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..___ ENFORCE THE “LAW! Bh “By DAVID LAWRENC Supreme ©, Ww THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE started in the 19308 to enforce vigorously the Prohibition laws enacted under’ the 18th Amendment, the American people soon demanded repeal. In less than ten months control of tiquor sales was vested in the States, _Today, after nearly four years, the edict of the Supreme Court of the United States ordering segrega- “tion banned im the public schools hes not been en- “forced throughout the country—even in the North—eo ae to accomplish the purposes set forth by the Court. For en May 17, 1954, ~the supreme law of the land” regation of children in public schools solely on the besis of race, even though the physical facilities and other ‘tangible’ factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does.” The Court went on to stress the importance of “in- ‘tangible considerations,” such as “ability to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students,” and then added: “To separate’ them from others of similer age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the commu- mite that eraser aWant tease hearts on eine fee were easly Mehmet Tey GEC It CEES GG MminGs i a way unlikely ever to be undone.” Relying on that decleration, the Chicago branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People complained recently that in that city only 9 per cent of the elementary schools are mixed facially, that 70 per cent are predominantly white, that 21 per cent are predominantly Negro, and that, as a consequence, “90 per cent of Chicago public-elemen- tary-school pupils attended de facto segregated schools.” In New York City the situation is best de- scribed in an article in the New York Times by its education editor, Benjamin Fine, who writes: “The majority of children attend schools of their own ethnic group. Although integration is now one of the ‘cardinal principles’ of the School Board, three out of four pupils go to a school that is in effect segregated. These are either schools where Negroes are in the vast majority, or where the white children are concentrated. Most of this is caused by residential patterns. “Despite consistent urging by the Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored pas i 116 bien _ pupils are Negroes is not properly “integrated” and that - People and other groups, little change has taken place in district lines for elementary schools. A central ron- ing unit, authorized by the Board of Education several months .ago, is still little more than a paper agency. . The unit has received $100,000 to study soning lines and change them where necessary to help integration.” The Times writer goes on to say that “it is doubtful that complete integration—if by that term is meant the tion is insistent “that the principle of neighborhood schools remain intact.” . But what of the rights of the Negroes under “the \ a law of eh. 1.2.7 to mnjoy mee nd educational opportunities,” regardless of residence? New York City’s School Superintendent in a recent report said that 1,500 children are being taken short distances by bus from one school to another, to relieve “t- overcrowded conditions and incidentally to help in- N tegration. . What about the Negro pupils, however, whose par- . ents are willing to pay bus fares over @ long distance * to a white school and secure the advantages to which the Supreme Court says the Negro children are en- titted? How long can the subterfuge of “residence requirement” be maintained in the face of the declara- \g tion by the Supreme Court that no Negro student can = oromer mation unless merited! ta atten =z get the proper education unicss perinitted to attend a = white school and mingle with white children? Negto leaders in New York City argue that any New York school in which more than 40 per cent of the —_fe a af ‘to achieve a “racial balance” each school should contain about 15 per cent Negroes, since about 15 per cent of New York’s 1,300,000 public school pupils are Negroes. It follows that every public school in the United States—-in order to carry out the doctrine enunciated by the Supreme Court—must have in it a uniform peo- portion of Negro students based upon the population ratio of that city or area. Gh AIGES - f Supreme Court had ruled’ that “separate educations facilities are inherently yaiedual."358° When will “the supreme law of the land’ be en- forced? ; The_quickest way to get “repeal” of the Supreme Court decision is to enforce the so-called “law.” The people will act when they fully understand that the States are being deprived by federal authority of their right to control and regulate their own schools. ORIGINAL COPY FILED N . $. NEWS & WORLD REPORT © FEBRUARY 14, 1958——— "|