Little Rock's Finest

Two hundred strong, the mob marched westward with its massed flags along Little Rock's 14th Street toward Central High School, shouting, cursing, and singing to the tune of Dixie: "In Arkansas, in the state of cotton/ Federal courts are good and rotten." At the intersection of 14th and Schiller Avenue the marchers came hard up against a thin line of Little Rock policemen. Four men of the mob rushed the line, trying to break through --and at that moment the clock seemed about to turn back two years to the race riots, incited by Arkansas' Governor Orval Faubus, that brought federal troops into Little Rock and led to the city's high schools being closed for a year. But last week's result was different, thanks to a tough cop named Eugene Smith, who was backed by a citizenry that had learned its bitter lesson.

Standing Ready. School opening in Little Rock came 19 days ahead of schedule; it had been moved up by the recently elected anti-Faubus school board in a surprise action aimed at forestalling any Faubus troublemaking. But Faubus still had a couple of stunts up his sleeve. He called two members of the city government's board, blandly proposed that they write him a letter requesting state police to help preserve peace on school-opening day. The gimmick: Faubus could use the letter as evidence of an "emergency," lock the schools under his gubernatorial police powers. But Little Rock's city fathers knew better than write Faubus anything, calmly put their faith in Police Chief Gene Smith, a hulking (6 ft. 2 1/2 in., 213 Ibs.), steel-eyed man whose uniform is a grey business suit and a white straw hat.

It was up to Smith to keep the peace in Little Rock, and Orval Faubus could only stand ready to cash in on failure. If rioters could break through Smith's police line, Faubus could again declare an emergency. Already on his desk as the schools opened were orders calling out state police and instructing the National Guard to lock the schools.

On opening day the mob gathered outside the State Capitol. Faubus was on hand to greet it. Smoothly covering himself against a charge of inciting riot, he poured his spleen on Gene Smith and Little Rock's cops. "I see no reason for you to be beaten over the head today, or to be jailed," said Faubus. "That should be faced only as a last resort, and when there is much to be gained." Having nonetheless whipped the crowd to a rage, Faubus went back to his office--and the mob started down 14th Street.

Cracking Sharply. Carried by the marchers were five American flags, one Arkansas banner--and placards proclaiming, RACE MIXING IS COMMUNISM and FOLLOW FAUBUS FOR FREEDOM. Police cars trailed along, radioed Chief Smith that the trouble would come at 14th and Schiller. Smith and his cops were waiting. As the marchers came close, Smith yelled through his electronic "bull-voice" megaphone: "We're not going to stand for any foolishness."

Nor did he. The four racist ringleaders who charged the line amid cries of "Get Smith," "Nigger lover," and "Coward," found themselves expertly hauled off and dumped into squad cars. The thin line held firm against the growing mob (peak: 350). Other cops worked out along the fringes to spread out the mass, shove rioters into paddy wagons (total take: 24), crack down sharply with night sticks. Smith radioed for reinforcements, built up his force to 40. He ordered a fire department pumper truck to turn two hoses on the crowd, but only at part pressure. When ringleaders hid behind their flags, Smith ordered his men to seize the flags, formally fold them into proper triangles. Then the hoses went on again. In less than half an hour, without touching their guns, Gene Smith's men broke up the mob, sent it away wetter if not wiser.

At 1 o'clock, an hour after the mob's shouting died away, Jefferson Thomas, 16, and Elizabeth Eckford, 17, walked side by side into Central High School. Already at their desks in Little Rock's Hall High School were three other Negro children. Little Rock was quiet.

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