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Show parchers Pray At LBS Doorstep 1 i....ii.'.---.imJ ..11 ' i-' .L... J JJL. Students, NAACP Demonstrators Urge Rights Support By Church By DAVID BRISCOE Chronicle Political Editor A, prayer for leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to use their "influence for moral justice" in civil rights brought an estimated 500 people to the steps of the Church's administration building, 47 E. South Temple, Sunday afternoon. According to the leaders of the Utah branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the "prayer march" was the beginning begin-ning of a week-long drive to get public accommodations and fair employment bills passed' in the State legislature. Utah's biennial law-making body ends its scheduled 60-day session Thursday. An NAACP-backed bill to set up a public commission on civil rights was defeated in the legislature last Thursday. Yesterday's demonstration started on the plaza in front of Salt Lake City's new federal office building, 1st South and State St., at 2:30. Included in the group were several University students, faculty members and graduates. Less than half of the demonstrators were Negro. UNIVERSITY STUDENT Stephen Holbrook, a University student who is public relations director of the NAACP, was one of the march organizers. Holbrook spent last summer working for Negro registration drives in Mis-sissippi. Mis-sissippi. He noted that Church First I LOCAL CHAPTER PRESIDENT In front of ,J the Federal Building on First South and State, i local chapter president, John Driver, answered some questions tossed to him by a reporter. 1 ' LE ABIT " "! 1 USE YDURillFLUEUckV j R FOR MORAL JIBTCtt A . - ! , V ! Counselor Hugh B. Brown did make a statement on Civil Rights in a Church General Conference, but that the Church "has not actively supported Civil Rights legislation in Utah." "The Church has been eager to speak against liquor legislation, legisla-tion, which it considers a moral issue," Holbrook said, "but has been hesitant regarding, the greater moral issue of civil rights." CONTROVERSY Other NAACP leaders made similar statements. Several heated discussions broke out between be-tween marchers and observers during the demonstration. Salt Lake City police were parked on the sidelines during the hour-long protest, but all violence was verbal. The marchers about 300 strong walked silently up the east side of State St. and west on South Temple, congregating under the imposing granite columns of the Church office building. Three young people, leading the line, carried a neatly-printed banner reading, "LDS Leaders, (NAACP continued on page 4) NAACP DEMONSTRATORS Demonstrators marched In front of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Administration Administra-tion Building located at 47 East South Temple Street. Ir- it ' ' j - i "i LJL. rit jii 1 V i i im.i,i milnii , fjL j , j UK LEADERS !h i:! j- MQm justice I I v (. .4 - -l. - Til A 1 n h 'V, ' '. : i t ' , ! i ? I - II It 1 x ' - - - - .v -iS!--i t - j . . N" 4 STUDENT MEMBER MARCHES University student NAACP member, Steve Holbrook, was among the ones wh organized the march. Mr. Holbrook was also among NAATP members who worked for Negro registration in Mississippi ' BEARING BANNER Bearing a banner which read "LDS Leaders Use Your Influence for Moral Justice," approximately approxi-mately 300 picketers marched from the Federal Building to the LDS Church Administration Building. Pictured above, the marchers are crossing First South going north on State Street. Demonstrators prayed at the Church offices' doorstep. .Marchers Pray At LDS Doorstep and thereby show forth in word and deed the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man." WENT SINGING The group moved silently, only softly singing "We Shall Overcome," Over-come," back to the federal building build-ing plaza. Later, marchers met at the YMCA to outline future action This evening at 4:30 they have tentatively planned an orgtt. j ized picket in front of the Church office building. At 8 p.m. today a mass meet, ing has been scheduled at Rev. j Palmer's church. ! NAACP leaders, however, ail i all future plans are dependent on actions of the LDS Church ; and the legislature. (Continued from page 1) use your influence for moral justice." There were no other signs. MEETING Wednesday, a committee from the NAACP reportedly met with high LDS officials in an effort to gain support for bills before the legislature. According to Holbrook, the Church officials agreed that Civil Rights is a moral issue. The NAACP at that time registered reg-istered particular objection to an amendment to the Fair Employment Employ-ment bill which would exclude business owned by a church. The amendment was introduced in the legislature by Gunn McKay, Republican from Huntsville. The church leaders denied any complicity with amendments to Civil Rights bills, Holbrook said. WERE HOPEFUL The NAACP committee reportedly report-edly left the meeting holding the "belief that a public statement state-ment would be forthcoming." When none did and after thurs-day's thurs-day's defeat of the Civil Rights Commission bill which Hol brook said was the most likely rights bill to pass NAACP leaders called Pres. Nathan E. Tanner of the LDS First Presidency. Presi-dency. They reported that he indicated indi-cated that the Church has chosen to "remain silent." In a speech during yesterday's solemn demonstration, John Driver, NAACP local president, said "to remain silent is the greatest sin." "It is our hope." he continued, contin-ued, "that the LDS Church will make its position unmistakably clear on this great moral struggle for civil rights, just as it made its position clear on the liquor bill just considered by the legislature." leg-islature." SILENT PRAYER After Driver's speech, the as sembly stood for several minutes of silent prayer. The only sound came from cars as they passed on South Temple. The new Kennecott Building, ZCMI department store, the cloud-white Hotel Utah and the Church office building towered somberly over the bowed heads of Negroes and whites. Shades were down on every window of the Church building but one, where three unidentified unidenti-fied faces looked down on the crowd. After the silent prayer, Rev. Palmer S. Ross, Minister of the Trinity A.M.E. Church, 241 E. 6th South, offered a verbal prayer. He prayed that "men of all faiths, all races and all stations in life will seek to do His will |