and his much
maigned brother, the Attorney-Gene Robert have
been moving along steadily, trying to alarm the
country OF the real and true danger Of the racial
turblence which Is apt to get worse before it gets
better, because the Negroes everywhere have de-
cided that race discrimination must go.
Precipitation Of the crisis at this time by the
introduction Of civil rights legislation is bound to be
a threat to the present administrations bills in
Congress This Is a chance the Kennedy adninistra-
ton must take because of the course Of events
If it is humanity possible the civil rights pro-
gram in the congress should be developed on a BIZ
partisan basis, because it has been political foot
ball too long.
Congress has a responsibility in this area and
more than this, every American has a responsibility
which each should assume to wipe from this nation
every vestige Of discrimination and segregation
In public Accommodations jobs, housing and educa-
ton