Mr. GILBERT. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Lindsay. Mr. LINDSAY. I thank the distinguished witness very much for his testimony. In fact, since the bells will be ringing in 1 minute that is as much as we can do, I am afraid. Mr. BADILLO. Thank you, Mr. Lindsay. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Gilbert. Mr. GILBERT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you first for waiving the rule of not permitting those who are not members of the subcommittee to ask questions. May I thank the witness and those appearing with him today for their appearance and their statements for the record. I have been studying this problem over the years and have introduced bills to eliminate the literacy test in the State of New York when I was in the State legislature and have continued my efforts in Washington. The bill which my distinguished colleague, Mr. Corman, has just made reference to, was the subject of great discussion before the committee only 2 days ago. I am very hopeful that the subcommittee and the full committee will accept these amendments to the bill and we will at least get a step forward in the elimination of the literacy test for those that have a sixth grade education. This bill would cover both for State and Federal elections, and also makes reference to the fact that a person can be conversant in Spanish, and be able to vote in the State of New York providing he has a sixth grade education from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Thank you. Mr. BADILLO. Congressman Gilbert, we certainly recognize the importance of the legislation you introduced and would go a long way toward taking care of this problem, and we hope it will be accepted in the event the literacy test cannot be abolished altogether. Mr. GILBERT. Thank you. Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, may I petition for 30 seconds as a nonsubcommittee member to express my complete support to the problem and position that has been enumerated here, and to say that I am further going to introduce a bill that will go a little further than Mr. Gilbert's because I feel this problem should be included in any further legislation of 1965. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. The Chair wishes to place in the record a statement by Martha B. Lewis for the Fellowship for Social Justice which is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and a statement by the Reverend Duncan Howlett, D.D., chairman of the Washington Advisory Committee of the Department of Social Responsibility of the Unitarian Universalist Association. (Documents referred to follow :) STATEMENT BY MARTHA B. LEWIS FOR THE FELLOWSHIP FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST) MARCH 24, 1965. The Fellowship for Social Justice (Unitarian Universalist) is an independent organizaton which is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and is a member of the Civil Liberties Union and of the International League for the Mr. GILBERT. Mr. Chairman? Mr. LINDSAY. I thank the distinguished with Mr. Baamas. Thank you, My Va am. Then, this to prevent the disenfranchisement of Puerto Ricans of New York State, then why is no action being taken by him? I ask on behalf of the Puerto Ricans of New York for the introduction of a companion bill to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, under the 14th amendment of the Constitution, which would take the action that New York State cannot and will not do, and would unequivocally declare the literacy test provision of the State of New York totally invalid and without effect. I ask that this be done now. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Badillo, I want to compliment you on your very forthright, and very revealing statement. It certainly points to, shall I say, a malignant growth that ought to be cut out; namely, the literacy test in New York which militates against intelligent Puerto Ricans' right to register and vote. How it shall be done we will try to wrestle with and try to come up with some solution. Mr. BADILLO. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Rodino? Mr. RODINO. Mr. Chairman, I merely want to echo your sentiments and compliment the gentleman and the Puerto Rican community for having made this presentation which certainly has been informative as well as constructive. I want to assure you as an individual member of this committee that I will give your suggestions every possible consideration, because I think they have considerable merit. Mr. BADILLO. Thank you, Congressman Rodino. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Donohue? Mr. DONOHUE. No questions. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Corman. Mr. CORMAN. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the witness because I want to say being from the other end of the country, I was not aware of this problem, although I have discussed it with Congressman Gilbert. I think we would have some problems nationwide if we eliminated the literacy test as such, because I could not get sympathy for such a proposal where I come from. I would ask if you are familiar with H.R. 4249, Mr. Gilbert's proposal, which substitutes a sixth grade education in any public school or any approved private school for a literacy test? Would that meet the problems that face you in New York to any substantial degree? Mr. BADILLO. It would be extremely helpful, yes. We would certainly support that bill but we would like to go all the way as long as we have the opportunity, as long as the climate is right. We feel that an opportunity like this may not arise again and therefore I say let's not stop at half measures, let's take the opportunity and go all the way and abolish the literacy test provisions. Mr. CORMAN. I thank you. I must say your ultimate objective is worthy, but I hope you will sympathize with our problem on the other side attempting to get sympathy where the problem does not exist. I would hope if we can't go all the way, we might do something in the nature of H.R. 4249. Mr. BADILLO. If you can't go all the way, go as far as you can. Mr. GILBERT. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Lindsay. Mr. LINDSAY. I thank the distinguished witness very much for his testimony. In fact, since the bells will be ringing in 1 minute that is as much as we can do, I am afraid. Mr. BADILLO. Thank you, Mr. Lindsay. Mr. GILBERT. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Gilbert. Mr. GILBERT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you first for waiving the rule of not permitting those who are not members of the subcommittee to ask questions. May I thank the witness and those appearing with him today for their appearance and their statements for the record. I have been studying this problem over the years and have introduced bills to eliminate the literacy test in the State of New York when I was in the State legislature and have continued my efforts in Washington. The bill which my distinguished colleague, Mr. Corman, has just made reference to, was the subject of great discussion before the committee only 2 days ago. I am very hopeful that the subcommittee and the full committee will accept these amendments to the bill and we will at least get a step forward in the elimination of the literacy test for those that have a sixth grade education. This bill would cover both for State and Federal elections, and also makes reference to the fact that a person can be conversant in Spanish, and be able to vote in the State of New York providing he has a sixth grade education from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Thank you. Mr. BADILLO. Congressman Gilbert, we certainly recognize the importance of the legislation you introduced and would go a long way toward taking care of this problem, and we hope it will be accepted in the event the literacy test cannot be abolished altogether. Mr. GILBERT. Thank you. Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, may I petition for 30 seconds as a nonsubcommittee member to express my complete support to the problem and position that has been enumerated here, and to say that I am further going to introduce a bill that will go a little further than Mr. Gilbert's because I feel this problem should be included in any further legislation of 1965. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. The Chair wishes to place in the record a statement by Martha B. Lewis for the Fellowship for Social Justice which is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and a statement by the Reverend Duncan Howlett, D.D., chairman of the Washington Advisory Committee of the Department of Social Responsibility of the Unitarian Universalist Association. (Documents referred to follow :) STATEMENT BY MARTHA B. LEWIS FOR THE FELLOWSHIP FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST) MARCH 24, 1965. The Fellowship for Social Justice (Unitarian Universalist) is an independent organizaton which is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and is a member of the Civil Liberties Union and of the International League for the |