The Twin City star., 1914-03-20
SEGREGATION IS CHECKED.
Federal Employees In Washington Are
Treated Alike, Says Report.

Federal Employees In Washington Are
Treated Alike, Says Report.
Washington.-The second blow to
race segregation since the national
anti-segregation petition by colored cit
liens was presented to President VIII
son by delegation Of the National
Independent Political league last fall
is announced In q recent report,
which states that the last Of color
segregation in the departments Of the
government service in this city has
come to an end on an order issued by
Charles 8. Hamlin of Boston, the SEN
ior assistant secretary of the treas
ury. The segregation had. lowered
longest In the bureau Of engraving and
printing Of the treasury, where some
300 colored girls were during all Of
last summer ordered by Director Ralph
to desist using the common dining
room at the luncheon hour, but to use
instead a. small room containing the
lavatories assigned to colored people
The crowding was terrible, and there
were other obvious objections.
Mr.. Ralph refused to make a change,
however. and the former head of the
fiscal division. Assistant Secretary ].
8. Williams, virginian, did not make
use of his authority. being, in fact not
a little responsible for the indorse-
ment In the treasury department of
such segregation. Mr.. Hamlin has now
succeeded Mr.. Williams, and he has
eliminated the last of the segregation.
as reported. by ordering, now that the
bureau Of engraving and printing is to
occupy its new quarters, that all en-
ployees shall use the common dining
room there provided
The coIored people are very grateful
to Mr.. Hamlin. Recently prominent
colored citizens appeared in protest to
a committee in congress giving hear
ings on a bill purpOsing legal en-.
forcement Of segregation In general in
Washington. When the delegation of
the National Independent Political
league made the argument against seq
regation President Wilson promised an
Investigation. which he later made.
When John Shelton Williams was
made comptroller Of the treasury the
leagues secretary, w. Monroe Trotter,
asked Representative Peters Of Boston
to use his influence for the appoint
ment Of Mr. Hamlin to first assistant
treasurer, as the following letter to
Mr.. Trotter shows:
House Of Representatives. Washington,
Jan. %, 1914
Mr.. william Munroe Trotter, Cornhill,
Boston, Mass:
Dear Trotter-Your wire Is at hand.
wish to say that am urging on Mr.. Ham,
lin the appointment Of some one unpreju-
diced to take Mr.. Williams place. left va
cant in the treasury. Yours sincerely.
A. j. PETERS
On Feb. 10 Secretary Trotter tele-
graphed Representative Peters to see
Mr.. Hamlin as to undoing segregation.
In reply he wrote, Have you any re-
cent information which would show
that the relief which was. promised
your committee Is not being carried
out in the department here" In reply
Secretary Trotter wrote on the I'd of
March that the presidents promise had
not been carried out and urged action
Then came this reported action by AS
sistant Secretary Hamlin on March 6.
When the leagues delegation had its
hearing, being presented by Repre-
sentative Thacher Of Massachusetts.
the league did not cease its work. At
Christmas 1t issued a second appeal to
the president, which was presented to
him In person by Representative Peters
before the president went south. Again
on Jan. % the league had another pro-
test on a clear case of railway post
Office segregation fled with the presi-
dent by Representative Thacher. The
branch Of the National
Independent Political league is now
lighting case Of segregation in the
Boston navy yard.