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SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—MAY 1956—PAGE 9
Opponents, Moderates
Are Heard In Georgia
MACON, Ga.
V OICES expressing opposition a-
gainst racial integration and
voices urging moderation were raised
in Georgia during April, but on the
official state level the policy re
mained firmly against desegregation.
(See “What They Say.”)
Gov. Marvin Griffin publicly criti
cized Mayor William B. Hartsfield of
Atlanta as not having the “Georgia
concept” of segregation while a
Georgia Negro organization repre
senting 9,000 teachers called for in
tegration in the schools of the state.
Church leaders of the Presbyterian
and Baptist denominations appealed
for racial moderation. (See “What
They Say.”)
Reports that segregation contro
versies were harming the South’s
chances of obtaining new industry
from other parts of the nation were
denied, and reports that a southern
all-white labor union might be
formed were unconfirmed. (See
“Community Action.”)
Nine state parks were leased to
private citizens in a move interpreted
as an attempt to strengthen segrega
tion defenses. (See “Legislative Ac
tion.”)
Addressing the Adjutants General
Association of the United States at
Augusta, Gov. Griffin departed from
his prepared address to make off-
the-cuff critical remarks of Atlanta
Mayor Hartsfield’s alleged racial
ideas.
Regarding Hartsfield’s decision to
open Atlanta’s public golf courses to
Negroes following a U. S. Supreme
Court decision ordering such a non
segregation policy, the governor said
if it hadn’t been “strictly political,”
the mayor would have “plowed them
up next morning and planted alfal
fa and corn.” If state parks had been
involved, Griffin said, “I’d have done
it. He didn’t.”
NEGRO TEACHERS MEET
At another meeting in Augusta
earlier in the month, the Georgia
Teachers and Education Association,
representing 9,000 Negro teacher
members in the state, approved a res
olution calling for integration in
Georgia schools “with a spirit of fair
Play and good will.” About 4,000 del
egates were present for the annual
convention.
The association called any attempt
to “supplant” public schools with pri-
Oklahoma
(Continued From Page 8)
a t its command, that this time this
state can’t be counted as a southern
state. Problems of ending segregation
are being worked out in Oklahoma,
even though they’re far from simple,
fH er generations of weaving division
between the races into the very web
°f law and social custom.”
Hill quoted Russell Putman, mam
a ging director of the Oklahoma De-
v clopment Council—the state’s pri-
v ately supported payroll building or
ganization—as being frankly hopefu
hat “we can get a break for a changi
ln national publicity.”
Public school desegregation prob-
ems are expected to receive close
attention in a regional human rela-
°ns conference at the University of
klahoma in Norman June 15 and 16.
About 125 community leaders, so
nologists, teachers and religious
orkers from 16 southern states
ul be invited to discuss ways of re
ccing racial and religious prejudice.
Ponsoring the conference will be the
^-Defamation League, a branch
,, B’nai B’rith organization, and
e University of Oklahoma.
vate schools “a serious menace to the
educational process.” This was in
reference to measures passed by the
General Assembly paving the way
for transition from public integrated
to private segregated schools as a
“last resort” defense against mixing
of the races in classrooms in Georgia.
“Christian moderation and calm
ness” in meeting the tensions caused
by racial problems were called for
in a statement issued by 42 Southern
Presbyterian leaders. The statement
was signed by a number of Georgia
churchmen and laymen and was re
leased simultaneously by several de
nominational publications.
“Far greater emphasis” should be
placed, the statement said, “on daily
contacts with peoples of other races
where courtesies, consideration and
love should be shown to everyone,
regardless of color.”
BAPTIST STATEMENT
A statement on “Christian Spirit
in Race Relations” was also issued by
Southern Baptists during the month
and was signed by 21 prominent min
isters and laymen, including several
Georgians. The statement said,
“Prejudice against persons or mis
treatment of persons on the grounds
of race is contrary to the will of
God.”
The executive committee of the
United Church Women of Georgia
issued a statement deploring the ac
tions of the State Board of Education
and State Board of Regents in at
tempting to strip pension rights and
honorary title from Dr. Guy Wells,
former Georgia State College for
Women president, for alleged pro-in
tegration statements (Southern
School News, April). The organiza
tion called it a serious threat to free
dom of speech.
The Active Voters, an organization
of Georgia citizens with the an
nounced aim of endorsing, drafting
or working for candidates of compe
tence and character, attacked “state
administration leaders” for using the
race question “to advance their per
sonal ambitions.”
ADMINISTRATION RAPPED
The administration leadership was
condemned for its manner of
handling the Supreme Court deseg
regation decision, at the annual meet
ing of the Active Voters. “Many
Georgia politicians,” the group
charged, are “riding a dangerous
wave of emotionlism that may end
in violence and bloodshed.” The or
ganization also condemned the pro
posed private school plan.
Commenting on the private school
plan in a panel discussion of the
Catholic Committee of the South’s
Commission on Human Rights at
New Orleans, William Hepburn, dean
of the law school at Emory Univer
sity, Atlanta, said neither the state
nor federal government is a hazard
to such a system’s independence in
segregation matters. The federal gov
ernment cannot force integration on
private schools and the state govern
ment can’t force segregation on them,
he said. Hepburn also commented
that the interposition movement may
have a “delaying effect” on carrying
out of Supreme Court desegregation
orders.
Atty. Gen. Eugene Cook said the
segregation decisions of the Supreme
Court are “boomeranging” that “the
time isn’t far removed when the Con
gress and the people are going to do
something about it.” Cook said he at
tended a meeting of the attorneys
general of all states at Old Point
Comfort, Va., recently, and found an
attitude toward a majority of the
states acting in concert to arrest
cases encroaching on states rights
and to strip the court of some of its
“assumed powers.”
MORE INTERPOSITION
In earlier statements, Cook said
protests by southern states had
caused federal district judges to “go
slow” in implementing integration
orders and predicted that legisla
tures in Florida, Louisiana, North
Carolina, Texas and Arkansas would
An estimated 400 persons turned out for a Ku Klux Klan rally near Macon April 14. Fifty to 75 robed but un
hooded Klansmen participated in the demonstration which included a cross-burning and speeches urging people to
join the Klan.
adopt interposition resolutions. Five
southern states have already adopted
such resolutions in varying forms.
U. S. Atty. Gen Brownell’s pro
posed civil rights plan was criticized
by Georgia public officials. Gov.
Griffin termed it “a brazen attack
on the liberties and freedom of the
people” and asked permission for
Georgia to argue against the proposed
legislation. Lt. Gov. Ernest Vandiver
said the Republican proposal de
stroyed any slight chance the GOP
had of carrying Georgia or any other
southern state in the presidential
election. Sen. Richard B. Russell ac
cused the Eisenhower administration
of “cheap politics” and Sen. Walter
F. George said he would question
“that anything of the kind will pass
in this session of Congress.”
Sen. George said the South has
“plenty of outs” besides eventual
public school integration, although
the Supreme Court desegregation de
cision “may have the effect of re
tarding education in some states for
a generation.”
TALMADGE ON STUMP
Former Gov. Herman Talmadge,
who is expected to announce for
the U. S. Senate seat now held by
George in mid-May, has continued
a steady speaking schedule empha
sizing criticism of the court racial
ruling. Talmadge has urged every
section of the state to organize and
present a united front on segregation
and states rights.
The Georgia Association of Coun
ty Commissioners, meeting in Savan
nah, adopted a resolution supporting
segregation in public schools. Gov.
Griffin told the commissioners, “We
will not be led off into the futility of
any third party movement nor will
we give aid and comfort to the party
whose leadership boasts of Judge
Warren’s decision ordering integra
tion in the schools of the South.”
In an earlier statement, Griffin had
said he would be willing to cooper
ate with other southern governors
in seeking a Democratic Presiden
tial nominee who is not in favor of
forcing racial integration on the re
gion.
HARVARD DEBATE
The Georgia governor discussed
segregation in a forum debate at the
Harvard Law School in Cambridge,
Mass. Griffin outlined steps Georgia
had taken in defense of segregation
and told the audience: “Your stake
in this is precisely the same as ours.
The death knell of constitutional
government in Georgia is the death
knell of constitutional government in
Massachusetts.”
Hugh G. Grant of Augusta, States
Rights Council of Georgia official,
told a Hamlet, N. C., audience that a
“monster grass roots movement” to
turn the tide in the South’s battle to
preserve segregation of the races was
needed.
Rep. Carl Vinson of Georgia’s
Sixth District attacked the Supreme
Court in a speech on the House
floor, calling upon Congress and the
individual states to “return to con
stitutional government . . . lest we
surrender our liberties to a third
house of Congress—the Supreme
Court.”
The Rev. William T. Bodenhamer,
executive secretary of the States
Rights Council, addressed the Grove
Park Civic League, an organization
seeking to stop Negroes from buy
ing homes now occupied by whites
in the area. Appealing for his lis
teners to join the council, Bodenham
er said, “We must stand together.
There are not enough concentration
camps in the country to hold every
one in the South.”
Reports that racial unrest was con
tributing to a go-slow policy on the
part of industries considering mov
ing into or expanding in the South
were generally discounted by Geor
gia businessmen.
Walter Cates, executive vice-pres
ident of the Georgia State Chamber
of Commerce, said he had been ob
taining new industries for the state
for 14 years and had never heard the
segregation issue used as an objec
tion to locating a plant in the South.
E. A. Yates, Jr., manager of the
industrial development division of
Georgia Power Co., labeled such re
ports, “Hogwash.”
Clifford M. Clarke Jr., executive
vice-president of the Associated In
dustries of Georgia, said that since
1949 approximately 2,700 new fac
tories have been built in Georgia. He
accused the U. S. Department of La
bor of attempting to discourage em
ployers from locating plants in the
Southeast by minimizing work skills
available in the region.
LABOR SPLIT UNCONFIRMED
Reports that agitation for an all-
white Southern Federation of Labor
had been heard by some southern
union officials but could not be con
firmed.
W. M. Crim, secretary of the Geor
gia Federation of Labor, said he had
heard “rumblings” only. Charles Ma
thias, head of the 35th district of the
United Steel Workers, said the report
was news to him and there was no
possibility it would succeed with a
national union. Ben T. Huiett, Geor
gia commissioner of labor, said he
had heard no such report.
Several union members represent
ing various trades, however, said
discussions of the possibilities of an
all-white, pro-segregation labor or
ganization had been held and added
that current divided opinion over
the race issue could cause a split in
a very large union.
NEW LABOR ORDINANCE
The mayor and city council of
Dublin approved a new municipal
ordinance requiring labor organizers
to swear they do not favor over
throwing laws on segregation and
that no money will be spent from
their organization to violate or en
courage violation of segregation laws
or for Communist activities.
A Klan meeting on the outskirts
of Macon drew between 50 and 75
robed Klansmen and some 400 spec
tators, some of whom were curious
as to activities taking place near the
flaming cross.
Imperial Wizard E. L. Edwards of
Atlanta and Lee Davison of Macon,
great titan of the Sixth District KKK,
appealed for qualified citizens to join
the Klan. Speakers criticized Jews
and Negroes.
Leasing of nine state parks to pri
vate operators in Georgia followed
legislation passed by the 1956 Gen
eral Assembly clearing the way for
such a move, designed to retain seg
regation.
Georgia has 24 state parks. Private
citizens have been allowed 12-month
negotiated contracts to run nine of
the facilities, according to Roy Chal-
ker, director of the State Parks De
partment. The “average” price of the
leases was $2,000 and most of the
lessees are former park superintend
ents. Chalker said plans for leasing
additional parks are being drawn up.
State officials said the move was
made more for economy’s sake than
to head off integration of the races in
public parks.
The case of Horace Ward, an At
lanta Negro seeking admission to the
University of Georgia School of Law,
has been set for an early hearing in
U. S. District Court in Atlanta. Depo
sitions in the case were taken during
was questioned by his attor-
T. Walden of Atlanta, and by
Cook and B. D. Murphy
a special counselor for
Officials of the university
and of the University of
were also questioned.
Georgia state officials and munici
pal officials reacted promptly to a
U. S. Supreme Court decision having
the effect of abolishing segregation
on intra-state public buses. Gov.
Griffin promised Georgia would re
sist the court decree. Mayors gener
ally indicated they would continue to
abide by the state’s segregation laws.
Mayor Hugh Hamilton of Augusta
said, “Georgia law still calls for seg
regation, and we have no alternative
but to enforce the existing laws until
they are legally invalidated.”
Mayor Hartsfield of Atlanta said
the decision would not immediately
affect Georgia, and the Atlanta Tran
sit System announced it would con
tinue its segregation policy while
awaiting legal advice on the court
ruling.
•WAIT, SEE’
“Wait and see” attitudes were also
adopted by city officials and bus
transportation managers in Macon,
Savannah, Columbus and other
Georgia cities.
In Augusta, the Richmond County
Chapter of the States Rights Council
of Georgia protested: (1) a proposed
television program on the Emmett
Till case; (2) mixing of the races in
soap box derbies, track, boxing and
baseball, football or basketball con
tests in Richmond County: (3) hiring
of Negro players by the Augusta pro
fessional baseball team operating in
the South Atlantic League.