The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1963-08-23


brains" Of the forthcoming
giant civil rights rally in the ma
tons capital is one-time mem
Der of Communist organiza-
ton, a wartime conscientious OBJ
jector, and served a Jail term
on a morals conviction.
That's the record Senate au-
thorities have turned over to
Washington police on Bayard
Rustin deputy director Of the
massive August % demonstra-
ton.
This record, based on FBI and
police reports, is as follows:
*As a student at the College
of the City of New York in 1886,
RuStin joined the Young Com
munist League and was active
in its operations on the campus
and elsewhere.
*In World War II, he was ar
rested several times for making
speeches advocating resistance
to the conflict against Hitler and
MuSsolini. AS a protested con-
scientious objector, he served rs
months in the federal prisons at
Ashland, KY. and Lewisburg,
Pa.
With two other men, Rustin
was convicted in 1858 in Pasa
dena, Calf, on a morals charge,
and served go days.
While Rustin has no college
degree. he spent seven years
studying at WHEREFORE, Ohio,
and Cheyney, Pa, colleges, the
College of the City of New York,
and the London School of Eco
nomics.
A. Philip Randolph, president
Of the Sleeping Car Porters and
chairman of the huge march on
Washington. personally desig-
mated Rustin as deputy.
Asked if in view of the Senate
report to Washington police on
Rustin's Communist and prison
record he would be asked to
give up this key post, Randolph
emphatically replied, "Of course
not. He's Mr.. March himself:
We couldn't do without him. His
outstanding ability and expert
ence are invaluable.
This column put the question
direct to Rustin if he proposed
continuing his connection with
the demonstration.
Il certainly do" he said.
I've been meeting with high
Justice Department officials on
our plans, and I will have other
conferences with them as we
progress.
Who are these officials?"
lone of them is Assistant At
torney General Burke Marshall
thead of the Civil Rights Di-
viSion)," said Austin.
UNEXPECTED PLAIN TALK
Senator Abraham Ribicoff. D.
Conn, former head Of the De
partment of Health, Education
and Welfare. favors the admins
tration's civil rights bill. but
that's not keeping him from do
ing some blunt talking par
ticularly about the need for law
observance by advocates Of the
legislation.
1t is Ribicoff's fortnight CON
tention that such responsibility
comes before enactment of the
measure.
II firmly believe" declares
Ribicoff. that those who urge
the need for law have a respon-
Slbility to insist that law be OBJ
served. Many who decry dis
elimination have practiced or
condoned it. Many who point
condemning finger at the south
are unaware, for example, that
in no Northern city can be
found the extent and quality of
private residential housing for
Negroes that exists, in Atlanta,
Ga.
Many who are quick to con-
denim discrimination 1880 miles
away have never looked at what
is happening six blocks from
their own homes. Denying a
man job because he is a Ne
gro is indefensible. Granting
man job if he is not qualified
just because he is Negro can
not be justified either.
Those who claim that x num-
Der Of jobs or Y per cent Of
jobs must be set aside for Ne
groes are not favoring equality
of opportunity. They are saying
that opportunity does not mat
ter, that merit does not matter,
that only arbitrary numbers
and percentages matter. This
point of view will undermine the
whole effort to achieve equality
in this country.
Dissemination is wrong
whether it works against a man
or for him. Unless the test is
ability, someone will always be
the victim of discrimination"
CIVIL RIGHTS FLASHES ~
Latest backstage nose count of
the Senate, made expressly for
the President, showed a maxi
mum of 54 votes for his civil
rights bill, with a greatly water
L.