Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-18

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meeting with educators tomorl
Mr.. Kennedy met with 242I
religious leaders Of all faiths
yesterday and got, as one
participant said, enthusiastic
backing for his program.
The President asked that the
clergymen and lay leaders who
represented 20 States and the
District Of Columbia, including
all the States In the Deep
South, set up religious COM
mittees to work at the ma
tional, State and local levels In
easing racial tensions.
Reporters were not per-
'mitted to cover the meeting.
But participants said the Pres
ident told the group that solv-
ing the racial problem has be-
come the administrations goal
during the current session of
Congress, and asked their help
in seeing that this and other
parts Of his domestic program
are enacted this year.
ident told the group that the
racial problem has become the
administrators goal during
the current session Of Congress,
and asked their help in seeing
that this and other parts of
his domestic program are
enacted this year.
Sees Some Losses
The President, one partici-
pant said, told the group that
some Of the program I sent up
to Congress is going down the
drain" because Of his stand on
civil rights.
The President met with the
religious leaders as his aides
whipped into final form the
legislation that Mr.. Kennedy
will send to Congress tomorrow
asking for new civil rights
measures In such matters as
public accommodations, schools
and voter registration.
: Mr.. Kennedy was to dis
cuss the civil rights problem
at a luncheon meeting at the
White House today with 10
Democratic and Republican
Governors.
so Church Leaders
More than so church leaders
from Southern States partici-
pated in yesterdays meeting.
Thirteen were from the imme-
date Washington area.
The Rev. Dan Potter, execu-
tive director Of the Protestant
Council Of New York, said the
President received "a very en-
thusiastic response" to his plea
for religious leaders to take q
lead In helping solve the racial
problem.
He said the feeling was ex-
pressed among those attending
the gathering that the religious
leaders should not only organ
ize nationally and at the local
level, but should also support
the Presidents legislative pro-
gram aimed at providing more
work, better housing and better
educational opportunities for
Negroes.
While no one spoke in opposi-
ton to the Presidents sugges-
ton, 1t was reported that two
or three clergymen from the
South raised questions about
how far the migration pro-
gram would be carried. In this
connection, it was said, the
question Of intermarriage was
brought up, as one Of the mat
tiers most disturbing to South
ern segregationists.
Can Draw Line
The President was reported
10 have met the challenge
deity. He was quoted as tell
ing the group that such mat
tiers were not an issue, and that
the issues were such things as
work. housing, education and
voting. He also was said to
have emphasized that 1t was
up to the churches to decide
whether they should integrate
or not. and, one participant
said, told the group that "this
is where you can draw the line
between church and state"
After the meeting, which
lasted q little more than an
hour, q group Of Southern
Baptists gathered on the steps
Of the White House north por-
tico and exchanged notes on
the meeting.
DR.. Foy Valentine of Nash
vile, Tenn. representing the
Southern Baptist Convention,
said the racial situation rep
resented "a great social issue"
and added that "our presence
here Is indicative Of our in
volvement" In It.
His views we're supplemented
by DR.. Z. s. James OF Dallas,
Tex, editor Of The Baptist
Standard, who said Our very
presence Is indicative Of want
ing TO meet constructively a
very deep moral problem"
Two associates of DR.. Mar
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