The Omaha guide., 1935-07-06
Roosevelt Halls n. A.
c. p. "Has Rendered
Important Service

st. Louis, July GA message of
greeting from President Franklin
u. Roosevelt was read at the opening
session of the t~wenty-sixth annual
conference here Tuesday evening,
June rs, in which he hailed its Sim
p%ortant service in focusing attention
on the needs and problems of the Ne
gro race" The complete message
follows:
"The White House,
Washington
ITO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIA-
TION FOR THE ADVANCE
MENT OF COLORED PEOPLE:
II wish to take this opportunity
to extend greetings to the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People and through it to all
those throughout the country who
are working in the interest of our
Negro citizens. The kind of volun-
tary activity in which this organiza-
ton is engaged has helped to devel-
op a channel for the free d. cussion
Of important issues and problems,
and to increase public enlightment.
"The National Association for the
Advancement Of Colored People has
rendered an important service in
focusing attention on the needs and
problems Of the Negro race"
Franklin d. Roosevelt
Ickes Says PWA Is Fighting
Discrimination.
A lengthy message of greeting
from Secretary of the Interior Har-
old L, Ickes was read to the Confer
ence in which the director Of the Pub
lie Works Administration told of the
steps taken by him to halt discrim-
nation against Negro workers on
public works projects. Reviewing
the two years of operation of the
PWA, he declared that "there has
never been a question Of discrimina-
ton against any project submitted by
Or for the benefit of Negroes" but
admitted that with regard to en-
ployment, our problem has been more
difficult" He then told Of his order
Of September Fl, 1888, against en-
ployment discrimination based on
color or creed, but adding that at
soon became apparent that we had
not accomplished our purpose" In
conclusion his message related the
steps taken by his administration to
insure fair employment ratio for
Negro skilled labor On the fleetwood
development in Atlanta and the Ced-
ar Central Housing project in Cleve-
land, Ohio, through non-discrimina-
tory clauses in building contracts.
eve believe these contracts will
point the way to doing away with
discrimination against Negro labor,
and the results so far warrant this
belief" he said. | assure you, how
ever, that if such does not prove to
be the case, we shall try other meth
DDS to accomplish a result that
closely engages our interest"
Wagner and Costigan Greet
Conference.
Greetings were also read to the
assembled delegates from Senators
Robert F. Wagner and Edward P.
Costigan, authors Of the Costigan-
Wagner federal anti-lynching Bill.
Senator Wagner declared that "the
majority Of members of Congress are
determined to continue the campaign
for the passage of federal anti
lynching legislation until that end is
attained" Senator CO s-tigan ex-
pressed the hope that "your next con-
venton will record the proven quick
ened conscience and sense of justice
OF America at least through the en-
actment by Congress of the long
pending proposed federal anti-lynch-
ing legislation" Both senator's were
prevented from attending the Con-
frence by pressure of public business
in Washington.
Absent Officers Hail Associations
Success.
Miss Mary White Ovington, direc-
tor, treasurer and one of the Asscia-
tons founders, wrote: 81 am sure
that the conference will be a great
success. The need for work in the
of the American Negro was
never greater, but I believe that the
indifference to his fate, against
which we have had continually to
fight, is not as great now as it was.
To overcome indifference, in both
races, has been our task for twenty
five years. We have all done some
thing and you and your co-workers
will do much more"
DR.. Louis T. Wright, Chairman of
the N. A. A. G. P. Board of Direct
ers, who was prevented from attend
ing the conference by his duties as
police surgeon in New York, x
pressed gratitude "to the branches,
the executive staff, the national of
ficers and the Board Of Directors,
for the many sacrifices in time,
money and in physical effort. which