EDITORIALS, FEATURES
of Orange
County
THE NEWS-THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1963
StC. II. PAGE 1
Confrontation of legislature
would not achieve its dim
i
A mass march on the state capitol m
behalf of civil rights- demands would
not be appropriate “at this time,” State
NAACP President Kelly Alexander has
declared.
At the same time he has cited Gov.
Sanford’s record of progress in the realm
of racial matters, declaring that Sanford
“has made basic changes that no other
Governor of North Carolina has made.
We don’t have enough, but we’re mow
ing in the direction to get more than
we’ve ever had.”
Mr. Alexander is right in his assess
ment of the current situation, and also
in his judgment as to the advisability of
the staging of a Tar Heel version of the
march on the nation’s capitol last sum-,
mer.
He and other civil rights leaders
should also think long and hard before
they sponsor or encourage a march on
the capitol in Raleigh at any other time
—such as when the General Assembly may
be in session next month.
f
Have the right, but . . .
There is' no question but that mili
tant civil rightists have the RIGHT to
march in Raleigh or any place they want
to marCh in an orderly and reasonable
fashion.. But the marchers are certainly
going to be concerned with more than
simply making an appearance and get
ting headlines.
If they are concerned with results, they
should get the message sent to them by
Gov. Sanford, who has termed such stra
tegy “useless” and “extremely unwise.”
Anybody reasonably well acquainted
witth the temperament of the North Car- j
olina General Assembly could state with
certainty that it would not take1 kindly
to such a march. Whether it should or
should noa be receptive to a civil rights
march is not the question. (And admit
tedly, it has not yet been established that
a march on the General Assembly is con- -
templated, though there are some strong.
'hints to this end.)
The University of North Carolina has
felt the rebound consequences of civil
rights issues having been pushed too hard
by integrations zealots on occasions.
The un-necessary and harmful “gag” law
barring persons holding to certain con
troversial creeds from freedom to speak
on state college campuses is one of these
very obvious consequences.
Effectiveness limited . . .
This is not to say that one must quake
in fear of doing anything that might
make legislators unhappy. But there is
a limit to the potential effectiveness of
the pressure and confrontation involved
in the strategy of a “march on the capi
tol.”
After the usefulness of confrontation
has expired there are in the system of
democratic government yet two other
ways, both much sounder long-range ap
proaches, for the accomplishment of any
objective: One is through personal con
tact or conference—by direct give-and
take discussion across a tables or-by elect
ing to the legislature persons who will
pass the legislation desired. At this stage
the latter two strategies are obviously
the better ones for the civil rightists to
employ.
Why Lake would be beaten
When he declares tha^ Beverly Lake
of Raleigh would be “the easiest man
for die Republicans to beat in 1964“ •
the former Chairman of the Democratic
Party in North Carolina speaks from a
wealth of paitiful knowledge.
In commenting''on attorney Lake as
a prospective Democratic candidate for
Governor in 1964, Bert Bennett under
standably did not give the reason that
he felt Lake would be the easiest for the
Republicans to beat. In case anybody
does not see that reason it had just as
well be made clear in all candor right
now.
That reason is that if Lake were by
some quirk of the political climate to
.become the Democratic nominee there
would be mass desertions in the general
election of tens of thousands of iprevious
ly-loyal Democrats1 from the party fold.
They would realize that the future wel
fare of all of die citizens of North Caro
lina gave them no other choice, and that
within this choice die Republican Can
didate would likely be preferable to Bev
erly 'Lake.
While all of this is a bit of rather
“iffy” conjecture at this date eight
months ahead of die Democratic Pri
mary and more than a year before the
general election, it is not an in-appropri
ate subject to consider.
The former Chairman of the Demo
cratic party was speaking not just as a
partisan of one particular candidate for
governor — L. Richardson Preyer of
Greensboro—when he made this frank
statement. He was speaking for the very
survival of the Democratic Party and the
future well-being of this entire state.
Move on to 'moon' talks
With the "first step” toward lasting
peace assured in ratification of the inter
national nuclear test ban treaty, Presi
dent has now moved toward a signifi
cant “second step.”, r
In his address before the United Na
tions last week, the President urged con
sideration of a joint United States-Soviet
expedition to the moon. This may or
may not prove to be practical and useful.
But it is highly appropriate for imme
diate discussion ‘between the two woefcl
powers. The climate tor such an accord
has now been set by the nuclear test
ban treaty. ;T
Through proceeding fawn the test ban
to cooperation on a nominally non-mili
taey project, the two nations could build
the foundation for permanently better
normal relations. Indeed, it might be '
easier to work out mutually useful co
operation on the moon expedition than
it was on, the test ban treaty, which was
(Continued on page x)
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Newsman's Notepad . . .
New' Kenan, game time
offer fringe benefits
to Saturday spectators
The “new” Kenan Stadium will give welcome shelter from the
wind and the rain to those fortunate enough to be seated in the
triple-letter rows under the top deck. And for the early season
games—such as the opener with Virginia last Saturday, the shade
of the overhanging rows was a very welcome commodity.
On the south (Carolina) side the spectators under the top deck
were in the shade for most of the 86-degree game. But on the
north side, only about the top dozen rows were in the shade by
kickoff time. ' ,.
And as the gam* progressed and the sun crept around to
the west and lower on the horizon, the shady sanctuary from
the M-degree heat evaporated, until by game's end only the
top four rows were still protected. Of course in games later in
the season even these might bo eliminated since the sun will
move gradually lower along the horizon.
One of the pleasanter fringe benefits of the home football
games this season, too, is the half-hour earlier kick-off time. The
final gun sounded before 3:30 p.m. last Saturday, leaving several
hours to go in the afternoon. For some reason, it has seemed in
the past, the afternoon was completely shot by the time the 2 p.m.
games had ended.
"DEFY" WAS LIKE "CURED" . . .
The coming of CURED on the Chapel Hill scene, as successor to
the Committee for Open Business, brings to mind a similar type
organization—on a national, rather than local scale—that figured
in Allen Drury’s well-known political novel of last year, “A Shade
of Difference.” .
DEFY, the popular name for Defenders of Equality for You.
is described as "a youthful and turbulent off-shoot of the ,
NAACP, formed out of the impatience of the younger genera
tion with the cautious older . . .'* this trade name for the
story-book civil rights groups has a militant ring about it and
an active, forceful Implication that cannot be denied (or, "de
fledl")
Chapel Hill’s real-life version of a similar-type group, trading
as “CURED” in condensation of Citizens United for Racial Equality
and Dignity,” has a notion of double entendre in it. The past tense
of the word suggests it is more passive than a moving word like
“DEFY” is. But by the same token, the name implies therapeutic
accomplishment; though detractors have a ready-made handle on
which to hang their derision, too.
WHERE FLUORIDATION WAS STAMPEDED . . .
In last Sunday’s issue of The Chapel Hill Weekly Manning A.
Simons bought a half-page ad to publish “a partial list” of com
munities where fluoridation of the public water supply had been
(See NOTEPAD, Page 2)
Hfttflttos of 0rangr Count?
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