Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-06-20
Medgar Evers' Death
Was An Execution

The killing of Medgar Evers in Jackson, Miss.
has been described by reporters as a lynching. 1t
was worse than that 1t was an execution.
Whether we will ever know how and by whom
the sentence of death was decreed and how it
carried out is question nobody at this writing can
answer. That the people who hold the reigns of
power at this time in Jackson decreed the execution
(perhaps by looking the other way while the de-
cision was made and carried out) might be open to
argument. If so would be interested to hear
what they have to say for themselves. We would be
especially interested to know why, after plenty of
warning, the police not around to protect
American citizen and veteran whose activities
had brought him worldwide attention-and placed
him in grave peril of his life. The Jackson police
knew of this peril. Where they?
Medgar Evers took the stand he did knowing
that the power elite of his home town, the capital
city of Mississippi might pass a sentence Of
ton upon him, and knowing that he might expect
exactly the kind of police protection which he
ultimately received, namely, none. None, even
though the police had been forewarned by
successful attack the night before Medgar Evers
said that he not afraid to die-that on the
contrary he hoped it might do some good
Against this background, it is nauseating to the
point of violent illness to read newspaper coumnists
like Arthur Krock of the New York Times and Min
neapois Star, who want to believe that the power
elite of the South being sadly and egregiously
put upon. The President is accused of phrasing his
appeals for civil rights 80 broadly" that ut could
only encourage the seeking of redress in the streets
instead of the courts" Well, for gracious sakes Or
to get timed in with Krock and Governor Wallace,
Odds Zounds
Mr.. Krock thinks that the Important judicial
distinction" in the Negroes demonstrations "is
where trespass private property is illegal, and
where it is not" In Mr.. Krocks view it is trespass
and therefore illegal for Negro to seek service
the premises of presumably public chartered and
hcensed) corporation offering its services to the
general public except where the courts have specif
ically ruled that Negroes have the right He thinks
the important thing Is to stress the distinction" be-
tween legal and illegal" exercise of the right Of
petition.
Having followed Mr. Krock for many years. we
have no doubt that he sincerely believes Americas
second-class citizens be persuaded to respect
this line which he draws between businesses which
have been officially forbidden by the courts to deny
a Negro a cup Of coffee, lunch, drink Of water,
the use of the rest and those businesses which
have not. This is a line which has been carefully
thought up to crowd everything into the courts and
license most businesses to keep on legally" dis
eliminating. How ridiculous! We doubt that Mr.
hrOcR can sell LnlS line OUTSIDE or a nome for the
senile
Mr.. Krock suggests that "the enforcement of
this measure''-the Administrators Civil Rights
program-would be less difficult if the Adrninistra-
ton would emphasize
That the rule of law will prevail"
That the government cannot be scared into
accepting rule Of law In which wrongs are re-
dressed at the expense of the rights of others"
Lest there be the slightest misunderstanding Mr.
krock is referring to the rights Of corporations
operating restaurants hotels bus stations etc. to
refuse Negro a drink of water cup of coffee and
the use of public rest room)
This kind Of tripe appeared the very day of
the execution of Medgar Evers.
The only further comment that seems necessary
Is the observation Of veteran police reporter:
"Given the circumstances Of Medgar Evers' execu-
don there is absolutely question that the police
authorities, if they want to, can come up with
executoners. They can probably come up with the
people who issued the decree Of execution The Jack
son authorities do this. The FBI can do it. This
is an absolute proposition they want to- they can
do it."
We shall await with interest the results