TYE VEK BUMBER 26 FAGE 13 ve have received from the Student Nonviolent Co-ordineting Committee, Atlanta, Georgia, a reprint from the American magazine "Newsweek” which shows the extent te which the white-supremists of the Jeep South are prepared to ge toe pretect their entrenched political power, ‘The SNCC have a mest courageous record in the fight fer civil rights, especially in the South itself, Several of their members have been shot for daring to organise Negre voters’ registration campaizns, and the number of times their organisers and supporters have been arrested and beaten are too numerous te ment They are very pleased to supply material to interested orgenisations and can be contac at: SCUDENT NONVIOLENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEB, 6 Raymond St,, Na. Atlanta, Jeorgia, U.S.A.
MISSISSIPPI; Allen’s Army ‘The second summer pl the Negro recolt seas sti months off. But ever since the first, Allen” Theinpsan, the Ze ieg, satin smooth mavar of enrecenstrretad Jackson. Miss, has bee acting as thenul Armareectlor were just around the cones Cudiig fora new wave of civil-ripdits deancnstrations this simmer. Thompson is MHSSINA aN IMpressive—und expensive deterrent force pl men anc militiay hardware. Yo deteud the capital city of 144.422. he is bailing up his song, tongh. riot-dramied polive force fren 390 te ASO. plas ten toeses said sro deus. The darce iy “Psive us bigs as bor size,” Thorapsun besastedd aud it will be backed ly is reserve pool of deputies, state troopers, civilian city employes, and even ueighborhand civen pulrrals With a hefty $2.2 million Iuidyet tea spend. the cepartment recenth bonght 20) new shotguns, stockpiled tear yas. and issirect gas anasks to every 1 Its motor fleet includes three: .canvascanopied troop Serries, two half-ton searchlight trucks, and three giant trailer trucks to hanl demonstration POW's off to two hig detention compminds. “I think we can take care of 23,000." the mayor said. Weepern: But the pride of Allen's Anny is Thompson's Tunk-the already popular nickname for a 13.(KH)-pound armored battlewagon built to the mayor's specifications at roughly $1 a paond. The tvelve-man tank, ubristle with sbotgons, tear-gas gums, and a submachine gun, flopped on its first mission putting down a demonstration at all- Negro Jackson State College two weeks ago. As it rolled up, a tear-gas shell went off inside, und all twelve men stumbled out ctying. Nevertheleys, Thempson says reverently: “It’s a wonderful thing.” Would a collision come? Thompson thought so-and so did the yanng war: hawks of the Student Nonviolent Co ordinating Committee, already mapping A massive summer campaign in Mississippi. SNCC was dispatching questionnaires last week to prospective recruits for its uwn sonviolent armay of SH) te 1,000—mostly college studenis—to staff
Thompson, troops—and armor
“treedom schools,” community centers.
wad yoter-registration drives. “The sum-
mer of 1964.” SNCC chainman John
Lewis said, “could ceaily be the year
for Mississippi. Befare the Negro people
get the right ta vote, there will have to
he a massive confrontation, and it proba-
bly will come this summer... We are
going ty» Mississipp! full farce.”
And when they come, Thompson feels
he has the means to contain them.
“There will be no unlawful marching
and peacelu! picketing,” he vowed. “We
are not going to let them come inte
the downtown area.”
The mayor insists his army is only a
sevond-strike force designed fo preserve
law and order. “We have to wait.” he
told Newsweer’s Karl Fleming, “until
they start trouble.” Bur Thompson is
certain trouble will came. “Fhis is it.” he
sakl. “They are not blaffing and we are
not bluffing. We're going to be ready
for them ... They won't have a chance.”