WYOMING ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, Senator ERVIN, Chairman, Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights, GENTLEMEN: I would like to make a statement for the record against Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1966, on which testimony is being received by your Committee. This statement is being made as President of the Wyoming Association of Realtors, whose members represent a majority of the real estate people throughout the State of Wyoming. I have just returned from a trip to all sections of the state and had the opportunity to discuss this proposed legislation with a large number of members of the Wyoming Association at local board meetings held for this purpose. During this trip I heard not one Realtor speak in favor of the proposed legisla tion, Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1966. In Wyoming there has been almost complete freedom of choice in the sale, rental or lease of real estate to minority groups through the years, and any segregation of minority groups at this time is a result of economic influences rather than social status. Since the recent Civil Rights Acts, the attitude of the general public has been altered to the extent that the Association does not believe the force of law to obtain equal opportunity in housing can be justified in the State of Wyoming. We believe that the cause of improved race relations can only be retarded, not enhanced by this measure. In every case where a similar law has been submitted to a referendum of the people it has overwhelmingly been rejected. The people of Wyoming, in our opinion, still cling to the century old doctrine that "A man's home is his castle." Title IV certainly will destroy this concept and remove the basic human right of private property ownership. We further feel that the moral end advanced by Title IV cannot justify the means through which it is sought to be obtained, and that it obliterates the distinction between public and private affairs. If individual freedom is worthy of preservation, it behooves all Americans to mark well the distinction between public and private affairs, and to employ most sparingly the court of law to coerce human conduct in areas of private affairs. The Wyoming Association of Realtors does assert their support of the principle of equal opportunity in the acquisition and enjoyment of real property, and the right of individuals to determine the disposition of that property. Title IV would seriously impair the freedom of action of the seller in advertising his property. It would, in effect, convert an advertisement into a legally binding offer with respect to any person who alleges violation of section 403. The action of such person, however, would not be for breach of contract, but for violation of an entirely new right-that of the right to buy real property advertised for sale. Thus the placing of an ad incurs legal consequences hitherto unknown to the common law. It would not only restrict the seller's freedom to bargain and negotiate with a number of offerers, but it also restricts his right to withdraw the property from sale. Sincerely, GEORGE BOWER, President. AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS, Senator SAMUEL J. ERVIN, Jr. Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR ERVIN: On behalf of the American Jewish Congress, Council of Greater Chicago, we heartily support the Civil Rights Bill introduced in the House by Representative Emanuel Celler (H.R. 14765) and in the Senate by Senator Hart (S. 3296). However, we urge in addition, that the following amendment which have the support of the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights, of which the American Jewish Congress is a member, be included in these bills: 1. "We urge the establishment of a new agency, the Indemnification Board, that will award damages to the victims of civil rights violence. The tragic murders of three young civil rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi, the fatal assaults on Medgar Evans and James Reeb, are some of the crimes that are impelling reasons for this provision. The Board, after investigation, would make monetary awards to injured persons and, in the case of death, to the kin of victims. 2. "We also want the fair housing provision enforced by an administrative agency. Experience with voting cases and school suits provides abundant evidence of what an enormous burden it is for the aggrieved person to undertake, as he would have to under the Administration bill, his own court action to challenge his denial of a place to live because of his creed or color. While it was recognized that a ban on housing discrimination would not in itself resolve the problem of the ghetto, it was agreed that congressional recognition of the problem would free many of the reluctant and the timid, particularly in the real estate profession, to move toward a policy of open occupancy. 3. "We will propose a more automatic way of instituting procedures for ending jury discrimination. A good analogy is the "automatic trigger" of the Voting Rights Act which authorizes use of its system of federal registrars where the number of voters in a state or political subdivision falls below a set standard. 4. "We want the coverage of Title VII, the Equal Employment Section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, extended to state and local government employees thus making it possible to integrate the staffs of courts and police stations and other institutions of justice. We also want to see incorporated into the new bill the amendments to Title VII, already adopted by the House, that would give the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission the powers other regulatory agencies have to issue cease-and-desist orders and enforce their laws more vigorously.". Very truly yours, PAUL H. VISHNY. President, Council of Greater Chicago American Jewish Congress. President, Chicago Women's Division, American Jewish Congress. AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS, Senator SAM J. ERVIN, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR ERVIN: The American Jewish Congress. Northern California Division, supports President Johnson's message urging adoption of a "Civil Rights Act of 1966". We strongly urge that your Subcommittee act promptly and favorably on Senate Bill 3296-with the following amendments. 1. The establishment of an indemnification board to award damages to victims of civil rights violence. 2. The establishment of an administrative agency to enforce the fair housing provision. 3. A more automatic way of instituting procedures for ending jury discrimination analogous to the "automatic trigger" of the Voting Rights Act. 4. Extension of the Equal Employment Section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to state and local government employees and powers to issue cease-anddesist orders for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Sincerely yours, EDWARD STERN, President. CHARLOTTE BOARD OF REALTORS, INC., Hon. SAM J. ERVIN, Jr., Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR ERVIN; The Board of Directors of the Charlotte, North Carolina. Board of Realtors has studied very carefully H.R. 14765 and have gone on record as unanimously opposing Part IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1966. We feel that when you take away a property owner's right to sell or lease to whomever he pleases that you are taking away a basic freedom. We cannot conceive of property owners in America being subjected to such an unfair and unjust law. Our Board of Directors represent the thinking of over four hundred of our membership, and I know that many of them will write you and make their wishes known. I urge you, therefore, to consider the wishes of all property owners and defeat this proposal. Yours very truly, C. H. TOUCHBERRY, President. COMMUNITY SERVICE SOCIETY, DEAR SENATOR ERVIN: Enclosed is the statement of the Committee on Public Affairs with respect to the Civil Rights Act of 1966. The Committee feels passage of this legislation is important and urges your support. Sincerely yours, JOHN H. MATHIS, Chairman, Committee on Public Affairs. A STATEMENT ON CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1966 BY COMMUNITY SERVICE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK The proposed "Civil Rights Act of 1966" is the latest in a series of legislative efforts to set forth a clear national policy against racial, religious and ethnic discrimination, and to improve the machinery to implement and enforce the declared national policy. The administration of policy would be strengthened through: Titles I and II, which deal with the selection and challenging of Federal and State juries respectively; Title III, which authorizes injunctive relief against imminent violations of individual rights; and Title VI, which deals wth the judcial enforcement of the prohibition against discrimination in public schools and other public facilities. Federal law would be clarified by Title V, which extends the jurisdiction of the Federal courts to racially motivated attacks on individuals, as well as to acts by private citizens designed to prevent the exercise of federally guaranteed rights. Title IV sets forth for the first time a general national policy against discrimination in the field of housing. But it is by no means the first federal activity in this area. In 1962, for example, President Kennedy's Executive Order prohibited discrimination in FHA and VA-financed housing as well as in federally |