Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1942-08-21
Negroes Alarmed
Over Transfer OF
F.EP.C. To McNutt

1942.-Reports from chapters of
the March on Washington Move
ment and from individuals all over
the country indicate that the Negro
is genuinely alarmed over the
prospect of the transfer of the Fair
Employment Practice Committee
by President Roosevelt to the War
Man Power Commission of which
Paul McNutt is chairman. AS soon
as the proposed change was an
nounced, A. Philip Randolph, our
National Director, and Lawrence
M. Erwin, President of the New
York Division, despatched tele-
grams of protest to the White
House.
Yesterday, Eardlie John, Chair
man of the Fair Employment Prac-
tice Committee of the New York
Division of the March on Washing
ton Movement, wrote to the Presi-
dent outlining the reasons for the
objection to the change.
August 16, 1912.
The President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D. C.
My dear Mr.. President:
If the proposed transfer of the
Fair Employment Practice Commit
tee to the War Man Power Com
mission is contaminated, the spir-
itual progress of our country would
be set back at least a quarter of a
century.
When you issued Executive Or
der No. 1902, the morale of the
Negro, which had struck a new low,
was materially heightened. AL
though it was but crumb that fell
from the rich mans table, we were
grateful to you. In each Negro
Americans heart welled the hope
that at long last the Great HUI
manitarian had looked our way
and maybe would look again. May
be we were wrong! Maybe JUS
tice and right and decency to ones
fellow-men would be triumphant!
On December 7 the Negro Amer
lean was, without exception, fight
ing mad because a foreign power
had dared to attack our country.
We only wished to get within rifle
and hand range of the enemy.
We have always been in the van
guard of the fight for freedom from
Boston Commons to Bataan.
We asked only that we be al
lowed to serve with dignity. Our
offer to serve on a dignified basis
was rejected. We were accepted
only as an inferior, jim-crowed and
Inundated by our own Government.
One of the most important func-
lions of Government is to set its
spiritual level far above that of the
individual so that in the striving of
mankind to reach as near perfec-
ton as is humanity possible, the
exalted and meek could seek inner
strength and guidance from its
Government. If only our Govern
ment would strike out boldly for
the right, for justice for all, our
country would be impregnable.
Prior to the appointment of the
Fair Employment Practice Com
mittee, Negroes were on the verge
of despair. Everywhere men were
talking about democracy, even in
the dark South, but their action be-
lied their words. We listened at
tentively to the cruel words, for all
said, GAIL men are created equal
and that in this country all men
have equality of opportunity" The
Committee, though working under
a budgetary handicap, performed
near miracles within its limited
sphere. Whatever success has
come to it, came almost solely be-
cause Of you, Mr.. President. Its
effectiveness stems solely from the
dynamic moral force and sanction
of your high office, added to the
respect and love of the great ma
jority of the American People for
you as a Great Humanitarian. If
the Committee is denuded Of this
authority, its future work will be
worthless.
The articulation of all America
into the war effort is of serious and
paramount Importance. Without
such there can be no unity of pur-
pose. Without such there can be
no favorable peace. It is the re-
sponsibility of our country to lead
the world out of the horror cham
Der of fear and prejudice and de-
spair to that higher ground of
peace and good will to all men.
There can be no peace until our
country casts off the shackles Of
discrimination and segregation and
leads the world into that higher