Atlanta Daily World

Honoring A Great Judge

Negroes of South Carolina, joined by a few whites, gave a practical demonstration of their love and appreciation for Judge J. Waties Waring a fortnight ago, when they called at his home and presented him and his wife a token of that appreciation. The Judge's words of response were striking. Said he:

"This is the happiest moment of my life. I've a cause to live for and a job to do." Of course, one need not review the circumstances out of which this spontaneous expression of appreciation came. Judge Waring will be remembered as the person who had the courage to take tradition by the forelock and speak out of the richness of a big heart of righteousness and a head of broad judicial knowledge to open the doors of the White Primary to Negroes of that state, in obedience to the United States Supreme Court.

That he had opposition and threats will be demonstrated by the fact that the Ku Klux Klan threatened him; citizens organized a move to impeach him and that his home was bombed or threatened. Out of that, together with numerous anonymous letters attacking him and his good wife, Judge Waring, having been honored by a delegation of 100 Negroes, said:

"It is an unpleasant situation to be in, to stand alone in a community. But I feel that it is the happiest position I could be in. Having had to meet this issue, it's a great comfort to look at your own conscience and neither one blinks for the other."

There is a judge of great courage. Despite the ostracism and threats, he still insists that he would follow a similar course, were he called upon to travel that road again. And it makes us feel happy over here to know that the Negroes, for whom he suffered and is still suffering social ostracism, have the proper sense of appreciation for so great a man and his devoted wife, who has been the source of his inspiration to uphold the hand of justice and fair play for all peoples, regardless to circumstance or position in society.