Sen. Javits Praises Youth Committed to Civil Rights

Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R-N.Y.) said last night that he "favors tremendously" the plan of the Council of Federated Organizations to send a thousand students to Mississippi this summer to work for civil rights.

"The students planning to go are outstanding patriots, and I will do every-the success of their mission," Javits said in a Sanders Theatre address sponsored by the Young Republican Club.

Speaking primarily of "the burning issue" of civil rights, the Senator said that he believes that advocates of the civil rights bill currently being debated in the Senate would win a cloture vote by the end of May. Cloture will be achieved without any significant modification of the present bill, he predicted.

Criticizes Amendments

Javits strongly disagreed with the recent proposals of Sen. Everett M. Dirksen (R-III.) to modify certain parts of the present bill, the section dealing with fair employment practices in particular. Javits applauded Dirksen's decision, however, to bring his proposals before the Republican Conference of the Senate before introducing them on the floor. "I have hopes that before he proposes his amendments he will have taken the sting out of them," Javits said.

Touching on the recent Wisconsin presidential primary, in which Gov. George Wallace of Alabama, a staunch segregationist, amassed 260,000 votes, the Senator said he felt encouraged, rather than dismayed. The Wisconsin voters handed down a clear mandate for the present bill by voting three to one in favor of candidates who advocate civil rights, he said.

Sen. Javits closely identified the Republican Party with civil rights activities. He noted that the key votes which have enabled the current bill to reach the Senate floor have been cast by Republicans.

Turning to other matters, Javits said the Republican Party in general is "in very serious jeopardy," because it fails to offer a clear alternative to the Democrats, who have emerged as the majority party.

"Rational Initiatives"

The Senator offered a wide range of proposals as examples of the "rational initiatives" he advocates for his party. He urged "fundamental law" to deal with national strikes. "The government must have final authority, and if this means seizure to maintain minimum health and safety standards, then the government must seize.

He also advocated discontinuing aid to some Latin American countries under the Alliance for Progress program. "We should fortify positions of economic strength and temporarily forget about positions of weakness," he said.