Civil Rights
Cry Wolf Quotes
These reports, of course, deal only with the surface exposure of Communist influence in the Negro movement. The actual extent and degree, while obviously substantial, remain unknown, for Congress has chosen to pretend that there is no such problem, even while methodically and relentlessly seeking to satisfy the demands of the very militant groups in which the Communist influence exists. Mr. President, the Nation, and even the Congress, once its hypnotic trance has passed, will find that in this bill are the seeds of destruction of a political system which has served its people better than has any other ever devised.
The power granted the Attorney General to intervene in all equal-protection-of-the-law cases is extremely broad and dangerous. Choices made by the Attorney General could follow a political and selected pattern.
…this bill will require the creation of a Federal police force of mammoth proportions. It also bids fair to result in the development of an ‘informer’ psychology in great areas of our national life—neighbors spying on neighbors, workers spying on workers, business spying on businessmen—were those who would harass their fellow citizens for selfish and narrow purposes will have ample inducement to do so. These, the Federal police force an ‘informer’ psychology, are the hallmarks of the police state and landmarks in the destruction of a free society.
By its attempt to regulate and govern the private businesses, which are miscalled public accommodations in the bill, this proposal would inject the Government into the most sensitive areas of human contractual relations—agreements for personal services. In so doing, constitutional interpretations of long standing are being swept aside in favor of tortuous rationalizations which studiously ignore the constitutionally-forbidden imposition of involuntary servitude on citizens
