Box 17, Folder 13, Document 5

Box 17, Folder 13, Document 5

Bob Ken
At States

WASHINGTON (P—Atty. Gen.

Tt



Robert I", Kennedy told the Sen-

ate Judiciary Committee that those who preach states’ rights are
not “seeking the protection of the individual citizen, but his ex-

pioitation.”

In pleading Thursday before
the Southern-dominated group for
passage of the administration's
civil rights program, Kennedy
said: “The time is long past—if
indeed it ever existed—when we
should permit the noble concept
of states’ rights to be betrayed
and corrupted into a slogan to
enial of American
hts, and of hu-





rights, of
man rights!

. THE MOSE

i “the eommittee
that passage of the controversial
public accommodations part of

»the program is essential.

‘Tt is the part whose prompt
enactment will accomplish the
most immediate good in stamping |
out the fires of racial discord in
our Jand,” he said.



“Even as we sit here to)
’ day, National Guardsmen patrol
_ the streets of Cambridge, Md., to
prevent violence. Unrest is boil-
ing in Savannah, Ga.; in Dan-
‘ville, Va., and in countless other
“cities in the North as well as in
“the South,” Kennedy said.

: “This is what happens when
long-standing legitimate griev-
"ances are not remedied under
jaw.”
_ QUESTIONED RVIN

. Under questioning by Sen. Sam‘
J. Ervin Jr., D-N.C., Kennedy
said it is ‘not correct" to say the
administration program was sub-,
milted to Congress because, as
Ervin put it, “we now are hav-
ing troublesome times” with ra-
cial demonstrations,




The attorney general said the
program was submitted ‘‘because
there are injustices that should
be remedied, not because demon-
strations are taking place.”

Ervin's questioning hardly had
got under way when the Senate
convened, forcing a recess in the
hearing until.some time next
weck. Ervin told Kennedy he was
“not trying to filibuster’ but he
said, “‘Some of us see this bill as
a very drastic assault on the prin-|
ciples of constitutional govern-
ment and the private rights of
individuals.”

‘“T understand,’”’ Kennedy said.
rvin told n n he does not




civil ri



to ask many questions about, Er-
vin said, is the one that would es-
tablish a community relations
service to help conciliate ra-
cial disputes.

However, Ervin said he would

like to nole that: “The Civil
Rights Commission agilates, the

now there wo

nity relations
ate,” "