Unions Are Targets Now

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30145, 31 May 1963, Page 11

Unions Are Targets Now

(N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright)

NEW YORK, May 30.

Ihe national labour secretary of the Na-

tional Association for

the Advancement of Coloured People, Mr Herbert Hill, said yesterday that the group

is planning sit-ins and other mass demonstrations at construction sites in New York and other northern cities, the Associated Press reported.

The action is aimed at construction trades unions that exclude negroes from membership The demonstrations will be concentrated on projects using Federal and State Govern men* money The decision to demonstrate is based in large part on dissatisfaction among negro leaders with the civil rights accomplishments of the Kennedy Administration. Mr Hill said

Similar strategy has been tn operation since Monday in Philadelphia, where pickets have sought to block construction of a six million-dol-lar public school Mr Hill said other demon-

stratiops would begin "very soon” in New York, Washington, Chicago, Cleveland. Boston and St Louis,

In Baton Rouge. Louisiana yesterday 50 helmeted State troopers surrounded the Lz>uisiaoa Capitol in anticipation of a mass segregation demonstration, but the negroes heard about the plans and staged only a token display. United Press International reported. Mr Thomas Burbank, State director of public safety, said the troopers were deployed as a precautionary measure to quel] any violence stemming from a demonstration. He said 300 other troopers were on stand-by. Instead of a promised 1000 demonstrators, only about 20 pickets, led by the Rev Arthur L. Jelks, appeared briefly in front of the Baton Rouge municina' building and later at the Capitol. No incidents were reported. A report by United Press Internationa] from Montgomery. Alabama, said that the

Governor of Mississippi, Mr Ross Barnett, said today he was “in sympathy” with Governor George C Wallace, of Alabama, and his struggle against the Federal Government and racial matters.

“I am one thousand per cent, behind your Governor and the people of Mississippi stand with you,” Mr Barnett told the Alabama Legislature during a visit.

Mr Barnett met Mr Wallace at the Capitol to discuss plans for river development and the two Governors later ate at a downtown hotel, where Mr Wallace was surrounded by State troopers, to prevent any attempt to have him served, with a subpoena to appear in the Federal Court in Birmingham in connexion with the court-ordered integration of the University of Alabama on June 10. The Federal Government has filed a suit to enjoin Mr Wallace from interfering in the integration. Mr Wallace says he will not attend the hearing.