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on “om fea. 3 which means public officials, ané¢ thé activities of private persons and orcenizations desicned to disenfranchise voters in Fedora. cz State elec- tions on account of rece o> Colcr are not covered by the present provisivrs o7 19°12. And so we say tha. the statute fails to alfczd she voters cull protection from discrimination which was contemplated by the Constitution, cspecially the l4th and 15th amendments. “Also this section 1971 is defective in another re- spect, because it fails to lodce in the Department of Justice and the Attorney Ge-.eral any authority +n ineakea asl ~~ + to invoke civil remedies for the enforcement of voting rights. And it is PRRSACE erly lacking in any provision which wou tq the Aztorney General toa apply. to the court Sex preventive relief against the violation of these voting rights. "“Anc we think that this is aiso a najor cefect. The ultimate goal of the Constitution and the Cengress is mt the safeguarding of the free exezcise of the voting ~~—__ rigrt, acknowledging of ‘ccuxse, the Legitimate power ; oo of the State to prescribe ic.cczicy and fair voting qualifications. And we belicve t-at civil proceed- ing: by the Attorney Ceneral to stop any illegal intirference and denial of wne richt =o vote would be far more effective in achieving +s goal than the private suits for dameges wnich are presently wt autrorized by the statute, and far more effective : tha: the criminal proceedings wiich are authorized =: under other laws which, of counre. can never be used . until after the harm has been actually done. "No oreventive measures can be brought under the erizninal statutes, So I think--anc I believe you will agree with me--that Congress should now reccegnize that in order to properly execute the Constitution and its amenéments, and in order to per- fect the intended application of the ‘statute, section 1971 of title 42, United States Ccde, should be : amerded in three respects: . - “First, by the addition of a section which will pre- vent anyone, whether acting un¢sr color of law or aat feom threatening, intimi dating or coercing an io se from tatee wERANG me bate... Geese eine general, special, or primary, concern ng candidates for Federal office. “And second, to authorize the a bring civil proceedings on Bee 2 States or any aggzieved perso eo cerney General to = o£ the United Zor preventive or ae +