The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1913-11-21
LIGHT TURNED
ON SEGREGATION
ShreWd Agent Secures Facts
From White Guides.
FINDS UGLY SITUATION.

Investigation For National Association
For the Advancement Of coIored Pso.
pie Shows That Segregation 10 In
Full Sway In the Government Serv-
loo In Washington. r-.
New York. - The National Associa-
tion For the Advancement Of Colored
People. incorporated in 1911. with
headquarters in New York. has receiv-
ed so many complaints and inquiries
in regard to the alleged segregation of
colored employees in government de-
partments in Washington that 1t sent
a trained Investigator, M. G. Nerney,
to Washington to ascertain the facts.
The associa tion comprises both white
and colored people. Its object is to
secure for colored men and women full
enjoyment of their rights as citizens.
justice In all courts and equality of
opportunity everywhere.
1t has twenty branches, ranging
from Boston to Washington and from
New York to San Francisco and Taco
ma. 1t publishes each month as its
official organ the Crisis Magazine.
which has circulation of $4,000.
Among its officers and directors are
Jane Addams, Miss Lillian D. Wald.
DR.. j. e. Spingarn and DR.. John
Haynes Holmes. The chairman Of its
board Of directors is Oswald Garrison
Willard Of New York. Its president is
Moorfield Storey Of Boston. DR.. w. e.
B. Du Bois is editor of It's magazine.
The following report of the recent in.
vestigation was issued by the associa-
ton Monday. Nov. II: ---p
Only those departments were visited
where segregation was said to be in
creasing. In the miscellaneous and ex-
amining division Of the bureau Of en-
craving and printing workers have
been paired according to race. White
guides In this department told the in
vestigator that 1t was to be the future
policy Of the bureau to segregate all
its colored employees. but that this
could not be strictly enforced until the
bureau moved into its new building.
In the dead letter Office of the post
Office department colored employees
have been segregated back of a row Of
lockers In corner Of the room. In
fact. In this department segregation
practically amounts to elimination, for
OF the seven cOlored men classified as
clerks the Investigator learned on cred
tble authority that six were recently
Included In an order transferring six
ty clerks, so that there will be only
one colored clerk left among the thou
sands Of white clerks employed in this
department.
In the treasury building colored
clerks have not yet been segregated,
but It seems to be understood that as
many as possible are to be segregated
In the registry division. A southerner
In charge Of one Of the Offices in the
treasury building remarked that they
wanted to inaugurate segregation ev-
erywhere in the treasury department.
but were handicapped because they did
not know how to go about it. II being
most difficult to determine upon the
best method.
In the Office Of the auditor for the
postoffice segregation seems to have
been most skillfully worked out. Mr..
Kram, the head Of this department.
said he never would lose an opportuni-
ty to introduce 1t. In one room color.
ed men operate what Is known as the
gang punch" and In another room the
force working at the asserting ma
chimes is entirely colored." White op.
eratives doing the same work occupy
separate rooms.
In one alcove where the investigator
visited there were nine colored women
working on the key punch" The light
and ventilation were poor. These wo-
men had been moved several times.
but originally had been in rooms with
white clerks. where they had good
light and afr.
That the basis Of the whole segrega-
ton idea is caste and not race was in-
dicated by the fact that both the su-
perintendent of the postoffice building
and the clerk who acted as guide In the
treasury department repeatedly called
attention to the absence Of segrega-
uon in the cleaning forces. emphasiz.
ing the fairness with which the color
ed help Is treated.
Again, cOntrasted with the 'Jim-
growing of colored clerks In the post
Office department Is the apparent lack
Of opposition to the employment Of
colorcd messengers or laborers In this
department and even Of colored clerks
drawing clerical pay provided they do
A reliable authority informed the In