The monitor., 1928-09-28
sEeREGATI0N RIFE
IN DEPARTMENTS
AT WASHINGTON
Pernicious Practices Begun Under
President Taft Continued and
Augmented Under Other
Administrations.
REPUBLICANS ARE BLAMEABLE
Presidential Executive Order All
Necessary for Abolition of
Segregation in De-
partments

Washington, d. C.-There is more
segregation in Washington, today,
under President Coolidge, than there
has ever been since the Civil War.
The beginnings of the segregation
were under President Taft. 1t was
greatly extended under President
Wilson; increased, still further, un-
der President Harding; and reached
its zenith under President Coolidge.
For instance, the largest of our
parks President Wilson never trou-
| bled, but the present administration
has found time and desire to intro
duce it even there
To many people, segregation is a
democratic scheme of insult, but such
lis not the case. President Taft in
Itroduced it in the bureau of engrav-
ling. He segregated the census TAX
lers in this city in 1910, restricting
! white workers to white people, and
black to black, often duplicating work
as most blocks had white and black
residents. And, worst of all, he an
lnounced in his official capacity that
Negroes should not hold office where
white people complained. Segrega-
ton, then, is republican institution
and not democratic one. 1t was be-
gun by republicans, and carried on to
its all-embrasing extent by republi
cans.
There is far more of it in the de-
partments, today, than at any time
since the Negro first appeared, close
upon the close of the Civil War. The
picture requirement in the civil serv-
ice, which makes it next to impos-
sible for a colored lady or gentleman
to enter the civil service, since their
color is disclosed in their photo
graph, which must accompany their
papers, is tenaciously held on to by
our republican president. S m e
months ago, colored girl appeared
after having passed the best examin-
alton, and after having been tele-
graphed for by the department. The
photograph had failed to tell her
true color, and they flatly refused to
appoint her when she appeared and
they saw her complexion. Commis-
sioner Blair of the internal revenue
bureau with thousands of clerks will
not appoint Negro clerk, and his
word is law there, as he is the spe-
cial favorite of Secretary Mellon and
President Coolidge. He halls from
North Carolina, the home of the
other favorites and leader of the seq
regation forces, the superintendent
of buildings and grounds. 1t is no
use to complain to either of these
southern gentlemen.
The colored people here who know
the President could destry segre-
gatin in the departments of the
government, and the photograph re-
quirements in the civil service, by
the mere nod of his head, are at
loss to understand why he does not
put his splendid declarations on
democracy into operation here, where
| it would not even cost him a single
vote, and where he has full power
and absolutely no opposition. They
wonder if he is not firm believer
in segregation, especially since seq
regation is one of the chief tenets of
the Ku Klux Klan which has found
its welcome home" here and in the
republican party, and receives no
condemnation from the republican
president.