Speech #910048296

Let me interpolate to say that they really did go into it in great depth and they examined into the segregation problems in that county over a long period of time. They also went into the matter of education and whether the schools for Negroes were decidedly inferior to the schools that were maintained for white people. and out of all this there came a conclusion. They finally came to the conclusion that the use of literacy tests in Gaston County was discriminatory because the county. as a result of its segregated schools and its inferior schools for colored people. had thereby deprived Negro citizens of equal educational opportunitiesand this is the important thing: an equal chance to pass a literacy test. The U.S. Supreme Court sustained that decision. It is now proposed in the new legislation which I introduce to ban all literacy tests until January 1. 1974. and to authorize the President to appoint a National Voting Advisory Commission to study further that matter of discrimination and corrupt practices. Mr. President. I think this is a timely and restrained approach to this problem. Under the provisions of the bill. all of the literacy tests are suspended and certainly cannot be reimposed until after January 1. 1974and not even then if Congress finally concludes. in supplementary legislation. that it should not be done. It is a difficult matter. to say the least. but now we have geared the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into the 1964 election and I am of the opinion that this whole matter must be brought up to date. Mr.