The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1938-08-26
White Labor Paid Much More
That Negro for Same Work;
Only COlored Foreman on iva
Fired Sans Explanation

Knoxville, Tenn, aug 10 -
White cement finiShers and flag
men receive from so to So more
per hour for their work, under
the Tennessee Valley Authority
than colored men doing the same
work. it was disclosed here this
week, when Charles III. Houston
testified before h e Joint Con-
gressional Committee investi-
eating the iva, on discrimina-
ton practiced against Negro
workers on IVA.
According to information
gathered by Mr.. Houston and
Thurgood Marshall, both of the
N.A.A.C.P. illegal representa-
tiveS) which has delvcd into the
discriminatory tatics plslcticed
under IVA sine 1898, colored
cement finisherS at the Chicka-
mauga dam site, about inc
miles from Chattanooga, Tenn,
receive seventy-tive cents per
hour while white workers in
this category receive $l.25 per
hour
According to a report furnish
cd the committee by Houston
and Marshall, not only do color
ed ilagmen receive = .62.j per
hour against $l.l0 for white
workers doing the same work,
but they are classified as signal
men. A tiagman, according to
the report, has the exacting job
of guiding huge cranes carrying
cement so that. the cement IL
dumped into the proper place
without touching the intricate
maze of wires, cables, and pipes
near the dam foundation.
The only colored foreman on
the entire iva, who worked at
Chlckamauga dam site, has
been fired, it was revealed with
out any specific charges leveled
against him, and despite the fact
that ne has long been engaged
in this type of work in and
around Chattanooga, Tenn, and
where he directed white and
colored workers in building big
municipal highway tunral for
the city Of Chattanooga.
Signed statements from
score of workers telling how
they had been beaten, and other
wise inundated by construc-
ton foremen, working under the
iva, when it was found that
labor unions were recruiting
them, were contained in the re-
ports Of the N.A.A.C.P. men.
Houston testified before the
committee August 18 and 10. SO
giaring were the N.A.A.C.P.
charges that the committee or
dered Personnel Director Cor
don X. Clapp, to prepare report
on the Complaints.
The basic grievances of Negro
workers as outlined by the NJ
A.A.C.P. lawyers were:
After five years of operation
iva has evolved no migrated
policy for dealing with questions
affecting Negro workers; iva
regards Negro workers primarily
as labor commodity rather
than as citizens; iva has in
troduced new patterns of Sc
greRation hitherto unknown i'm
the Tennessee Valley, and has
increased segregation beyond
the usual sectional pattern; at
Chickamauga Dam IVA has
tolerated abuse and mistreat-
mint Of Negro workers. and
some iva officials have been
guilty Of coercion against Negro
workers to keep them from Join
ing labor organizations; IVA
policies have resulted in closing
the doors of opportunity to the
Negro workers both for employ
ment in skilled crafts, and for
general enjoyment of the bene-
fits which TVA is bringing to the
Tennessee Valley, and this de
spite the public statebent of DR.
uthur f. Morgan debosed head
,of ,TXA,iI and lG6tdJn'R. Clamp,
To- the gontratg.J OH
Negroes are not Permitted TO
live in the g6Vefhhent built
lCnnIlnmnd ON In 20 nrn...A