The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-02-15
Governor Bricker
To Get Report On
Negro Job Problem,
Summary of All-DdY Con-
ference In California To
Be Given OHiciul
(By Ohio Labor News Service)

Columbus, O.-Employment prob
lens of the Negro in Ohio were dis
cussed from various angles in an all
day conference in Columbus last
"Wednesday and Findings Committee
of the conference is expected to sum-
marize the discussions and make a re-
port to Governor John w. Bricker
within the next few weeks.
The conference was one of series
of regional meetings arranged by
Lieutenant Lawrence A. Oxley, super
Visor Of Negro Placement under the
National Social Security Board. 1t
was called by Governor Bricker as the
chief sponsor in cooperation with lead
ing industrialists and civic and edu-
cational groups. Nearly 200 were
registered for the conference, includ-
ing representatives of Organized La
Dor in the larger industrial centers.
Explaining the purpose of the con-
ference, Lieutenant Oxley pointed out
the large increase in Negro population
in the industrial centers like Detroit
and Chicago. More than 1900 Negroes
are pouring into Cook County every
month he said, and Ohio cities indi-
cate on increase in Negro population
four or five times as great as the nor
NAL population increase.
Negroes are being replaced in hotel
and restaurant jobs in the South by
other help, he said, SO that they not
only have the problem of finding jobs
but holding the type Of jobs which
they have been accustomed to hold in
the past. The Negro employment
problem he said is particularly acute
in Cincinnati and Cleveland and calls
for thought and action.
H. C. Atkinson, Ohio Administrator
|of Unemployment Compensation, who
presided as chairman Of the opening
session, stated that new problems for
the Negro were being created by new
social security laws which forced en-
ployers to readjust methods of en-
ployment, resulting in selection of the
most competent and forcing the mar
|ginal worker into unemployment.
Wade Hammond, acting director of
the Ohio Employment Service, said
the figures in the Department files
show the number Of Negro registrants
for employment is three to four times
as great as the percentage of Negroes
to the total population of the State
Negroes constitute approximately 19
per cent of the total job seekers reg
istered with the Employment Service,
he stated. In referring persons for
POSITIONS he said the employment SER
vice tried to accommodate the employ
|er and referred the person for a job
whose qualifications best fitted the en-
ployer's request. "The final selection"
he said "rests with the employer in
every instance"
Papers were presented by DR.. Jo-
seph S. Hines, Jr., Columbus, Colum-
bus Urban League, on "The Ohio Ne
gro Occupational Picture" with discus
sion by William T. Roberts, Labor
Representative on the Board of Re-
view of the Bureau of Unemployment
Compensation.
DR.. Harvey Walker, Director of
School of Administration of Ohio
State University, spoke on "The So
cial Implications of Prolonged Unem-
ployment."
In panel discussion at the after
noon session presided over by DR..
James H. Robinson, Wherefore Uni
versity, the following topics were
treated in papers: Domestic and Per-
sonal Service" by Jane E. Hunter,
Cleveland, executive secretary of the
Phillis Wheatley Association; "Build-
ing Trades" by DR.. A. M. Chavous, Di-
rector, School of Vocation, Wilber-
force University; "Youth in the en-
ployment Picture" by Alexander ID.
Gather, State Supervisor of Negro
Activities of the National Youth Ad-
"White Collar and Pro-
fessional Employment" by j. Harvey
Kerns, Cincinnati Community Chest
and Manufacturing and Mechanical
Industries" by Fred G. Bennett, per-
sonal director, Buckeye Steel Castings
Company, Columbus.
Negroes in the Building Trades
DR.. Chavous, discussing the Negro
in the Building Trades, said there are
more than 10000 Negroes in build
ing trades; about 81 per cent are in
the skilled class and 63 per cent un-
skilled. Unemployment in this group
he said was variously estimated at
from 60 to 90 per cent in this state.
He said the Negro worker in the build
ing trades is restricted to few jobs. |
In seeking causes for this he cited
as contributing factors, attitudes of |
building contractors and other en-
ployers, Organized Labor and the
Negro workers themselves. He said it |
was essential that younger men be
drawn into the building trades if the
Negro is to hold or increase his pres
ent numbers in these occupations APP
premiership was suggested as one
way out of the dilemma. Vocational |
trade schools and classes and continu-
alton classes were other remedies sug-
geSted.
S. Burns Weston, ] South Fourth |
st. Columbus, Administrator of the
Youth Administration in
Ohio, is chairman of the Findings
Committee invited conferees to send |