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PAGE 8 — Dec. I, 1954 — SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS Mississippi JACKSON, Miss. STATEWIDE campaign against ratification of a constitutional amendment vesting power in the legislature to abolish public educa tion to prevent integration is being conducted in Mississippi by a group under the banner of “Friends of Segregated Public Schools.” The issue is to be decided in a spe cial election on Dec. 21. Except for the approach, the ob jective of the organization headed by a former president of the all-white Mississippi Education Association is the same as that of Gov. Hugh White’s Legal Educational Advisory Com mittee, sponsors of the amendment. Neither group favors integration. The Friends of Segregated Public Schools takes the position that other planned and outlined delaying steps against enforcement of the May 17 decision of the United States Su preme Court should first be ex hausted before the legislature is given blanket abolition authority. They hold that the state’s strongest weapon against integration is use Of its police power. And, taking the proponents planned “bypass” maneuvers as one of their texts, the opposition chal lenges the immediate necessity for the amendment. The proponents have outlined a series of legal steps, including use of the state’s police power, which they contend are suffi cient to stall an integration show down for 10 to 20 years. On that premise, the opposition forces headed by Miss Alma Hick man of Hattiesburg, and two legis lators who fought in a recent special session against submission of the amendment to the voters, pitch their campaign against ratification at this time. LEGISLATORS SPEAK OUT The two legislators who are bear ing the brunt of the campaign in speeches over the state are State Sen. George Owens of Pontotoc, and State Rep. Joel Blass of Stone County (Wiggins). Miss Hickman’s group is fearful that the legislature, assertedly dom inated by leaders who have opposed increased funds for public schools, will seek to use the abolition author ity immediately and not as a “last resort.” However, Gov. White and the other 24 members of his advisory committee have pledged not to in voke the amendment until other steps to prevent integration have failed of that accomplishment. The proponents have also publicly agreed to launch a building program to close the 118-million-dollar gap in facilities between the two races, and to appropriate adequate funds for equalization of teachers salaries, transportation and administration. That agreement, however, hinges on ratification of the amendment. Chairman of the House and Senate revenue-raising committees, who blocked increased funds for schools in the 1954 regular and special ses sions pending adoption of a plan to preserve segregation, have agreed to go along now on full financing sub ject to ratification of the amendment. They have blueprinted a tax increase schedule sufficient to raise an addi tional 18 million dollars a year—the amount said to be needed at this time for full equalization of the dual system. The state now appropriates 34 million dollars annually for all phases of equalization, except facili ties. Under the amendment, the legisla ture is authorized by a two-third vote to abolish the statewide public school system, or by majority vote to permit counties or separate school districts to abolish on the “local lev el.” The latter provision would allow some areas to abolish public schools and others to continue their tax- supported institutions. NEWSPAPERS DIVIDED Newspapers are divided on the is sue, with the two Jackson newspa pers, The Daily News and Clarion Ledger, outspoken in its favor. On the other hand, Editor James D. Arrington of the weekly News- Commercial at Collins, a former president of the Mississippi Press Association and unsuccessful candi date for lieutenant governor in 1951, heads up the publicity committee of the Friends of Segregated Public Schools. Three of the most outspoken daily newspaper opponents to the amend ment include Editor Oliver Emme rich of the McComb Enterprise- Journal; Pulitzer prize-winning Edi tor Hodding Carter of the Greenville Democrat Times, and Editor George McLean of the Tupelo Daily Journal. In the weekly newspaper field, Edi tor Eastin King of the Pascagoula Chronicle, and Editor Murphy Weir of the Poplarville Democrat, are ac tive opponents. Editor Emmerich is a former pres ident of the Mississippi Press Asso ciation and is now serving on the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning which recently tightened admission requirements to the state’s senior colleges to block entrance of Negroes. NAACP STATEMENT The recent state convention of the Mississippi Conference of the NAACP, by resolution, “deplored and condemned” the amendment. The NAACP called on Mississippi voters “to defeat this proposal be cause it is corrupt, unethical and an obnoxious reflection upon the digni ty and integrity of our officials who have taken an oath to uphold the law of the land.” At the same time, the state NAACP insisted that “there should be inte gration at all levels, including the assignment of teacher personnel on a non-discriminatory basis.” In that connection, the association said: We are ready to sit in conference with school boards and discuss the implementa tion of the May 17 decision on a peace ful basis in the spirit of the American creed of fair play and equal justice to ail. Gov. White’s advisory committee, although making no public state ment, felt that the NAACP action would strengthen its campaign. At the same time, the Friends of Segregated Public Schools saw in it the possibility of hurting their ef forts, and in a statement issued bv State Ren. Blass termed the NAACP action “hypocritical.” Mr. Blass, as spokesman for the FSPS, said: Walter White, executive secretary of the NAACP, is no fool. He is calling the signals from New York and knows that NAACP opposition will help pass any proposal made in Mississippi. The conclusion is inescapable that they did this because they know their opposi tion will have a reverse effect and help pass the amendment. Mr. Blass asserted that “if the amendment passes, Negroes will only have to sue for admission to white schools and the state supreme court will be compelled to allow them to enter. Section ‘A’ of the amendment provides for schools without refer ence to race and color, and nowhere in the amendment are there consti tutional safeguards to maintain seg regated public schools or prevent integration.” JACKSON, Miss. A special session of the Mississippi legislature voted to submit a con stitutional amendment to the voters in a special election Dec. 21 under which public schools may be abo lished as a “last resort” to prevent integration of the races. Here is the concurrent resolution (HCR 2), adopted by the House and Senate submitting the amendment for voter ratification or rejection and also the amendment: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCUR RING THEREIN: SECTION 1. That there be and is here by submitted to the qualified electors of the State of Mississippi for their approval or rejection, in an election to be held in accordance with section 273 of the con stitution of this state, on Tuesday, the 21st day of December, 1954, the following amendment to Article 8 of the Constitu tion of the State of Mississippi, to be num- Mr. Blass’ statement also said: Instead of being a measure to preserve segregation, the amendment actually opens the doors of white schools to Ne groes. It should rightly be called an in tegration amendment, since it gives the Negroes an entering wedge into white schools they do not have at present. At the same time, it is an abolition amendment because a small group of legislators can abolish public schools on a statewide basis or grant permission for counties or districts to operate private schools. The failure of the framers of the amendment to provide sure ways of pre venting integration must be attributed to oversight or to a plan to bring about either integration or private schools. Whatever the motive or motives, the very thing which is being boosted to preserve segregation is beyond doubt the one thing that will bring either integration or a private school system. Major consideration was given the amendment at the recent state NAACP convention in Jackson, at which Dr. A. H. McCoy, Jackson dentist, was elected president to suc ceed Dr. A. L. Stringer, Columbus dentist. They included the following statements: By Daniel E. Byrd of New Orleans, field secretary of the NAACP: If it is time for Negroes to pay taxes, it is time for them to use all public fa cilities paid for by taxes. Some claim attitudes cannot be changed by law (Su preme Court’s integration decision). It does not try to change attitudes—it af fects actions. By Clarence Mitchell, director of the Washington bureau of the NAACP: There is no doubt that racial segrega tion in the United States is dead. No mat ter what demagogues may say, no matter what state legislatures may do, we are fortified by the knowledge that freedom from racial segregation is God’s plan. We fear no storm of opposition and we know that neither we nor the nation will ever turn back. The new enlightenment that is reaching the South is not wanted by those who have thrived on exploitation of colored and white residents of this area. They have hit upon the device of abolishing public schools as a means of spreading ignorance and chaos. By Mrs. Ruby Hurley of Birming ham, Ala., southern regional head quarters director: We don’t want to be white—all we want is a chance to prove we are good Americans. OTHER ENDORSEMENTS Meanwhile, proponents gained en dorsement of the proposal from the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation and the two United States senators, James O. Eastland and John Stennis, along with the four leading candi dates for governor in next year’s campaign. In endorsing the amendment, the Farm Bureau pledged to work with the legislature “on the school build ing program commensurate with our ability to pay, that will tend to equalize opportunities as between races and between rural and urban schools.” “We insist, however, that no build ing program begin until reasonable assurance can be given that segre gated schools will continue,” the farm bureau resolution stated. “We pledge ourselves, as individuals and as an organization, to the proposition that racial purity is a law of nature, divinely ordained, and that any at tempt to integrate, assimilate, com mingle, miscegenate or otherwise break down racial barriers for the purpose of mixing the races is sin- bered and inserted therein and added thereto as "Section 213-B’’ thereof, to wit: Section 213-B. (a) Regardless of any provision of Article 8, or any other pro visions of this constitution to the con trary, the legislature may authorize the establishment, support, maintenance and operation of public schools. (b) Regardless of any provision of Article 8, or any other provisions of this constitution to the contrary, the legisla ture shall be and is hereby authorized and empowered, by a two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of those present and voting in each House, to abolish the public schools in this state, and enact suitable legislation to effect the same. (c) Regardless of any provision of Article 8. or any other provisions of this constitution to the contrary, the legisla ture shall be and is hereby authorized and empowered, by a majority vote of those present and voting in each House, to au thorize the counties and school districts to abolish their public schools, and enact suitable legislation to effect the same. (d) In the event the legislature shall abolish, or authorize the abolition of the public schools in this state, then the legis lature shall be and is hereby authorized ful, abhorrent and detrimental to the Negro race as well as to the white race.” SYNOD TAKES STAND Another development on the ra cial issue was rejection by the Synod of Mississippi, the Presbyterian Church, U. S. (Southern), of its General Assembly’s memorial to open its churches and schools to Ne groes. In a resolution offered by Dr. G. T. Gillespie of Jackson, who recently retired as president of the denomi nation’s Belhaven College after 33 years, the Synod advised the General Assembly that it “cannot in good conscience comply with the recom mendations with respect to institu tions under its control or to the vari ous conferences sponsored by the Synod, nor can it place the stamp of its approval upon the recommenda tion that sessions of constitutent churches of this Synod admit per sons to membership and fellowship without reference to race.” The Synod protested “against the action of the 94th General Assembly in receiving and adopting that sec tion of the Report of the Council on Christian Relations entitled ‘The Church and Segregation’ with its recommendations, and overtures the assembly to reconsider and rescind such action.” The matter of the segregation of the races is, and for a long time has been and doubtless for a long time to come will continue to be a highly controversial political issue,” the Mississippi Synod said. The resolu tion added: The recent revolutionary decision of the United States Supreme Court has not settled the issue, but has only served to precipitate a violent conflict between the states and the Federal authorities and has raised many serious and complex problems which must be dealt with by legislation, administration and further litigation in the civil courts. Even though there are moral and ethi cal considerations involved, as there are in all human relations, nevertheless the action of the General Assembly in un dertaking to deal with this question au thoritatively, and to make deliverances concerning it which are obviously in tended to bind the conscience of mem bers of the lower courts and congrega tions, would seem to be in plain violation of the distinctive and important provi sions of the Constitution of the Church found in the Confession of A Faith. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 62 to 40. SITUATION TENSE The tenseness of the overall situa tion with reference to the amend ment was reflected at a recent meet ing of Gov. White’s 25-member Legal Educational Advisory Committee. That group was created by the 1954 regular legislative session to plan a program designed to preserve segre gation. The amendment was one of the plans advocated, although for use as a “last resort” when other delay ing steps have proved unsuccessful. At that meeting, Gov. White re iterated a previous statement that he would not call a special legislative session next year to vote the needed 18 million dollars for operation of schools in the 1955-56 term without ratification of the amendment. That was the “deficit” in school funds left after 34 million dollars had been set aside for the current year’s opera- and empowered to enact suitable legisla tion to dispose of school buildings, land and other school property by lease, sale or otherwise. (e) The legislature may appropriate state funds and authorize counties, muni cipalities and other governmental sub- divisons and districts to appropriate funds, including poll tax and sixteenth section funds, to aid educable children of this state to secure an education. (f) The legislature may do any and all acts and things necessary for the pur poses of this section, and this section is declared to be, and is, supplemental to all other provisions of this constitution, and legislation enacted under authority hereof shall prevail, whether in conflict with other sections or not. SECTION 2. Said election for the sub mission of the aforesaid amendment shall be held in every election precinct of this state on said Tuesday, the 21st day of December, 1954. Notice of said election shall be given as required bv the con stitution and same shall be held agreeably to the general election laws of this state, and said amendment submitted therein in the same maner as amendments to the constitution are submitted in regular gen eral elections held in this state. tions. Unless the funds are made available, schools will not be able to open next September. The next reg ular session is not until January of 1956, when a new administration takes office. Only the proclamation of the governor can convene a special session. When Gov. White reiterated his position after Dean Robert J. Farley of the University of Mississippi Law School and president of the State Bar Association, suggested its withdraw al would aid the cause of the amend ment’s proponents, the chief execu tive told newsmen covering the open meeting that his assertion was “off the record.” However, when the statement was published by The Associated Press and Jackson Daily News, the gover nor reprimanded the two reporters and then ordered them from his of fice. Another reporter for the New Orleans Times Picayune interposed that it was apparent the governor “does not welcome us today.” The reporter got up to leave, and the governor told him he “could get out also.” Later, all other newspaper and wire services carried the governor’s statement. Dean Farley in suggesting with drawal of the statement, told the gov ernor that the opponents were branding it as a “threat” to coerce citizens into voting for the amend ment. Dean Farley suggested that emphasis be given to an equalized program and its tendency to stimu late racial pride among Negroes through segregation, with the end result of improving their economic position. Gov. White said his stand is based on his belief that without the amend ment as a “standby” weapon to force Negroes to accept a voluntary seg regation, conditioned on their oppor tunities and facilities being imme diately equalized, the legislature under the present constitutional pro vision that funds be voted for “sep arate but equal” opportunities, could not so act. He said that is based on the indirect invalidation of the pro vision by the May 17 decision of the United States Supreme Court. ELECTION RESULT Meanwhile, proponents of the amendment have long been encour aged by the recent general election ratification of an amendment in creasing the educational require ments of qualified electors. Although there is no mention of race, it would further restrict the voter qualifica tion of Negroes by requiring all ap plicants to be able to “read and write,” and then write in their own hand a “reasonable” interpretation of any section of the state constitution to the satisfaction of the county reg istrar. Like the school amendment, the one on voter qualification was backed by the recently organ ized “Citizens Councils” composed of “white males dedicated to preserva tion of segregation.” A recent report from the state office opened by the councils at Winona, shows 53 of the 82 counties with councils. With the backing of the “Citizens Councils,” the voter qualification amendments, which was roundly de feated several years ago, was ratified by a vote of 75,488 for and 15,718 against. The state conference of the NAACP has announced it will attack the con stitutionality of the amendment in the courts. Although somewhat iden tical to the Boswell amendment in Alabama which was voided by the United States Supreme Court, the Mississippi proposal contains the words “reasonable,” which NAACP spokesmen admit weakens their at tack. A compilation by Atty. Gen. J. P- Coleman showed only 22,104 Negroes qualified to vote in Mississippi out of an estimated voting strength of 500,000. Negroes outnumber whites in 31 of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Out of a total of 799,621 children of educable age in Mississippi (age 5 6 to 21), as of the 1953-54 term, there are 431,857 Negroes and 367,76’ whites. Enrollment of Negro children was reported by the State Depart ment of Education as 267,388 com pared to the 272,769 whites, and the average daily attendance: Negroes* 214,649; whites, 237,579. Mississippi Amendment Text