ustxtxb_obs_1957_11_29_50_00004-00000_000.pdf

School Bill Clears Hurdles WEEK IN TEXAS followed swiftly. The “anti-troops” measure on final passage got 19 “ayes” and nine “nos.” Asked to be shown as voting “no” were Sens. Kazen, Gonzalez, Bill Fly, Victoria; Carlos Ashley, Llano; Jarrard Secrest, Temple; Charles Herring, Austin; Bruce Reagan, Corpus Christi; Dorsey Hardeman, San Angelo; R. A. Weinert, Seguin. A senator who last year voted against segregation measures, Hubert Hudson, Brownsville, was absent. \(He told an audience of Corpus Christi churchmen last week he would vote for the At 6:59 Friday, Gonzalez said sadly, “These are school children lockout bills,” and wobbled a step or two to his chair. Sen. George Parkhouse, in the chair, swiftly gaveled voice vote approval of S. B. 2 to engrossment and laid out S.B. 1. In the chamber as the voting came were but six senators: Gonzalez, who rose wearily to croak: “Please show me as voting ‘no’ on that,” Ashley, Aikin, Lane, and Floyd Bradshaw, Weatherford. The Senate then stood at ease for two hours. At 9 a.m., Lane rose to speak on S. B. 1. “Some of us,” he said, “feel that having school with troops there is just like having no school at all.” He moved engrossment of S. B. L. Kazen offered a complete sub HOT HOOPLA! to take the mat court. Teachers Raked Fly’s eye fell on Sen. A. M. Aikin, Paris. “Where,” he demanded, “i s the Hale-Aikin supposed to be looking after the welfare of our schools? This will destroy the school system of the state of Texas.” Aikin, flushing, jumped to his feet. “Senator,” he shouted, “I’m chairman of that committee and I’m here. This is not a problem for the school teachers. It is a problem for parents and a problem for us. I’m for this bill and I’m willing to take on my responsibilities because I’m against federal operation of our schools.” Secrest joined Fly in baiting Aikin. “Why,” he asked “are the professional schoolmen staying home in droves?” Why, he asked, weren’t school teachers and administrators counseling with the legislature as, he said, they do `when it’s a question of salaries?” “They come here by the hundreds and the thousands,” said Secrest, “on a teacher pay bill.” “I don’t need to counsel with them,” said Aikin, “because I know I’m not for federal troops.” Lane moved to table the Fly amendment, winning by a vote of 19 to 9. Sen. Frank Owen, El Paso, offered, in language different from Fly’s, an amendment meaning substantially the same thing. Lane raised a successful point of order against this. Sen. Jep Fuller, Port Arthur, sent up an amendment aimed to remove restrictions on use of the National Guard by the Governor. “That’s just as unconstitutional as it can be,” he said. This was tabled by voice vote. An amendment by Sen. George Parkhouse, Dallas, directed the Governor to order a school closed where a school board certified to violence. It got voice vote approval. `Heaven’s Sake’ Kazen opened his filibuster by saying: “This is purely and simply an integration bill … this will allow any school in Texas to be closed under the guise of a `threat’ of federal bayonets.” Other highlights from the Kazen speech: “This is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde bill: it says one thing and it means another. This is inviting federal troops … the poor and humble people of my district, they can’t leave their children any legacy of dollars and cents. The one thing they can leave ’em is a good education.” At 10:32 a.m., when it had become evident Kazen ‘would be talking for some time, Lane broke in to “move the previous question”a parliamentary move with the effect of cutting off all further amendment tries after Kazen sat down. “Sen. Kazen,” said Lane, “will speak until 5 o’clock and then the other genThe previous question was ordered. “Now, there you are, there you are, there you are,” said Kazen in a resigned diminuendo, “now I’m Tailend Charlie … now, when I sit down, well that’s it, that is all … “Under this bill, we close the AUSTIN The race question boiled into view in places other than the Senate last week. Among those places: n Fort Wort h: Andrew J. Thuss, attorney for the Dallas school board told three federal judges, John R. Brown, Houston, Warren L. Jones, Jacksonville, Fla., and Richard T. Rives, Montgomery, Ala., that his clients need until next summer to work out Dallas school integration plans. The three judge court was hearing the school board’s appeal from the order of federal Dist. Judge William Atwell, Dallas, to integrate Dallas schools at the close of the current school year’s first term. Thuss asked for a mandamus to force Atwell to adhere to the “mandate of this court,” a mandate he hopes will set aside Atwell’s Feb. 3 deadline. A verdict is expected in about two weeks. schools and we open the barn … this is a barn-opening bill. For Heaven’s sake, people of Texas, awaken to what’s happening to you … Two men in any community could close the schools at the danger of a ‘threat’ … We oughta get a wreath and hang it outside every school in Texas. People think we’re passing an `anti-troops’ bill. I don’t know what they’ll say when they find out what it really does, because that’s the least it does … that’s the least. “This is the engraved invitation … signed by the Governor … to federal occupation of our schools. “The bill,” said Kazen, as he prepared to sit down at 1:50 p. m., “will have four results: government by mob, military occupation of our schools, the closing of state schools and the inviting of the federal government to come in and open schools under their control, and uneducated children.” Gonzalez, who returned to his desk at 12:30 p.m. Friday, was on his feet with another amendment -as Kazen sat down. Weinert, in the chair, had to refuse him recognition, the previous question having been ordered. Kazen’s amendment was voted down, and both bills moved swiftly to final passage. S. B. 2 received four “no” votesfrom Kazen, Gonzalez, Reagan, and Fuller. S. B. 1 then passed. It was 2:02 p.m., 28 hours from the time Gonzalez began the futile fight. Houston: Federal Judge Joe Ingraham refused to grant an injunction sought by five Negroes alleging racial discrimination in job assignments at the Sheffield Steel plant. The Negroes alleged the company and Local 2708 of the steelworkers union had agreed that white workers would be given promotion advantages. Ingraham found no basis for the charges. n Dallas: U. S. Rep. Bruce Al ger called for a moratorium on application of the U. S. Supreme Court decision requiring school desegregation until after a commission decides on the exact application and meaning of the court’s “all deliberate speed” phrase. n Longview: City Judge Henry Atkinson set Dec. 18 for the trial of four Longview NAACP officers on charges of failing to produce membership lists of their organizationas required by a recently-enacted city ordinance. H Washington, D. C.: The U. S. Supreme Court has ordered trial on the merits of a case in Thich four Houston Negroes charge the Texas and New Or leans Railroad and locals of the Brotherhood o f Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Han .. dlers, Express and Station Em polyees, with agreeing on abolition of jobs held by Negroes. RENEW To the Texas Observer 504 W. 24th St., Austin Name: Address: City: One year, $4; 2, $7.50; 3, $11 OTexas Farmers Union holds its convention in Abilene Dec. 6-7 with Sens. Lyndon Johnson and Ralph Yarborough, Congressmen Omar Burleson and Walter Rogers, and Jerry Holleman, president, Texas AFL-CIO, as speakers. Atty. Gen. Will Wilson said federal regulation of insurance looms unless states meet their responsibilities. “The people will demand safe, economical insurance protection and if they can’t get it at the state level they will appeal to Congress,” he said. OTexas AFL-CIO has signed a new contract with their office employees calling for a minimum wage of $1.85 per hour and a 35-hour week. The Texas State Teachers Assn. meets in Dallas this week with Sen. John Kennedy ODuval’s DukeGeorge Parr won from the court of criminal appeals dismissal of his New Braunfels conviction on a charge of conspiracy to steal $1,000 from the Benavides School District. The court upheld defense attorney Percy Foreman’s argument that the statute of limitations had run. OState auditor C. H. Cavness spent two hours and 13 minutes advising the Travis County grand jurythe one specifically asked by Gov. Daniel to look into state government corruption allegations. OTravis County Asst. D. A. Bob Smith said a group of Waller County residents will appear this week before the Travis County grand jury looking into official corruption. The group ineludes Pat Medkiff, publisher of the Waller County Record. The state Board of Pardons and Paroles said it will not reconsider its decision to refuse parole to former Land Commissioner Bascom Giles. OC. Walter Hammond, presi dent of the Texas Farm Bureau, speaking at the Bureau’s Dallas convention, called for a system of flexible farm price supportsthe Benson position. “A system of variable or flexible price supports would assist in keeping the supply of individual commodities in line with demand,” Hammond said. OU. S. Rep. Jim Wright of Fort Worth, back from a European trip, told Fbrt Wort h realtors Germany is America’s best ally in Western Europe. Wright also said Christianity is the bond holding the western world together. OWaco, in an experiment, closed off a three block downtown area to vehicle traffic. The city is thinking about creating a downtown pedestrians-only plaza. A producing oil well was brought in on land of Houston’s city prison farm. And Mayor Oscar Holcombe said negotiations to lease city park land for oil exploration are going forward. Offset drilling is planned to preserve the parks’ appearance. The state AFL CIO will hold its 1958 convention at Galveston Oct. 6, 7 and 8. Sen. Lyndon Johnson said theaim of his Senate subcommittee inquiry into the guided missile and satellite program will be to set up and step up “target dates of achievement,” rather than fault-finding. Page 4 November 29, 1957 Well, friends and neighbors, here it is almost Christmas time, and what do you think we’re gonna suggest? A lifetime subscription to the Texas Observer \(for the lifetime of pay part of a premium on a life insurance policy on the life of the editor, with benefits to be pro-rated? No. THE OBSERVER AS A CHRIST-MAS GIFT! Frighten your friends horrify your enemies! Special holiday season prices: $3.99 for the first gift; $3.98 for the second gift; $0.01 for the third gift. I stance for S. B. 1 based on the which, in their judgment, cannot, bill sent to the legislature by the or could not, be prevented with-j Governor, which did not contain out resort to military troops. It the out of classroom instruction authorizes use of state funds for section. Sen. Wardlow Lane, the “out of classroom instruction.” sponsor of both S. B. 1 and 2, This and the attorney general bill I moved to table. His motion carof the Senate cleared the House! ried, 16 to 12. state affairs committee late Mon.I By 20 to 7, day in a twinkling. House action Lufkin, amendment taking from S. B. 1 a provision forbidding the governor to use the National Guard for the preservation of order at a school. Fly offered an amendment to delete the language giving school boards power to close down schools at the “threat” of violence, saying: “In this language you’ll find out what the boys are really doing. You’re doing something that even the most rabid Southern state has not had the courage to do. There is no appeal here, no right of challenge, no opportunity ter to Sen. Ottis Lock, won approval of an COMPLETE INSURA CE SERVICE HALL’S WIGINTON-HALL LEAGUE CITY INSURANCE AGENCY INSURANCE AGENCY INSURANCE AGENCY Dickinson, Texas Alvin, Texas League City, Texas Dallas Decision Soon