The Omaha guide., 1934-06-23
VALLEY
TO EN-
PLOY NEGROES AND
WHITES ON AN EQUAL
BASIS w.
Continued From Page One)

In calling the attention of Senator
Norris to "injustices and unfair deal
ing al the expense of Disadvantage
and underprivileged peoples" DR..
Scott wrote und1r date Of April Il,
1884: 81 very oluch hope it may De
possible for you to make inquiry on
your own responsibility as to the
tru6hfulness Of the Statements n
tanned IN THIS report, and that you
will be willing to rel your great
influence in righting this wrong, if
wrong it is found to b."
In response TO this request, John p.
Robinson Secretary TO Senator Nor
ris, wrote April ID: Il am sony l.
is IMPOSSIBLE for the Senator to
wri5I you personally at this time, but
1 am sure you will appreciate the ex-
tremely heavy demands which are
constantly d Ang made upon him in
c-onzecton with pending legislation. |
shall bring your letter for several
weeks on May "a Dr. Scott wrote to
Mr.. Robinson. tha Senator's secre-
tary, AS follows: Il appreciate the
fact Senator Norris is one of the
hardest worked men in Congress.
What is mouI important to me, how
ever, AS l think of the Senator, is
the responsiveness he HAS ALWAYS
Shown when matters come up which
indicate how unfortunate groups Of
persons are being exploited 1t was
for that reason l called a recent in
stance Of such exploitation to his at
tention.
II am writing now to ask if, in
your opinion, Senator Norris will be
able to make inquiries r~1garding this
situation. l am Sure it will be de-
finitely ameliorated if he can SEE his
way clear to devote a moment to its
consideration"
To this second APPEAL, Mr. Robin
son, unda- date of June IL. wrote to
DR.. Scott, saying: Il am enclosing,
herewith, for your information, a
COPY Of a memorandum l have just
rsceived from the Tennessee Valley
Authority, with reference to its policy
pertaining to Negro Labor"
Employment Policy of Tennessee
Valley Authority
ct is the policy of the Tennessee
Valley Authority to employ Negroes
and Whites on an equal basis, the
proportion to be employed to be the
same as the proportion of Negroes to
Whites in the locality in which the
work is being done
"At Norris the percentage OF Ne
groes to Whites employed as of April
80 was slightly in excess of the per-
centage of Negroes to Whites in the
popuIation. However, this percentage
varies from time to time depending
upon the work available
~Only the first unit Of the Town OF
Norris is being developed. No pro
vision has been made for housing
Negroes in the town, mainly for two
reasons: first, it has been POS-
SIRLE to secure a sufficient supply
of Negroes from those living In the
locality: second, because of the Con-
titutional provision in Tennessee that
Negross and White children shall at
tend separate schools, it has seemed
inadvisable from an economic point
of view to maks provision for Negro
* in SO small a town as Norris Is at
present
cat Wheeler Dam where the per
centage Of Negroes to Whites IS
greater and therefore the number TO
he employed proportionately greater
urovision has been made for housing
Negroes IN this locality It has not
been necessary to SET up a separate
school for the Negroes or Whites the
educational features being taken care
af bv the schools in the locality Ar
engagements for an adult educational
and r-ecreational program for both
the Negroes and Whites in this local
ity are now being made
ct has been found that very lew
Negroes took the Form 10 examina-
ton in the Wheeler area, largely
through a misunderstanding. Word
got out in some way, or so It IS re-
ported 70 US, that the examination
was only for white people. For this
reason the examination requirements
for the employment Of Negroes IN the
Wheeler area was waived"