Arkansas. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States. Pres. Eisenhower good evening, my fellow citizens. This evening,tes i should like to speak to you about the serious situation that has arisen in little rock. Make this talk, i have come to the president s office in the white house. I could have spoken from rhode island, where i have been staying recently. Speaking fromt in the house of lincoln, objection, and of wilson. My words were better conveyed both the sadness i feel and the actions i was compelled today to the firmness with which i intend to pursue this until the orders of the federal court of little rock can be executed without unlawful interference. In that city, under the leadership of extremists, disorderly mobs deliberately defended carrying out proper orders on a federal court. Local authorities have not eliminated that violent opposition. Law, i issued a proclamation yesterday, calling upon the mob to disperse. Morning, the mob again gathered in front of the Central High School of little rock. Obviously for the purpose of the carryinging out of the orders relating to the admission of negro children to that school. Whatever normal agencies prove inadequate to the task, and it becomes necessary for the executive branch of the federal government to use its powers and authority to uphold federal court. The president s responsibility is inescapable. In accordance with that responsibility, i have today issued an executive order, directing the use of troops under federal authority to aid in the execution of federal law at little rock, arkansas. This became necessary when my proclamation was not observed. The obstructions of justice still continues. It is important that the regions my actions reasons be for my actions be understood by all of our citizens. As you know, the Supreme Court of the United States has decided that separate Public Education races are for the inherently unequal. Therefore, Compulsory School segregation laws are unconstitutional. Our personal opinions about the decision have no bearing on the matter of enforcement. Ofponsibility and authority the Supreme Court to interpret the constitution are very clear. Local federal courts were instructed by the Supreme Court to issue such orders and decrees as might be necessary to achieve admission to Public Schools without the guard regard to race, and with all deliberate speed. During the past several years, many communities in our Southern States have instituted Public School plans for graduate progress in the enrollment and attendance of School Children of all ages in order to bring themselves into compliance with the law of the land. Thus they demonstrated to the world that we are a nation in which law, not men, are supreme. I regret to say that this crew, the corner stone of our liberties was not observed in this instance. It was my hope that this localized situation would be brought under control by the present state authorities. If the use of local police our power had been sufficient, our traditional method of leading the problem in those hands leaving the problem and those hands would have been pursued. But when large gatherings of obstructionist made it impossible for the decrees of the court to be carried out, nationallaw and the interests demanded that the president take action. Here is the sequence of events in the developments of the Little Rock School case. 1955, the Little Rock School board approved a moderate plan for the gradual desegregation of the Public Schools in that city. If provided that a start toward integration would be made at the present term in the high school, and the plan would be in full operation by 1963. Here, i might say that in a number of communities, in arkansas, integration in the schools has already started. There has not been violence of any kind. This little rock plan was challenged in the courts by some who believe that the amount of time as proposed in the plan was too long. The United States court of little rock, which has supervisory responsibility under the law for the plan of the segregation in Public Schools dismissed the challenge, thus approving a gradual rather than an abrupt change from the existing system. The court found that the School Boards had acted in good faith in planning for a Public School system free from racial discrimination. Hase that time, the court on three separate occasions issued orders directly that the plans be carried out. All persons were instructed to of the from interference compliance of the law. Probable proper and sensible observance of the law involved n obedience that all americans expect from the slot. This is fortunate unfortunately not been the case. Certain misguided persons, many of them imported into little rock by agitators, have insisted upon defying the law and not to bring it into disrepute. The orders of the court have thus been frustrated. The very basis of our individual rights and freedoms rests upon the certainty that the president and the executive branch of government will support and ensure that carrying out of the decisions of the federal court, even when necessary with all of the means that the president s command. So,ss the president did anarchy would result. There would be no security for any, except that with each one of us could provide for himself. The interests of the nation and the proper for the moment fulfillment of the laws requirement were met with opposition and demonstrations by some few persons. Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our courts. Let me make it very clear. Federal troops are not being used to relieve local and state authorities of their primary duties to preserve the peace and order of the community. Nor are the troops there for the purpose of taking over the responsibility of the school board and other responsible local officials in running Central High Schools. The running of a high School System and the maintenance of peace and order needs of our state are strictly local affairs, and the federal government does not interfere. Not except in very special occasions, and when requested by some of the several states. In the present case, troops are there, pursuing the law, solely for the purpose of preventing interference with the orders of the court. Powers of use of the the executive branch to enforce the orders of a federal court is limited to extraordinary and compelling circumstances. Manifestly, such an extreme situation has been created in little rock. This challenge must be met, and with such measures as will reserve to the people as a whole, there lawfully protected lawfully there protected rights. The overwhelming majority of our people in every section of the country are united in their respect for observance of the law. Even in those cases where they may disagree with that law. They deplore the call of extremists to violence. The decision of the Supreme Court concerning school integration, of course affects the south more seriously than it does other sections of the country. In that region, i have many warm friends, some of whom in the city of little rock, i have deemed it a great personal privilege to send in our tours of duty in military service, and periodse recreational since that time. So from intimate, personal knowledge, i know that the overwhelming majority of the people in the south, including those of arkansas and little rock, our goodwill. United in their efforts to preserve and respect the law, even when they disagree with it. They do not sympathize with mob rule. They, like the rest of our nation, have proven into great wars their readiness to sacrifice for america. And the foundation of the american way of life is our national respect for law. As elsewhere. Citizens are keenly aware of the tremendous disservice that has been done to the people of arkansas in the eyes of the nation, and that has been done to the nation in the eyes of the world. A deskme when we face rate situations abroad because of that hatred that communism bears toward a system of government waste on human rights, it will be difficult to exaggerate the harm that is being done to the prestige and influence, and indeed to the safety of our nation and the world. Our enemies are gloating over this incident, and using it everywhere to misrepresent our own nation. Violatorrtrayed as a of those standards of conduct, and its the peoples of the world united, to proclaim in the charter of the united nations. There they have firm faith in fundamental human rights, and in the dignity of work of the human person. And they did so without race, sex, of language, or religion. Deep confidence, i call upon the citizens of the state of arkansas to assist in bringing to an immediate and all interference with the law and its processes. If resistance to the federal court order ceases at once, the president the presence of federal troops will be unnecessary, and the city of little rock will return to its normal habit of peace and order. Blot upon the honor of our nation and the world will be removed. Thus will be restored image of america and all of its parts as , indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good night, and thank you very much. This has been a special address by the president of the United States, dwight e eisenhower. Thissent Program Special program has come to you from the president s office in the white house in washington dc. Monday, on the communicators, comcast senior expected of rice david cohen talks about , competition,ion and sec regulations. Mr. Cohen is interviewed by Senior Editor tony ron. Take on theour Trump Administration and competition. I feel compelled to say this, and Brian Roberts pointed this out at the Goldman Sachs conference last week. We love our company. Post at t acquisition and Nbc Universal acquisition, we view ourselves as essentially weategically complete, so are not out there saying oh my god, we have to find Something Else to buy. I just want to make that clear. On the other hand, we have never viewed ourselves as being foreclosed in the acquisition marketplace, either domestically or internationally, it has to be the right feel, it has to be something that we think enhances the quality of the company, enhances returns to ofreholders, has one hand shareholder value as a result of that, and i think there is no secret that overall, this president and this administration is likely less hostile to horizontal growth, or even vertical growth in the Telecom Space and elsewhere. Watch the communicators, on communicators, on cspan two. Each week American History tv , brings you Public Affairs films from the 20th century. Nine from little rock is a u. S. Information agency film narrated by jefferson thomas, one of the nine africanamerican 1957, enrolledn in little rock, arkansas allwh