ustxtxb_obs_1963_07_12_50_00003-00000_000.pdf

Governor Connally and the U.P.O. Austin The united political organization of Texliterature, in 1961, but a United Press International story July 2 quoted the state chairman, Austin real estate and insurance man M. J. Anderson, as stating that it was formed some months ago, and another of its leaders says frankly that it was organized from among Negroes who supported John Connally for governor against Don Yarborough in 1962. It held its first convention in Austin this week and was presented a program, arranged by Connally supporter Anderson, that was from beginning to end a Connally show. The governor, his state Democratic chairman, Eugene Locke, and some state officials joined U.P.O. in honoring Connally’s Negro appointees to state agencies and in stressing the state government’s new, officially declared policy of actively seeking jobs for Negroes. In his banquet speech, Connally promised to designate more appointees such as those who were being honored and committed himself to equal job opportunities for Negroes; he also spoke briefly but harshly of “demagogues” and condemned, in racial affairs, “the perilous path of unreasonable coercion,” perhaps by implication hitting President Kennedy’s proposal for prohibiting discrimination in places of business in interstate commerce. While Connally sat nearby approving, Texas welfare commissioner. John Winters introduced two Negro social workers he had hired, named three or four others, and apologized to Anderson that one of those could not be there, since she had just gone to work that day and could hardly have left her duties in Tyler “her first day on the payroll.” The Rev. H. Rhett James of Dallas, executive secretary of U.P.O., said 260 delegates from 126 communities registered for this, the organization’s first convention. Anderson claimed that counting the memberships of associated organizations, U.P.O. has 400,000 members. “That may shock you, but that’s the way it is,” he said. Pressed a little later, he acknowledged that.this figure was computed by counting, as U.P.O. members, the state congregations of churches some of whose ministers belong, and memberships of fraternal organizations. James said the organization has 45 chapters and “thousands” of members. Hamah King, an attorney from Houston who is the state vice-president. looked over the convention group and told them, “There’s not enough of you here to elect a dogcatcher in one community. Unless you take what you learn here to the man in the street . . .” it would all come to naught. The Connally orientation was so strong, one might conclude from this first convention that this is a Connally .campaign organization. Anderson, James, and King, the three top state officers of U.P.O. who were present, all worked for Connally against Don Yarborough, when a majority of Texas Negroes were supporting Yarborough. Said G. Z. Clouser, outgoing president of the Galveston branch of the N.A.A.C.P., \(an organization which is not I see some Connally workers.” Said T. D. Armstrong of Galveston, wealthy Negro leader who supported Don Yarborough and then Connally in the run-off last year and is a member of U.P.O.’s board: “There is a possibility that there is a conception here that this is Connally’s organization. I hope this won’t become true.” When Rev. James was asked if it is already true, he replied : “That’s not true. The allegation is substantiated merely by the coincidence that there are so many Connally directors involved, because these involve the new breed of Negro in Texas politics.” Is this Editor and General Manager, Ronnie Dugger. Partner, Mrs. R. D. Randolph. Business Manager, Sarah Payne. Contributing Editors, Bill Brammer, Chandler Davidson, J. Frank Dobie, Larry Goodwyn, Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Jay Milner, Willie Morris, Charles Ramsdell, Roger Shattuck, Dan Strawn, Tom Sutherland, Charles Alan Wright. Staff Artist, Charles Erickson. Contributing Photographer, Russell Lee. Subscription Representatives: Amarillo, Mrs. Imogene Williams, Rte. 3, Panhandle \(Williams Pecos, HO 5-1805; Dallas, Mrs. Cordye Hall, 5835 Ellsworth, TA 1-1205; Fort Worth, Mrs. Jesse Baker, 3212 Greene St., WA 7-2959; Houston, Mrs. Shirley Jay, 10306 Cliffwood Dr., PA 3-8682; Lubbock, Doris Blaisdell, 2515 24th St.; Midland, Eva Dennis, 4306 Douglas, OX 4-2825; Rio Grande Valley, Mrs. Jack Butler, 601 Houston, McAllen, MU 6-5675; San Antonio, Mrs. Mae B. Tuggle, 531 Elmhurst, TA 2-7154. The editor has exclusive control over the editorial policies and contents of the Observer. None of the other people who are associated new breed for Connally ? “I would say,” Rev. James said, “from the overwhelming success we had changing Negroes from normal labor-liberal votes to a vote for Connally . . . yes.” Judging from a remark by the chairman of U.P.O.’s committee to select U.P.O.’s honoreesall of whom were the Connally Negro appointees except Austin N.A.A.C.P. official J. Philip Crawford, Atty. Gen. Waggoner Carr’s new assistant attorney general, the first Negro ever to hold such a job in TexasM. J. Anderson, the state chairman, selected them, not U.P.O.’s board of directors. \(“When Mr. Anderson said who they’d be, we actually had to do some research on these people,” said the honors committee chairman, Dr. John T. King, dean of Huston-Tillotson College in Ausself, Anderson said he was going to “pull one” and called T. D. Armstrong, who had backed Yarborough, to introduce Connally. \(Armstrong carried it off handsomely “When I was a little boy in Louisiana,” he said, “I never thought I’d get this opportunity.” Over the laughter he added, “I’d like to present to you one of our best governors.” And Connally carried off his July 12, 1963 3 with the enterprise shares this responsibility with him. Writers are responsible for their own work, but not for anything they have not themselves written, and in publishing them the editor does not necessarily imply that he agrees with them, because this is a journal of free voices. The Observer solicits articles, essays, and creative work of the shorter forms having to do in various ways with this area. The pay depends; at present it is token. Please enclose return postage. Unsigned articles are the editor’s. The Observer is published by Texas Observer Co., Ltd., biweekly from Austin, Texas. Entered as second-class matter April 26, 1937, at the Post Office at Austin, Texas, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at Austin, Texas. Delivered postage prepaid $5.00 a year. Foreign rates on request. Single copies 25c; prices for ten or more for students, or bulk orders, on request. Editorial and Business Offices: The Texas Observer, 504 West 24th St., Austin 5, Texas. Telephone GR 7-0746. Change of Address: Please give old and new addresses and allow three weeks. THE TEXAS OBSERVER A Journal of Free Voices Vol. 55, No. 16 70E0 July 12, 1963