A Deposit of S Deposit To Be Mailed .P.M. must be made AT ONCE to ST. LOUIS OFFICE. Otherwise Reservations cannot be honored. Any changes in or cancelling of Reservations may be made only through our St. Louis office. DEPOSIT REFUND CLAIMED BY REASON OF CANCELLATION OF RESERVATION MAY BE MADE ONLY AT WE RESERVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SELECT OUR CLIENTELE. may be This Reservation is made with the understanding that the rights and privileges granted the guest thereunder, revoked by Eagle Hurst Ranch if, in the opinion of the Management, such reservation is detrimental to the best interests of the Ranch. Unless immediately informed otherwise, we assume the contents of this acknowledgement is in accordance with your approval. We will do all possible to make your stay at Eagle Hurst a most enjoyable one. In the case of group or organization reservations, the proper leader or officer shall duly acknowledge approval of this reservation, by signing and returning one copy to our St. Louis office. Signed: Please present this Reservation on arrival. Very truly, EAGLEHURST RANCH By Senator PROUTY. Mr. Hicks, you suggested also that you are connected with a bank which is faced with some problems, or will be faced with some problems if the proposed legislation is enacted into law. You also referred to a minority group of undesirable white people. Do any members of that minority group do business with your bank? Mr. HICKS. I do not know, sir. I'm not a teller of the bank in any manner, shape, or form. When we talk of a minority group of white people, we know if a man should come in drunk, or boisterous, or such as that, we feel that we have that right to refuse him or to put him out of the place. That is what we determine a minority group of whites. Senator PROUTY. Do you exclude members of any race from doing business with the bank? Mr. HICKS. No, sir. Senator PROUTY. That is completely integrated? Mr. HICKS. That's right, yes. There is no reason for that, no. Senator PROUTY. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. The Senator from Nevada. Senator CANNON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Hicks, you indicated that you are a director of the North St. Louis Trust Co. Is that a lending organization? Mr. HICKS. It is a bank and trust company. Senator CANNON. Do you make any discrimination there in the people to whom you make your loans? Mr. HICKS. No, sir. Senator CANNON. And you, of course, naturally make a profit from that? Mr. HICKS. Except the only discrimination we make there is a good loan. Senator CANNON. As president of the Steelville Telephone Co., how many customers do you serve by that company? Mr. HICKS. We have about 2,300. Senator CANNON. Do you have any discrimination in your service there? Mr. HICKS. No, sir. Senator CANNON. Do you serve anybody who puts up the money; is that right? Mr. HICKS. That's correct. Senator CANNON. And I presume that you have made some money out of the telephone company over the years, have you not? Mr. HICKS. We are operating in the black, the only one in the State of Missouri. Independent, that is. Senator CANNON. What about the Cuba Locker and Ice Plant. How big an area does that serve? Mr. HICKS. That serves about half of a county. Senator CANNON. And do you make any restrictions there as to the people you serve? Mr. HICKS. No, none whatsoever. Senator CANNON. You serve anybody who is willing to pay the fee? Mr. HICKS. That's right. Senator CANNON. What about the Freezall Food Locker in St. Louis? Mr. HICKS. That is the same thing, that is a freeze locker and processing plant. Senator CANNON. You serve anybody who is willing to pay for the service there? Mr. HICKS. Yes. Senator CANNON. And your ownership in these businesses are some of the things that have helped you to acquire the position in the community that Senator Thurmond described recently? Is that correct? Mr. HICKS. I assume so. Senator CANNON. What about the Eagle Hurst Ranch? You say 3,000 acres of grazing and cattle raising? Mr. HICKS. Yes. Senator CANNON. Do you engage in any of the Government-support programs? Mr. HICKS. I have never taken one single dollar from the Government in my entire life for any purpose. Senator CANNON. In the way of support prices? Mr. HICKS. No, sir, never. I wanted to be an independent operator. I want nobody to interfere with my business. Senator CANNON. What about the Eagle Hurst Ranch Resort? Do you have any loans there that are insured? Mr. HICKS. I don't owe any man in the world a dollar. Senator CANNON. Have you ever had any loans through any source that have been insured in part by the Federal Government? Mr. HICKS. Never, never. Senator CANNON. You have not participated in any of the Federal programs Mr. HICKS. Never, never in any Federal loan, in any way, shape, or form. Senator CANNON. Do you think that there would be a legitimate basis of distinction if a person were accepting loans through SBA or other types of loans? Mr. HICKS. No, certainly not. Senator CANNON. You wouldn't see any point of distinction there at all? Mr. HICKS. No. That is a good law and it has its place. Senator CANNON. And would you see any point of distinction if a person who had a FHA loan, let's Mr. HICKS. No, none whatever. say Senator CANNON (continuing). On their ranch? Mr. HICKS. We take FHA loans in the bank. Senator CANNON. Of course, FHA loans are made possible by the taxes that everybody pays, irrespective of race, color, or creed. Mr. HICKS. That's right. Senator CANNON. But you still think that there should be a distinction, then, in the areas of service? Mr. HICKS. I didn't get that question. Senator CANNON. You still think there should be a distinction, though, in the areas of service as to people who will or will not serve, based on their own particular desire? Mr. HICKS. Well, yes. A man has a right to make his loan where he sees fit, and if he is a good risk, whether by the Federal or by the independent bank. Senator CANNON. In your Eagle Hurst Ranch Resort, do you have any type of exclusive license there from the State licensing agency? Mr. HICKS. The only licenses that we have there are for sanitation and operation. We have a county license to operate, the same as any small business, or any business would have. Senator CANNON. Are those nonrestrictive licenses so that anyone. could go in who was willing to make an investment and secure that type of license? Mr. HICKS. Well, that is for any business, yes; whether a grocery store or filling station. Senator CANNON. What about a restaurant? Is that a restrictive license? Mr. HICKS. No; it is not a restricted license. The only license is, of course, your sanitation license. Senator CANNON. Do you serve liquor there? Mr. HICKS. No, sir. We do not serve or permit it. Senator CANNON. You don't have a license for that? Mr. HICKS. No, sir; we don't. And that is one of the classes of people who we consider undesirable, is those people who want to make use of that. Senator CANNON. Would you consider that your business is affected with interstate commerce? Mr. HICKS. At the present time, no. Senator CANNON. I think you said in answer to a question of Senator Engle that approximately 90 percent of your customers came directly from St. Louis? Mr. HICKS. Ninety or better than 90 percent, I believe. The CHAIRMAN. The Senator from Michigan. Do you have any questions? Senator HART. For the benefit of those who drink and those who don't drink, I think we ought to get the record straight. This bill would prohibit discriminatory treatment on account of race and color, religion, or national origin. You have been emphasizing the drunkard. This bill doesn't prohibit you in any way from excluding the drunkard. Mr. HICKS. I have no objection, sir, to what the bill sets forth. I do, in its penalties set forth, of having someone to use his own judgment as to whether you have discriminated or that you are thinking about discriminating, as it says in here, where the wrath can be brought down upon your head for that thinking. Senator HART. I'm not sure that I understood the answer. Do you support a bill that would enable a Negro serviceman, traveling under military orders, to get shelter in your inn? Mr. HICKS. No; not in my place, because of the nature of the business in itself. He would not be, for any reason, to come there, because it is by reservation only. Senator HART. That was a circular answer but I think the answer is you wouldn't give him shelter. You don't want to be compelled to. Mr. HICKS. That's right. I don't want to be compelled to give anybody shelter, any person. Senator HART. Long before there was a Federal Government there were inns. One of the obligations of the innkeeper was to shelter the traveler. Somehow or another in the course of centuries we have lost touch with the very traditional, very old common law obligation. And for the life of me I don't see why you would want to write a book about "An Opportunity in a Democracy" unless you could put into that book a chapter that would describe the opportunity that a Negro citizen in a democracy could enjoy. I would think you wouldn't want to write a book unless you could state, honestly, in it that color of the man's skin in a democracy ought not and does not bar him from equal treatment. What kind of book would it be? It would be a mislabled book, wouldn't it? Mr. HICKS. I have no objection to the man's color. I do have an objection to the Government passing a law that says, to regulate my business the way I want to operate it. Any business. That is my objection. Senator HART. Thank you very much. The CHAIRMAN. The Senator from Maryland. Senator BEALL. I have no questions. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any further questions by members of the Committee? [No response.] The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Hicks. We appreciate your testimony. You can be excused. The Chair first wants to recognize the presence in the committee room of one or two of our colleagues here: The Congressman from Mississippi, John Bell Williams we are glad to have you-and the distinguished Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Nelson. We are also glad to have him. And we are also glad to have our colleague, John Stennis, from Mississippi, who would like to have the opportunity, I believe, of introducing our next witness. We would be glad to have you come forward, Senator Stennis, and do so. Any Members of Congress who happen to be here, if I don't happen to notice you, you're privileged to come up here with the committee. We have some chairs for you if you wish. Senator Stennis. Senator STENNIS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is my pleasure as well as a privilege to present to this committee Governor Barnett of Mississippi. Governor Barnett has for a long time been one of the outstanding lawyers in our State, in fact in that part of the country, at one time president of our State bar association. He went directly from the trial courtroom, you might say, to the Governor's office. He has a great knowledge of the Constitution of the United States, and, of course, of his own State, and he believes fervently in that Constitution. He carried this knowledge of constitutional law to the Governor's office with him, as well as carrying his faith and belief in its principles. He has been very active as a Governor in many ways. He is a man of strong beliefs and convictions. He has a record of fine achievements over the years, both in and out of the Governor's office. I have not had a chance to read his statement, but I know it will be excellent and outstanding. I believe he will be helpful to this committee. I'm delighted that he can be and is here. Governor, you are in the hands now of a very fine group. I'm very glad indeed to present you to them. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Stennis. Governor, we are glad to have you here. I'm sure you, as well as the Senator from Mississippi, will contribute a great deal to the legal problems that we have facing us. I might say for the record that the committee did send an invitation to all 50 Governors. Some of them have responded. Others, of necessity, can't be here right now. I don't know how many others will want to testify. Some have designated their attorneys general to come. |