SOUTHERN LAWS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29388, 15 December 1960, Page 12

SOUTHERN LAWS

Setbacks In Court

(NJi. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, December 12.

The United States Supreme Court today upheld a ruling by a three-Judge Federal Court in Louisiana which rejected efforts by the State Legislature to prevent integration of schools. The Legislature had tried to invoke the old Southern doctrine of interposition, which placed *the authority df a State Government between the Federal Government and the people. lake the New Orleans Judges, the Supreme Court said this doctrine was without substance, and cited an earlier ruling in the case of the Little Rock dispute. The Supreme Court’s action keeps in force the Lower Court rulings which threw out a variety of laws enacted by the Louisiana State Legislature with the aim of blocking school desegregation. In another ruling today, the United States Supreme Court disallowed an Arkansas law requiring teachers at State schools to make annual affidavits giving the names of organisations to which they have belonged or subscribed in the previous five years.

The law was aimed at the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and other organisations advocating racial integration in schools. The Supreme Court decision, which found the law was “too broad,” Was reached by a five to four majority of the Judges. Arkansas teachers are engaged oh a year-to-year basis, and the law, passed in 1958, provided that no teacher who did not give his list of organisations should be engaged.

School boards were not required to dismiss teachers or take any action as a result of the list. The Court was ruling on two appeals by teachers discharged after refusing to submit lists Acquired by the statute. One appeal was by a negro teacher of Little Rock and a member of the N.A.A.C.P. He appealed against a decision by a special threeJudge Federal Court in Arkansas that upheld the statute. ,