University of Virginia Library

Retain Potter

I read with interest the article in
Friday's paper concerning the demand
by the SDS and others that
Mr. William Potter resign from the
Board of Visitors.

It seems that perspective has
been lost somewhere along the line.
The SDS and others condemn Mr.
Potter for his silent approval of
"the occupation of Wilmington's
black community by a white
army." Yes, it is true that as a
prominent member of the DuPont
Corporation in Delaware he might
have been able to exert his
influence to end the "military and
political repression." However, let
us be pragmatic and realistic about
this situation. Regardless of the
influence of the DuPont Corporation
in Delaware, it does not
influence the conduct of the
individual black.

The authors of the statement
demanding Mr. Potter's resignation
have stressed the idea that there
was a harsh military occupation of
Wilmington and a repression of
individual rights. This theory is
untrue on two counts.

1. There was no military occupation
as such and such a harsh
context as put forth by the
former authors is false. True, the
National Guard were present in
Wilmington, but these authors
fail to mention that it was a
relatively small force and that its
main function was not to
enforce military rule but to
merely be ready to reinforce the
police in the event of civil
disorder. Except for a number
of jeeps patrolling the street at
nights, the National Guard was
fairly inconspicuous. There certainly
wasn't an armed occupation
of the city as suggested by
those of the SDS and their
associates.

2. The authors who demand Mr.
Potter's resignation have overlooked
a very important fact.
Until two years ago there was a
great deal of violence in the
Wilmington slums. There still is,
but while the National Guard
was there in token force, the
situation was greatly mitigated.
There has been a definite disregard
of the fact that the violence
in Wilmington prior to the
"occupation" of the guard was
extreme. Why don't the formerly
mentioned authors cite the
fact that the Negroes wrecked a
great part of their own section
of the city and parts of the
Italian and other lower middle
class sections as well.

I don't believe that "military
occupation" of a city is good in
itself, but I do believe that it is
necessary to obtain order before
any social programs can be executed.
It might be noted that
Governor Terry who had initiated
these measures has not been reelected.
Subsequently the new
Governor, Governor Peterson, has
removed the National Guard. Since
then the redevelopment programs
begun by Governor Terry have had
to be suspended as a result of new,
and more vicious, outbreaks of
violence. The inference is obvious.

It seems, therefore, that the SDS
and others who composed this
document have made a mistake.
They have asked for the resignation
of the wrong man (of course there
is no one else, is there?) because
this gentleman has no control over
the black community or the violence
they are capable of committing.
Also they have failed to
recognize the fact that the violence
was widespread and an attainment
of order was necessary for the
beginning and continuation of productive
social programs.

These men, the authors I have
mentioned, have stated that they
have done a great deal of research
on this topic but they have failed to
make an in depth on-the-scene
report. I feel I am somewhat better
acquainted with the situation in
that I worked in the Negro section
of the city for 3 consecutive
summers. Furthermore, my information,
may be slightly more
reliable in that my father, Mr.
Benjamin F. Shaw II was the
former police commissioner for the
State of Delaware, and is currently
involved with the present political
administration in Delaware.

In short, the demand that Mr.
Potter resign is fallacious.