Atlanta Daily World

Letters On
Columbia

NEW YORK - (SNS) -

Although the vast majority of the letters received by the Executive Committee of the National Committee for Justice in Columbia, Tenn., contain expressions of indignation over the police and state guard brutality during the February 'riot' in Columbia, Tenn., there are, occasionally, letters from Southerners who protest their deep affection for Negroes ('Southern Negroes') and express deep concern over "outside interference."

A letter from a Georgia M.D. of four closely typed pages, addressed to the Committee is a fair sample of these dissenting documents. In one section the gentleman writes:

"Where on earth did you get the tissue of lies you have written about the situation in Columbia, Tenn.? I was amazed. The simple facts are: On the morning of February 25th a white man and a Negro woman got into a dispute in the fight that ensued the woman and her son threw the white man through a plate glass window. Four officers went down to the Negro section to arrest the two Negroes where they were fired on from ambush and all four shot down. Instead of the community organizing a mob to go and get them the entire matter was handled by law. I think it is an amazing thing that the citizens acted with such moderation most of the trouble in the world is caused by meddling..... The great majority of the Negroes live in the South and will have to continue to do so. Don't you think that you and the Ministers whose names appear on your Committee would be better employed if they would exhort the colored people to live on good terms with their white neighbors, instead of instilling into them the witches brew of hate which you have concocted? It seems to me that it would be more in line with the teachings of Jesus when his disciples asked Him if it was proper to pay tribute to Caesar. He said, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. He also abjured his disciples to be subservient to their lawful masters."