, 1963-05-13

Iment. "A Republican form OF Government means tnaI
our Congressman in Washington pass laws governing all
ofsus over thenation. 180,0OQ.000p people. It means that
our Legislature in the Virgin Islands pass laws govern
ing the Virgin Islands, and if the people don't have the
kind of laws that we want, as you well said, those repre-
~sentatives are elected every two vars, it isup to the peo-
pie who put you there to remove you from there.
Ihave had the honor Of working with you gentle
men in two phases of this three point integrated pro-
gram. One is on Civil Rights. | appreciate the oppor-
tunity that you gave me of being able to cooperate with
you, on trying to get for the Virgin Islands, a strong, but
fair, Civil Rights Bill. This bill protects everybody. A
white person cannot be Disseminated against either, 1t
is for their protection as well, and In the United States
the Civil Rights Bill in the various states have operated
in many instances not only to protect colored people but
to protect white people as well in their jobs and other
matters. You are trying to balance matters for all OF our
citizens, and | want to help you. Let's not divide the
races. Let's get together for the good OF all our citizens
and work together as friends.
There is a misconception on the part of the people
who believe in segregation. When you are opposed to
segregation, it is a very embarrassing fight you have to
make, for this reason: segregation does create a sense. OF
superiority and inferiority. There will be no segregation
f one side is not considered superior to the other side.
So that the more the person who is segregated against
fights against it, the person who believes in segregation
Eaters himself and says he just wants to join my club
md associate with me. That is as far from the truth as
anything could possibly be. Segregation puts a stigma
on everybody segregated as being not good enough to
participate in the affairs of the community. And that is
what we are opposed to. Let me give you an example.
When was in Mexico, I attended my first bull fight.
And dislked it SO much I thought that l never Will go
to see another bull fight, because Of the brutality. But
when we went to Spain, my wife had never seen a bull
fight and she induced me to go and see another one. And
it was so disgusting to me that | definitely never intend
to see another one. ! have no desire or taste for bull
fights. l utterly detest them. But if anybody came to
st. Croix and organized a bull fight club and said that
he Negroes in st, Croix are not good enough to join a
bull fight club, Would be against it, even though /
don't want any dealings with bull fights. Now, Idon't
want membership in any kind of club, so think that this
IS a good opportunity to set the record straight on this
patent division in ST. Croix.
/ think, gentlemen, that the people here need some
kind of force to unite them, rather than this highly vocal
force that is trying to segregate them. / am deeply sorry
to see this kind of division. The native people of St.
Croix would feel happy to be friends with new citizens
and visitors, we would all be happy, but the new citi-
zens must be friendly too. The natives are perfectly
willing to extend to them a hand Of friendship, but it