Press Release, Republican National Committee

News REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE release L. Richard Guylay, Public Relations Director NAtional 8-6800 1625 Eye Street, Northwest Washington 6, D. C. 10 FOR RELEASE Immediate August 7, 1957 VAL J. WASHINGTON, DIRECTOR G MINORITIES, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE SENT THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO SENATOR LYNDON B. JOHNSON, DEMOCRAT OF TEXAS Hon. Lyndon B. Johnson August 6, 1957 United States Senate Washington 25, D. C. Dear Senator Johnson: In reading the morning papers I notice that you have attacked Vice President Nixon for expressing his honest conviction about the failure of the Senate to concur with the House and the President in formulating a decent and fair Civil Rights Bill. This Bill, which was meant to protect the voting rights of many millions of Negroes in Southern states and to guarantee their rights under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, was emasculated by the adroit handling of you with the aid of other Democrat leaders. To accuse Vice President Nixon of playing politics certainly is not in good taste cuming from you. Your record is one of continuous voting against all Civil Rights during your terms in both the House and the Senate. and On this particular piece of legislation you registered these unfriendly votes: (1) On June 20 you voted to send the Bill to the Judiciary Committee headed by Senator Eastland. In his hands it would have died without ever having been considered. (2) On July 16 you voted again (on Senator Wayne Morse's motion) to send it to the Judiciary Committee which would not have acted on it. (3) On July 24 you voted to strike Part 3 of the Bill. This would have allowed Negroes to enjoy the same civil rights of all other American citizens under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. (4) On August 1 you voted for Trial by Jury in voting rights cases which would automatically eliminate any chance for Negroes to be protected in most Southern states. If a Southern jury would not convict confessed kidnappers of Emmett Till after he was found murdered, why would they convict an election official for refusing to give a Negro his right of suffrage? Friday, August 2, shortly after midnight, one of the blackest days in American history was recorded for Negroes and other dark races, not only in the United States, but around the world. For over 80 years there has not been one civil rights bill seriously considered by the United States Senate. After over 50 years