The Denver star., 1913-11-22
LIGHT TURNED
ON SEGREGATION
ShTewd Agent Secures Facts
From White Guides.
FINDS UGLY SITUATION.

/
| For the Advancement of coIored Peo-
pie Shows That Segregation Is In
Full Sway In the Government Serv-
| ice In Washington.
New York. - The National Associa-
ton 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 it sent
trained investigator, NJ. C. Nerney,
to Washington to ascertain the facts.
The association 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.
Among its officers and directors are
Jane Adams. Miss Lillian ID. Wald.
DR. j. +. Spingzrn and DIR. John
Haynes Holmes. The chairman OF its
board of directors IS Oswald Garrison
Willard of New York. Its president is
Moorfield Storey of Boston. DIR. w. f.
B. Du Bois is editor of its magazine.
The following report of the recent in
vestigation was issued by the associa-
ton Monday. Nov. Il:
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 II 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 row of
lockers in n corner OF the room. In
fact. In this department segregation
| practically amounts 10 elimination. for
of the seven colored men classified as
clerks the investigator learned on cred
ible authority that six were recently
included in an order transferring six
~ 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 Ii 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 We're handicapped because they did
not know how to 90 about it. 1t being
most difficult TO determine upon the
best method
In the office of the auditor for the
postotlice segregation seems to have
been most skillfully worked out Mr
kram, the head of this department.
said he never would lose an opportuni-
ty 10 introduce 1t. In one room color
gang punch" and in another room the
force working ut 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 We're nine colored women
working on the key punch" The light
and ventilation We're poor. These wo-
men had been moved several times
but originally had been in rooms with
white clerks, where they had good
light and air
That the basis of the whole Segrega-
tion idea is caste and not race was In
dicated by the fact that both the su
perintendent of the postofiice building
| and the clerk who acted as guide in the
treasury department repeatedly called
attention TO the absence of segyega-
t!on 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
colored messengers or laborers in this
department and even of coored clerks
drawing clerical pay provided they do
the work of messengers or laborers.
A reliable authority Informed the in
vestigator that there are now six col
ored men on the clerical roll who do
messenger service.
The effect of segregation is startling,
Competition has been eliminated. Those
segregated are regarded almost as lep-
crs and get what no one else wants,
For example. in the bureau of engrav-
Ing and printing the lunch room assign
p1 tp tho .plArsI iS fnS Mt