"Don't Shoot Looters'-'Don't use billies.' "Patrolmen on the beat, in every precinct in Washington were told not to use their guns in any manner to prevent looting, arson, or damaging of property. They were instructed to employ their nightsticks only in cases of dire need for self defense. "Stupid To Do Business in Washington.' "Quote from one of the officers interviewed: "The inference from the new police control is that anybody stupid enough to operate a business in Washington deserves to have his place looted and burned.' "While the President issued his permissive orders from the White House, a woman of great courage issued a 'shoot' order to the police of Prince George's County, Maryland. Commissioner-Chairman Gladys Spellman observed: 'You can't fight violence with nonviolence.' "On January 17, 1968, told members of The Connecticut Avenue Association, in response to the question 'What good will a college education do the policeman who has a bank robber at gun point?' "Mr. MURPHY: 'It will help him understand why the man is holding up the bank.' "We know we need a change-radical and drastic from the top down. "F. O. Hinz, Executive Manager, The Connecticut Avenue Association." We might make this a part of the record at this point, and I will so place it in the record. (The document referred to follows:) THE CONNECTICUT AVENUE ASSOCIATION ORDER FROM WHITE HOUSE "DON'T SHOOT LOOTERS" On Friday, April 5, when negro rioters, looters, plunderers, and arsonists ran free to perpetrate havoc in downtown Washington, this interviewer spoke with four District of Columbia police officers. Three of them (high-ranking officers) were sufficiently well known to accept pledges that identities would remain undisclosed. The fourth, a private patrolman, indicated "I don't really care if you use my name", because he said he had already made plans to leave the force. In summary, the following is, in part, information elicited from the four conversations: DISTRICT POLICE WERE TOLD TO AVOID MAKING ARRESTS Looters were to be ignored-unless they were white! Orders had come in briefings-sometimes with Safety Director, Patrick Murphy present. On Friday afternoon, police radio carried a message that President Johnson had personally requested avoiding a brush with negro rioters "whenever possible". PATRICK MURPHY TO POLICE: "BE SCARCE". Since his taking office, at the appointment of President Johnson, Safety Director Murphy has repeatedly let it be known that the White House wanted uniformed police to be inconspicuous in the event of negro uprisings. "Be scarce" was the way instructions came down. "DON'T SHOOT LOOTERS"-"DON'T USE BILLIES.” Patrolmen on the beat, in every precinct in Washington were told not to use their guns in any manner to prevent looting, arson, or damaging of property. They were instructed to employ their night-sticks only in cases of dire need for self defense. "STUPID TO DO BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON" Quote from one of the officers interviewed: "The inference from the new police control is that anybody stupid enough to operate a business in Washington deserves to have his place looted and burned." While the President issued his permissive orders from the White House, a woman of great courage issued a "shoot" order to the police of Prince George's County, Maryland. Commissioner chairman, Gladys Spellman observed: "You can't fight violence with non-violence." On January 17, 1968, told members of The Connecticut Avenue Association, in response to the question "What good will a college education do the policeman who has a bank robber at gun point?" MR. MURPHY: "It will help him understand why the man is holding up the bank." WE KNOW WE NEED A CHANGE... RADICAL AND DRASTIC FROM THE TOP DOWN. 1404 S. 28th St.. F. O. HINZ, Executive Manager, The Connecticut Avenue Association. Arlington, Va. OT 4-6274 Mr. WHITENER. This communication appeared in the mail today. It is at variance with the testimony we have had here, but it is not for us at this point to determine which version of what happened here at the riots is correct. I assume that the Connecticut Avenue Association is a responsible body. I believe that their accusations are such that those who are the objects of their accusations will want to request an opportunity to come before this committee and to refute, if they can, these allegations of fact, if they are facts. We have to determine that on the basis of the evidence. Is there anyone here from the District Government who would like to comment upon this document which I have just read? STATEMENT OF ROBERT KNEIPP, ASSISTANT CORPORATION COUNSEL, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Mr. KNEIPP. Mr. Chairman, I am here, but I do not believe I should comment on it. I think that is probably within the province of Mr. Murphy. Mr. WHITENER. Will you please advise Mr. Murphy of this document? I am sure you can get a copy of it from the Connecticut Avenue Association. You may want the telephone number of the author, it is OT 4-6274. Mr. KNEIPP. If I can get a photostat-copy of it from the Clerk of the Committee, it would be of help. Mr. WHITENER. All right, sir. I understand that Mr. George Kalavitinos is here and would like to testify. We will be glad to hear from you now. Do you have additional copies of your statement? Mr. KALAVITINOS. Yes, sir. Mr. WHITENER. Do you represent any organization or are you speaking only for yourself? Mr. KALAVITINOS. I am a Washington citizen. I was born and raised in the city of Washington. I represent several of my business associates. Mr. WHITENER. You may proceed. STATEMENT OF GEORGE KALAVITINOS, A WASHINGTON, D.C., CITIZEN AND BUSINESSMAN Mr. KALAVITINOS. Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of this Subcommittee. I am appearing before you today as an ordinary citizen and a Washington businessman. There are many here who are familiar with Part of Amendment 14-Ratified July 9th, 1868, which says: "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction, the equal protection of the laws." (I presume the Amendment included Washington, D.C.) Now, exactly 100 years later, a so-called riot erupted Thursday evening, April 4th, 1968, in this city of the District of Columbia which resulted in arson, vandalism and thievery. Many merchants' businesses were looted and burned to the ground. These same merchants who for years have been paying their taxes, which part payment of the taxes went for police protection. Where was the Police protection for these merchants? Why should these merchants be held responsible for the removal of the debris, for the demolition of their buildings, and for the cost of such undertaking? They did not burn their buildings down. It is the City's responsibility to remove the debris and demolish the buildings, for they did not render the necessary "police protection". I want to read to you a statement entitled "The City of No Windows." As a result of the Supreme Court decisions and through the liberals and certain politicians of our great nation we are now faced with our police forces around our nation both local and state being now totally neutralized. We, as a nation from July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, have never been faced with a more critical situation as we are confronted with today and that is a complete breakdown of law and order. Now, how did this situation come about? How did we let it happen? Is it too late to do something about it? What is the solution? Money, education, bloodshed, military dictatorship, communication-What? What has happened to this nation? Where are our leaders? Where can we find a voice to tell those hoodlums, animals and punks, both white and black militants who have no regard for our country and its laws? Where? What leaders can be found-political or private citizens-who will speak up and say "Law and order is not going to retreat anymore; enough is enough?" I, as a D.C. businessman and citizen of these United States have had it. I am now damn mad. I want to help do something-anything to awaken this city and this nation to the fact that by tomorrow it might be too late. Now, let's take a look at our Bill of Rights as citizens of these United States of America and citizens and businessmen of Washington, D.C. Let us go back to July 9th, 1868, when the 14th Amendment was ratified and read once again the part that says: "No State shall make or enforce any law that shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of law." I presume the Amendment included Washington, D.C. Today, when I read that part of the 14th Amendment, I say to myself: "What a fraud, what a joke, what a tragedy!" I suppose the Supreme Court and those few liberals and politicians and others are going to now void the part of the Bill of Rights in Article II which says: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." How naked do those in the Supreme Court and liberals want me as a citizen to be? How naked?, I ask. The top priority on our list today is not the Vietnam War, the war on poverty, the race to the moon or the rebuilding of our cities but the breakdown of law and order especially during these past ten years. Let us go back further, let's say 1953, in Montgomery, Alabama, and the bus boycott. Then later across the South, demonstrating and protesting to integrate the lunch counters, the toilets, the schools; eliminate the poll tax, the right to vote, and many other wrongs, which I as a realistic individual have never believed in or condoned. For in many cases mass demonstrations and mass protests that were supposed to be non-violent but were only used to bring disorders, cause unrest and to provoke violence which later caused bloodshed, and during those early years many Negroes and whites who participated in those battles were humiliated and in many cases degraded. And then approximately eight years ago there came upon us a few blacks and whites who had no plan or program for the betterment of the poor black or white peoples who infiltrated into organizations such as CORE, SCLC and others which were established. Many new organizations such as SNCC-which is better known as SNICKwhose only purpose is to divide the white and the blacks, to create chaos, cause violence and bloodshed with the resultant destruction of our cities and our great nation. Today, many, many people, both white and black, do not know who are the heads of SNCC. I will try to tell you. No. 1. The No. 1 man is James Foreman, who has contacts with several African nations and Fidel Castro's Cuba. He is the man behind the scenes. Nothing happens within SNCC without his O.K. He is black. No. 2. Reverend James Bevel, who was since 1965 and who still is the head of SCLC. The Reverend Martin Luther King, since 1965 was just a figurehead. The Reverend Abernathy today is nothing more than a figurehead, also, and could and will be replaced when the time comes. Reverend James Bevel gives the commands and tells Reverend Abernathy which speeches are to be read. All are black. No. 3 and No. 4. Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown are the ones who remain in the public's eye. Neither one makes a move without James Foreman's approval and the legal advice from their counsel, Mr. William Kunstler, who is white-and, by the way, he gets his orders from Arthur Kinoy who is also white and who teaches at Rutgers University located in New Jersey. Mr. Kinoy has legal resources composed of Faculty Members and Rutgers University is the training ground for militant legal talent. No. 5. IVANHOE DONALSON, black, has been involved with STOKELY CARMICHAEL since the beginning. He has major contacts within the white community. He also was head of the New York City office and fund-raising. No. 6. CHUCK HAMILTON, of all the black militants is the most brilliant of the group. He has a PhD. in Political Science and is now teaching at Roosevelt University, Chicago, Ill. He was actually the one who wrote the book "Black Power" and not Stokely Carmichael. No. 7. HARRY BELAFONTE, has African contacts, International contacts and contacts all through show business. He is one of the very large donors and fund raisers. Stokely Carmichael's inner circle of friends here in Washington, D.C. are Ralph Featherstone, Cleve Sellers, Courtland Cox and William (Winkly) Hall. Also included are Lester McKinney, Local Head of SNCC and Gaston Neal, who is a dope addict. These people in SNCC and other Militants like them in other organizations are to be held responsible for the most part in the breakdown of Law and Order. These same people along with the criminal elements, punks, and other demagogues are today and for many years have been teaching our youths of this nation how to lie, steal, loot, burn and to disrupt our schools across the nation. Mr. WINN. Mr. Chairman, I do not believe-although I may be out of order-that the Committee should hear a history-book dissertation. I believe we are here on these two bills. Mr. Chairman, one individual should not come up here and take the time to present this extensive statement orally. We could make the statement a part of the record. We have six or seven other witnesses sitting here representing views, we should not take their time for this. Mr. WHITENER. I would suggest, Mr. Kalavitinos, that this statement which you make here giving your views on the riots might be made a part of the record, if you would like, and then we would let you speak to the legislation we are concerned with. We have two bills here. One is (H.R. 16948) to provide for the District of Columbia Government removing buildings destroyed and damaged in the riots. and the other bill (H.R. 16941) relates to the issuance of permits for parades and demonstrations. Mr. KALAVITINOS. I beg your pardon, Mr. Chairman. I will read part of page 9 which goes into this. Mr. WHITENER. You will go to page 9? Mr. KALAVITINOS. Yes, sir. Mr. WHITENER. To the top of page 9. We understand your contentions as to the effectiveness of law enforcement. The question before this committee now is, primarily, that to which we would like you to address yourself, the contents of the two bills which we now have before us. Mr. KALAVITINOS. Well, if I can read this part, sir. Mr. WHITENER. How much time will it take? Mr. KALAVITINOS. I would say about three minutes. |