North Carolina Newspapers

PAGE FOUR What Other Editors Say From the Nashville Tennessean, one of the South's leading dailies, THE PROBLEM IS NOT EXPELLED Technically speaking, University of Ala bama trustees may have grounds on which to expel the Negro student & federal court has ordered readmitted to the school. As a practical matter, however, their action dodges what President O. C, Carmichael has correctly called the real issue confronting the university: “ . , . not segregation versus inte gration but law and order versus anarchy.” The trustees may be able to make their ex pulsion of Miss Autherine Lucy stick. Or the court: might rule that such action was a sub terfuge and order them to readmit her nr face contempt proceedings. But even if the trustees do succeed in expelling this one Negro student, they cannot hope to expel the problem she symbolizes. It may be said that the NAACP could have been wiser in its choice of a student to test the ancient racial barrier at the University of Alabama. For more than Miss Lucy’s race sets her apart from the vast majority of Ala bama students. She is 26 years old. She has already had a college education. She arrived on the campus in a Cadillac and was dressed as if she were going to a tea instead of to class. None of these things made her entry any easier to accept. And it may be further said that her charges that university officials conspired in the dem Where Is It Coming From? Attorney General Rodman, in pursuance of his picayune policy of trying to embarrass and harrass the NAACP under the North Car olina law requiring foreign corporations to reg ister if they do business in North Carolina or aim to influence legislation or public opinion, has asserted that the NAACP is raising "stu pendous amounts of money” in North Caro lina. “Stupendous” is a very big word, imply ing quantity almost impossible for the human mind to grasp. What this newspaper would like to know Listen To The Grand Jury There h something eminently spurious about the concern expressed by the grand jury which indicted more than 100 Negroes on a charge of conspiracy and illegal boycott over the state of race relations in Montgomery, The grand jury piously deplored the deteri oration of race relations and expressed Tar ox violence at the same time it was indicting persons concerned in a peaceful protest action pledged to non-violence. The “legal ' action itself might well have been an incitement to violence, but the fact is that ths only violence prepetrated so far has been against Negroes, in the form of bombing of the property of some of the protest leaders. This actual violence, al ready committed, did not lead to any indict ments , The concept of “good race relations” Is not always, but far too often, tied to the assump tion that Negroes will always be acquiescent in the white community’s interpretation of race relations. In the end this quite frequently presupposes a supine attitude on the part of what it takes to bring about and maintain good Negroes, promoted by Negro leaders under pressure of reprisal or infulenced by not too subtle blandishments. These seem, happily, not to be an operation in the present Mont gomery situation. The position of the grand jury was made more clear by its statement indicating that though a settlement of the bus issue was de Bomeone must have advised Adlai Steven son that his earlier pronouncements on the de segregation issue were not much good. Any way he has made a new statement which is much more straightforward and sound. The later statement was to the effect that there should be no slowing down of the desegrega tion effort, but that “we must recognize that it is reason alone which will determine our rate of continued progress." Th# Democratic presidential hopeful added ! ““ ~ ' THE CAROLINIAN Published by the Carolinian Publishing Company, SIS E. Martin Street, Raleigh, N. C. Entered m Second Class Matter, April 6, 1940, at the Post Office at Raleigh, North Carolina, under the Act of March 1879. Additional Entry at Charlotte, N. C. Subscription Boles! Six Months $2.75 .On© Yam $4.50 Payable in Advance—Address all communications and make all check* and money or ders payable te THE CAROLINIAN. Interstate United Newspapers, Inc* BM Fifth Avenue, N. Y. 1?, X. Y. National Advertising Repre sentative. This newspaper is not responsible for the return of unsolicited news, pictures, or advertising copy unless necessary postage accompanies the Copy. P. B, JEBVAT, Publisher Alexander Barnes Advertising & Promotion Chas. Jones »..»••••••••**• News & Circulation E. R. Swain .Plant Superintendent J. C. Washington Foremens., Mechanical Department Mrs, A. M. Hinton .Office Manager Opinions expressed in by-coitmm published te this newspaper are not necessarily those of the pub -11 cation. wSifmiAtTl VIEWPOINT Adlai Clarifies onstration against her were extremely ill-ad vised, regardless of whether they originated with her or with NAACP attorneys, But when all this is said, the fact remains that Miss Lucy is a symbol—-even if an un fortunate one-—of countless other Negroes who want to exercise the educational rights the Su preme Court of the United States has said are theirs. And, unhappily, nothing the University of Alabama or the officials of that state have done indicates that the situation would have been—or would be—different in respect to any. other Negro student. The issue has been correctly defined by Dr. Carmichael. But so fat there is no evidence that the university is prepared to prove by deeds as well as words that law and order in stead of anarchy will prevail. It was, after all, a capitulation to anarchy that created the circumstances leading to the charges on which Miss Lucy has now been ex pelled. And now r , after imploring the student body to respect law and order, the university itseif not only takes an action of dubious le gal status but demonstrates a striking unwill ingness to submit the anarchy-versus-law is sue to a test. The problem facing the university, there fore, has not been solved. It perhaps may be delayed for a time, but inevitably it must be faced forthrightly. And confidence in toe way it will be handeled is not enhanced by the course the trustees are now following. is where is all this money coming from? High officials in North Carolina have said they are convinced that most North Carolina Negroes are not at heart in sympathy with toe NAA CP’s program. Surely the Negroes of North Carolina are not paying into the NAACP treasury these “stupendous” sums, in mem bership fees or otherwise, because all contri butions to NAACP are entirely voluntary, and . ople don’t contribute voluntarily to organi sations whose programs they are out of sym pathy with. * sirable, any settlement “must be made within these laws” (referring to the existent inequit able segregation laws and ordinance) “which reflect our ways of life.” It is the typical attitude, operating under the assumption that whatever is is right, and if it is not right it is going to stay that way anyhow. The bus boycotters’ terms are modest. They have asked only that the bus driver be re quired to be courteous, that seating on a segregated pattern be divided on an equitable basis, with no requirements that Negroes stand to reserve seats for white passengers who have not yet boarded the vehicle, and that Negro drivers be employed on lines serving predomi nantly Negro neighborhoods. These are the things which would violate the “ways of lift ’ so precious to the grand jurors, and which must be preserved at all costs, the preservation of which would insure the continuance of “good race relations.” Not only have more than a hundred parti cipants in the boycott been arrested and indict ed under a flimsy law in an obvious and mean gesture of pressure and reprisal; similar police state tactics have been applied in wholesale arrests of Ngroes in the motor pool for alleged traffic violations. But the boycott, started early in Decem ber, continues. It is a great thing. anyhow. that to him freedom means that "man may advance to the limit of his natural endowment without hinderance because of race or reli gion,” and that equality means that “each citizen shall be judged by his own merits, No candidate for the Democratic nomination can soy less, and the party will not nominate a pussyfooter on civil rights, regardless of the wishes of the southern wing of the party. Moderation is certainly in order, but princi ples must be stood by. THE CAROLINIAN “But The Ghettos Sti Stand in Defiance Os Democrary” GDS SECOND THOUGHTS —* C, D> Halliburton's ~— Every thoughtful and unbias ed citizen welcomes the pros pect of a thoroughgoing investi gation of the use of money in the election of members Jt>t Congress. The Senator Case episode, revealed by the sen ator himself, was relatively un important in itself; Senator Case’s reaction to the offer of the $2,500 gift in ,SIOO bills from the representative of a gas and oil firm on the eve of the vote on the natural gas bill was certainly not unimportnat. He revealed the offer. Had he, failed to do so the chances are that the bill would have been law by now. Not only did the Case reaction lead to the veto ing of the bill by President Eisenhower; it paved the way for an effective senate investi gation of lobbying and the in fluence exerted on elections and on the votes of those elect ed by those who help senators and representatives finance their election campaigns. Present laws governing cam paign expenditures and the reporting of such certainly need overhauling- The investigation to be headed by Senator Gore of Tennessee should make this fact clear, and should serve as a basis 7 for some new laws. Money will continue to be spent in election campaigns, of course. Except in the southern states, where nomination in the No More Messiahs! When Mary McLeod Bethune died, last May. we wrote in this column—“a magnificent character has left the Ameri can scene ... a strong hub for the wheels of much progress. Few of any political faith fail ed to feel the force o f her drive, in the Roosevelt-Truman era. She became a near-fabu lous figure, with an emotional following seldom equalled by any leader of her time . • . She was probably the last of the Messiahs.” That was as much, and as little, as we felt that we had a right to say, for as a leader, she was neither a deep nor analytical thinker, and. conse quently, could not be indepen dent—a fact, which, generally speaking, she recognized. But, by vn-tue of constant and al most. unlimited support from Administrations whose cause she promoted indefatigably, she was able to surround herself with experts and professionals In many fields, who pooled ideas and developed, programs, which she forthwith "sold” with all her natural flair for the dramatic, her powerful personality, and the techniques of the thoroughly-trained e vangelist that she was. In all probability no one as piring to a like role of leader ship will ever have such in tellectual and material re source. With all respect for. what she helped to accomplish (and devout thankfulness that some well-intentioned ventures failed to click) it is to be hop ed that Mrs. Bethune was. in fact, “the last of the Messiahs” Dcmocratio primary is tan tamount to election, and where incumbent senators and repre sentatives often have no op position even for nomination, and in various somewhat simi lar situations regularity or oc casionally in other parts of the country, getting elected to Con gress is an expensive proposi tion. Especially is this true of senators, who must make a statewide campaign, or two of them if opposed in the prima rise. The result is that often only rich men can personally finance their own campaigns for election. Getting elected often costs several times the amount of a senator's salary. This condition is not one of the candidates’ own making. Nor is there anything inherent ly wrong in a candidate's re ceiving contributions from pci - sons interested in his election. It is inevitable, nevertheless, that contributors, and especial ly contributors of large sums, will expect some deference from those to whose success they have contributed, and that the beneficiary will give some consideration to the ex pectations of these large con tributors, especially if he Is or will soon be up for re-election. What is really important is that publicity shall be required by law on who contributes how CAPITAL CLOSE-UP By CONSTANCE DANIEL —the symbol of an era ended This. in. spite of the fact that many who lean toward emo tion rather than reason, in seeking away out of their dis tress. would revive the torch bearing era if they could, and substitute mass action, dictat ed and led by a spectacular personality, for carefully-con sidered planning and decision, Walk Hard, Talk Loud Walking very hard and talk ing very loud, but minus the Bethune aura of sanctity. Con gressman Adam Clayton Pow ell, the current "spectacular personality.” strode across the political stage, on Friday, Feb ruary 24. with the usual dis tracting flourish;.'. 1 :, thundering a “call” for a nation - wide work and school stoppage, by Ne groes, on March 28 on which date “no Negro of any age would attend school or work, between 2 and 2 p m.”, in pro test against the gestapo-like ar rests of Negroes in the Mont gomery, Alabama, bus boycott. Congressman Powell staged his “call” outside a New York Baptist Ministers’ Conference, at which members were dis cussing (1.) a suggestion that each church hold a day of prayer, and (2.) that each send a contribution of money, di rectly to the Montgomery com mittee. But Mr. Powell’s “call" was presented, first, not to his fel low-pastors, in session, but out side the meeting to "30 or 40 newsmen who arrived, oppor tunely, out of a clear, blue sky.” and met with Mr. Powell who had just withdrawn from the meeting, in an adjoining room, Xfee Ministers Say “No” , . - - ■ much to whom. Joseph and Stewart Alsup, the political commentator team, recently wrote: “It is impossible to wage a winning campaign under the limitations laid down by the present Corrupt Practices Act. Thus there is probably not a man in the senate outside the sate scats in the South who has not connived at circumvent me the act by the accepted tech niques. A candidate, especially in the big industrial state.-:, who did not so connive simply could not be elected.” The present state of affair?; is therefore an unhealthy one. What is needed is recognition of the high cost of getting elected, so that what is now “under the table” acceptance of contributions could be above board, with full publicity on all contributions, from whatever source, then everyone could know' who got what from whom, and when. Even that is not easy to accomplish, nor can croowed money be ruled out as long as their are crooked or weak men in political office and crooked men with money to spend for votes. But the light of regular publicity on lobby ing activities and lobbyists, and on contributions made to of ficeholders and candidates would help a lot. The press promptly picked up the obvious implication— that the Conference was support ing the "call,” with statement# in the news services releases such as "Powell and a group of New York ministers called for the Nation’s Negroes to stop work for one hour, the Wednesday before Easter.” NAACE's Wet Finger As soon as we discovered that things were not what they seemed, we set to work to find out what they were. What we found is summed up in the question which we asked, later, of NAACP’s Public Relations Director Henry Lee Moon, in the absence of Executive Secre tary Roy Wilkins from the New York office, and in his replies, as follows:: (Daniel to Moon): Since T know that the proposal did not come from the New York Min isters’ meeting, where, accord ing to some releases, it appears to have coins' from; since, as I know, it did not originate with the NAACP; since, ;.s X know', it did not originate with the Rights Bloc in Congress, is the NAACP backing this call, as issued? (Moon, Mon., Feb. 27, be fore 12 o'clock) "No official position, pro or con, has been taken by the Association, as of noon, today.” (Monday, Feb. 27, S p.m.) "The Association is making no statement until the proposal has been further clarified, and plans studied —possibly by the last, of the week. Congressman Powell will probably restate his proposal” WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1956 Gordon Hancock's BETWEEN the LINES Segregation Has Failed Segregation has failed! For over half a century, the forces of segregation have been ac tlve, and the pint of segrega tion has been to the Southern white man an obsession that at times carried him to pathetic extremes. Entirely too much of the South’s energies have gone into % studied attempt to de grade, discourage and dispar age the Negro. Today we are in a death grapple with Rus sia, in the mad race for world supremacy. Whereas Russia is united in Its efforts, we arc- divided in ours. In this country there is being made a serious attempt to overmatch Russia, as it were, with one hand, and hold th<- Negro down with the other, a point the Old South is slow to grasp. As there lines are writ ten, our newspapers are sound ing a, grave warning that in the field of science. Russia is outstripping us in the impor tant area of producing scien tists for tomorrow. Prom the statistics produced there seems to be the gravest probability that by 1960 Russia will have wrested from us scientific leadership of which we boast today- Tins is a serious matter, and becomes more serious when the Southern states are in open re bellion against the law of the land by reason of their defi ance of the ruling of the Su preme Court. United we stand but divided we fall. We are divided into two groups, the Southern States and the Unit ed States; and just whether we can handle Russia in such divided state, remains to be seen. It is the earnest prayer of this column that we may be able to maintain world su premacy, in spite of cur current state of disunion. Os course there are certain elements of the Old South who would rather see Russia in charge of the world than to sea the Negro liberated; but here is hoping that there is not. a Negro in ail these United States who would, under any circumstance, wish to see Rus sia the greatest power in the Twentieth Century world. Segregation has failed. It has failed to reassure the white man and it- lias failed to cow er the Negro. The Negro is standing where he has stood SENTENCE SERMONS By REV. FRANK CLARENCE LOWRY For ANP How Are Your Brakes? 1. If a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, then a faulty car brake can do more damage than one can think. 2- Despite the price, appear ance and power of a car, it cer tainly won’t safely get. far if the brakes are bad; but there will be at least families on either side that will be made very sad. 3. But bad brakes on cars aren't the only destructive means that hurl individuals into unhappy scenes; unguard ed, hands, mouth and feet can work as destructively to one’s defeat. 4. To be sure, it is when these important members get, out of control, that storm clouds rise and billows roll, and then misfortune with a heavy toll. 5. Ee it, far from human thinking that these physical instruments have no brakes: God saw fit that every means of protection was: granted his creatures for their sakes. 6. Man, the highest of God’s creation was not brought to earth for unrighteous specula tion, but to glorify and mag nify his Maker, making life worthwhile and his neighbors, happier. 7. Surely such a task could not be accomplished if men failed to use their moral brakes; hope would seem almost ban- THE PULPIT VOICE By REV. HAMILTON T. BOSWELL for ANP Why Jesus Went To The Cross Jesus had that amazing abil ity to see God m everything. To Jesus, God is involved m every circumstance, event and person. Nothing happens any where or in any place without the spirit of God abetting or in judgment against it. Jesus saw the image of God in the lace of a child, and compass ionately spoke of people as be ing Uie children of God. In beauty of a Jude: n slot r. He saw the etchings oi the Father's hand and told us that none could compare, not even King Solomon and all His ar ray, In the fury of a wind swept sea, His disciples awak ened Him in great fright. He came forth and spoke to the sea and said to the wind, peace be still," and there was a great calm. In the raging of the storm. He saw not only the impersonal power of the ele ments, but more the personal power of God which under girds faith- _ Everywhere He went, on the quiet of the mountain side or in the strife of the city's slums, He saw always as background, God, In this his life reflects the words of the psalmist who wrote: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence, if I ascend up into Heaven, Thou arc there, if I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there! And In our better minds, we too see God in everything. We won’t always face up to it, We have rigged life with artificial boundaries, in that we call Somethings sacred and other these four-score years, knock ing at the door of first-class citizenship, Wliat is more, he is knocking with greater in sistence. Notwithstanding seg regation as a device for streng thening his racial ego, the white man seems still in doubt about his superiority. If seg regation fails to establish with out and beyond a reasonable doubt in the mind of the white man his own superiority, then it has failed in one of its most vital points. Segregation has failed to thus establish to his own sat isfaction the while man’s su periority. Segregation has fail ed to. establish in the heart and mind of the Negro race a feeling of inferiority. The hum blest impoverished Negro in his heart feels that the superiority which the white man holds in mutters economic, social and political is not based upon race but upon circumstances. Why should the Negro feel inferior with the daily press revealing that no field of crime and deg radation is foreign to the white man and that there are no depths of sin and degration where the humblest Negro finds himself that is not peo pled with whites end Negroes alike. At the upper and lower levels of human existence whites and Negroes are pretty much alike and hence there is no need to assume white su periority and Negro inferiority. At any rate segregation has failed to generate the “superior feeling” in whites and the “in ferior feelings" in Negroes- It has thus failed in one of its fundamental assumptions. Segregation has failed! It has failed to make the Negro afraid of the white man. The late Mary McLeod Bethune said In one of her speeches that whereas there might have been a little rabbit in Negroe* prior to World Warl, that was took most of it away; but World War II took away the last vestige of rabbit that was in the Negro. This was another way of saying Negroes are not afraid of whites any more! When segregation fails to make Negroes afraid of whites, it, has failed Ingloriously. What is currently happening in Ala bama proves the point in ques tion, Segregation has failed! It has failed to hold the Negro down. ished, and the world cluttered up with fakes. 8. But thanks be to God a Savior did come, to bridge the chasm between God and man. and did give him the power thru His healing stream to overcome fleshly ills, how ever stubborn and mean. 9. All mankind therefore, be ing recipients of this Grace need fear no evil in the trials or tests to be faced, for Christ came down here to teach you and me, how to control our God-given members and keep our souls free. 10- Our bodies having many members, but every one a dif ferent office, is none the more mysterious to God, for He is no Novice; He does not oper ate by remote control ... if His Kingdom is within you, you enjoy HE spiritual balance that never grows old. 11. Yes. we must have a con nection with God who is the source of power for ail human motivation, and He will keep one’s spiritual mechanism in control who glories in His Plan of Salvation. 12. Air-Ships and airplanes rank among our latest inven tions. but are still getting out of control . - . but ah. the heir ship with God and joint-heir ship with Jesus Christ, is the only everlasting investment for a human soul. Secular, as though man could really make some aspects of life off-limits for God. But though we foolishly try, under neath we know that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein." God is just (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) % Post’s Comer 4 -II INVOCATION (For National 4-H Week) Lord of the Universe, to Thee Whose glories shine on land and sea, Maker of beast, and bird, and field, Our love and loyalty we yield. Grant us a keen and noble mind To learn —to love-—to lift man kind; And may we strive with all our To make our farm and homo lives bright. Lord, guide our hands that they may do Each day some service kind and true. Help us to do better day by day Tasks —small and great—which come our way. Teach us to love right—to hate wrong; May we grow ever wise and strong. Grant from above guidance di vine, May 4-H ways be ever thine, Amen. —MILDRED ». PA YTON