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ee | Or 19 \ ev, 7-18-58) Rang nar tion Gov, J. Lindsak Almond the concepts of our In the course “his recen Ys ve vee ET SET AN er Spm cams eee — = Ss SS eee re ‘Lar wot Land? ‘ WASHINGTON. . onstitution Week” proclama- 68 Virginians” amental law to tinP@end that each of us rededicate ourselves to the vital principles of government upon which this nation waa founded.” - f This is @ good ides for everybody, not: just Virginians. | Oné reason it is a good ides “is ‘thai in the matter of non-discrimination in the use of public facilities—transportation, parks, Diaygrounds, public schools—there are Constitutional principles which heed to be better understood. Tt has been four years now since the # Supreme Court handed down the school integration decision. Until Attorney Gen- eral William Rogers spoke out last week I do not recall that any high Administration|’ official had come forward with a full-|: length support of ‘the role of the Court and a reasoned eppeal to carry out. its| * a rc janet ' Drummond This has been a serious tage’ ‘because it] _ has left the field almost entirely to, those. whose aim: has|' been to confuse the issue. For example, the attorney for the? Little Rock School Board argued—unsuccessfully—that the] Supreme Court should delay resumption of integration there because the statements of Gov. Faubus as to what was and ne reniveial einai was not the law had “confused”: the people of Arkansas. . All this makes it useful, in- deed, to restudy the principles and provisions of the Constitu-H, tion and to examine some ques- tions the answers to which may have become obscured. QUESTION—Is a Supreme Court decision law? - ANSWER—The United States Constitution ts “the supreme law of the land.” Those are the words of ‘the Constitution, _ When there fs.a dispute over whether any law or any action, atate or Federal, violates the Constitition, the Sipreme Court is the final arbiter. The Supreme Court does not pass laws but! ho law can be contrary to the Constitution.and the co finally determines when the: Constitution has been violated. Tt has determined unanimously: that separate schools are not, to be forced upon any group of citizens, In this instance 2 “ es t Ne 5 7 OCW Eu "A Supreme Court decision is binding on every unit of‘ gov- ermment to which tt applite. he Supreme Court can rie n act of Congress unconstit! | onal and has many tim | Tt can, decide that an act Of, the President: is unconstitu- tional and did so when Prési- _ Gent Truman seized the steel’ milis, It can decide that state ‘and local laws are unconstitu< tional and has done go several . times in cases of segregated trenaportation, Playgrounds and QUESTION—By what author. _ tly does the court exercise thlg e | 2 ee aaa a woiea tha Faderal indietare and this role of the Supreme “Court. Was affirms the a court to determine when state] law violates the Constitution.|: QUESTION—is all opposition to the Supreme Court tllegai? ANSWER—Of course not. Criticlam of Supreme Court decisions is perfectly proper, perfectly legal, It is only! refusal to obey the courts which! js improper and illegal. For example, it 1s egal to refuse]: to obey a court order to admit aD applicant te the public schools on grounds of race, It! in legal—althoueh mora and! more people are haying second. thoughts on the wisdom of this}- action—for a state to close its/: schools to avold integration. The ‘Constitutional recourse from a Supreme Court decision is to work to anlend the.Con-t. stitution, =. . {- QUESTION — Do Supremet Court decisions against com- pulsory segregated public facil- ities rest on racial equality? | . ANSWEE—-Theissue of racial equality is irrelevant. The de- ¢claion rests on the concept equality of citizenship, 1958, N.Y. Herald Tribune Ine. ue Ison Imont ohr Parsons Rosen Tamm Trotter .C. Sullivan Tele. Room — Holloman —* Gandy \¢ \ Wash. Post and Times Herald Wash. News Wash, Star N. ae Herald N. Y Te nal American N.Y. Mirror N. Y. Daily News —— N. Y. Times Daily Worker The Worker New Leader —~—__-—__- Date “SEP 2 8"