July 2

President Johnson: "Let us close the springs of racial poison"

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The Civil Rights Bill - one of the most important piece of legislation in American history - has become law.

US President Lyndon B Johnson signed the bill creating equal rights in voting, education, public accommodations, union membership and in federally assisted programmes - regardless of race, colour, religion or national origin.

The bill has caused much controversy since it was introduced last year by President John F Kennedy.

It was signed tonight in the White House five hours after the House of Representatives passed it by 289 to 126 votes.

After the signing, President Johnson shook hands with civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King.

In a television address to the nation he called on US citizens to "eliminate the lastvestigesof injustice in America".

"Let us close the springs of racial poison," he said.

'Monstrous oppression'

Parts of the bill take immediate effect, including the "public accommodations" element which means black people can no longer be excluded from restaurants, hotels, bars, cinemas, sports stadia and other public facilities.

Sections on voting rights and desegregation of schools are also enforceable from now and give the Attorney General more power to intervene where necessary.

The section on equal opportunity in employment will not begin to operate for another year and will not be fully effective for five years.

During the debate on the bill, segregationist politicians from America's deep south expressed their disappointment and anger.

Congressman Howard Smith of Virginia called it a "monstrous oppression of the people".

Civil rights activists have welcomed the new law. Roy Wilkins, secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People described it as "the Magna Carta of human rights".

He applauded the appointment of former governor of Florida Leroy Collins as director of the new Community Relations Service, set up to deal with issues arising from the desegregation of public facilities and institutions.

The Civil Rights Commission has announced a campaign to implement the law.

And Dr King said he would be seeking commitments from businesses and community leaders all over the south to respect the new law under a campaign called Operation Dialogue.

Brady and Hindley are serving life sentences for the murders

In 1966 Brady and his accomplice Myra Hindley were given life sentences for the murders of Lesley Ann Downey, John Kilbride and Edward Evans, but police kept files open on two other missing children, Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett.

When news of the body found at Saddleworth yesterday reached Brady at Park Lane Mental Hospital in Liverpool he told his solicitor that he was prepared to return to the Manchester moors.

Police were directed to the shallow grave at Hollin Brow Knoll by Hindley.

She began to co-operate with the police in November 1986 after she received a letter from the mother of Keith Bennett who disappeared in 1964.

Hindley had also been visited twice by the head of Manchester CID, Peter Topping, in Cookham Wood prison, Kent.

Under heavy police guard she returned to the moor twice last autumn as Detective Chief Superintendent Topping and his squad of eight officers had sealed off the area for further investigation.

On her second visit in February Hindley confessed that she and Brady had committed two other murders.

Pathologists cannot confirm the identity of the body recovered yesterday but there is a strong possibility that it is that of 16-year-old Pauline Reade, missing since the 1960s.

The remains were well preserved in peat and were unearthed close to where Moors murder victim, Lesley Ann Downey, was found 23 years ago.

Police visited the house of Pauline Reade's parents in Oldham late last night.

"We want to bring some peace to parents who have waited so long," said Det Chief Supt Topping.

Brady's assistance might finally bring that wait to an end.

vestige : a visible trace, evidence, or sign of something that once existed but exists or appears no more（遺跡；痕跡）