1964CIVIL RIGHTS
Episode #15
OBD: 1964-01-13
TRT: 30 min
Description #1:
This program examines the background and current status of the civil rights bill – from its original form as introduced by the late President Kennedy – to its current status in the U.S. House of Representatives. So far the bill has passed only on hurdle – approval by the House Judiciary Committee. The bill has been bogged down in the House Rules Committee, which determines the flow of legislation to the House floor. Rules chairman Representative Howard Smith (D. Virginia) has previously indicated he would not move the bill unless pushed. A discharge petition designed to bypass his committee has brought a promise by Rep. Smith for hearings this month.
Host: Douglas Cater, national affairs editor of “The Reporter” Magazine, and visiting professor in public affairs at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Mr. Cater appeared in the first “At Issue” program.
Guests: U.S. Representative Howard W. Smith (D. Virginia), chairman of the House Rules Committee, has stated his intention to delay floor consideration of the civil rights bill for a substantial period of time. Rep. Smith has served in Congress since 1930. Prior to that time, he served as judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit in Virginia.
U.S. Representative Emanuel Celler (D. New York), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee which approved the Kennedy Administration’s civil rights bill and went a step further in barring racial discrimination in employment. He has served in Congress since 1922.
U.S. Representative John Lindsay (R. New York), member of the House Judiciary Committee; prior to his election to Congress in 1958, he served as an executive assistant to the U.S. Attorney General.
U.S. Representative William M. McCulloch (R. Ohio), member of the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. McCulloch has served in Congress since 1947 and before that he served in the Ohio House of Representatives for six terms.
Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, deputy U.S. Attorney General, Justice Department, who was instrumental in drafting the compromise civil rights bill which passed the House Judiciary Committee.
AT ISSUE: “LET US CONTINUE” – THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
A 1964 National Educational Television production
Executive producer: Alvin Perlmutter
Producer: Leonard Zweig
Description #2:
Representative Howard Smith (D-Virginia), chairman of the House Rules Committee – which has been accused of delaying the civil rights bill – presents his own views on the proposed civil rights legislation.
Congressman Smith and four other distinguished members of the House will present their frank views on the controversial bill during National Educational Television’s “At Issue: Countdown on Civil Rights.”
Appearing with Congressman Smith on the provocative half-hour program are Representative Emanual Celler (D-New York), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; Representative John Lindsay (R-New York) and Representative William McCulloch (R-Ohio), both of the Judiciary Committee; and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, deputy U.S. Attorney General.
Douglass Carter, national affairs editor of The Reporter magazine, is the program’s host. Mr. Carter also is visiting professor in public affairs at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.
“At Issue” is broadcast across the country on the National Educational Television network of nearly 80 affiliated non-commercial stations. The executive producer is Alvin Perlmutter. The producer is Leonard Zweig.