Evening star., 1942-08-17
Roosevelt Refuses
To Rescind Transfer
OF Fair Labor Group
Says Committee Coins
Strength by Shift
To Munpower Unit

fSV S'a
Prompted by protests from Negro
organizations throughout the coun-
try over the transfer of the Com
mittee of Fair Employment Practice
to the War Manpower Commission,
White House statement said to-
day that the shift was a move ito
strengthen-and not to submerge-
the committee" and ito reinvigorate
mot to repeal-the executive order
which created it In 1941.
The Presidents statement was
given to newspapermen by Stephen
Early, press secretary, who said
there apparently has been a good
deal OF Misrepresentation and con-
sequent misunderstanding" because
Of this transfer.
Protesting organizations have con-
tended that the shift would destroy
the autonomy of the committee,
which was created In an effort to
end racial discrimination in war
production activities A mass meet
ing here yesterday assailed the
shift.
The text Of the statement follows:
THE President has read and con-
sidered the various communications
regarding the transfer of his Com
mittee on Fair Employment Practice
to the War Manpower Commission.
Committee to Gain Strength.
He regrets that this transfer
and the reason therefore have been
so widely misunderstood.
"It is the intention to strengthen
mot to submerge-the committee.
and to reinvigorate-not to repeal
executive order 1902 (Which Gre
ated it,.
"Ihe committee will gain strength
by operating directly within the
War Manpower Commission to
which essential and extraordinary
powers for the mobilization and use
OF all available men and women
IN the war effort have been given.
THE committee will make full
use OF the various branches and
agencies Of the Manpower Commits
sion to increase the effectiveness
and the range of it's activities. It
Will have the corporation, service
and assistance of the personnel of
these branches and agencies. 1t will
have the friendly supervision of
the chairman of the commission,
Mr.. McNutt paul v. McNutt) whose
grasp of the whole problem of man
power utilization will be of assist
ance to the Committee on Fair En-
ployment Practice.
Meeting Held Here.
"At the same time, as the Presi-
dent said in his letter of transfer,
issued July 80, The committee shall
be preserved as an organizational
entity 1t will carry on it's investi-
cation and redress of complaints of
discrimination in employment in war
industries. in training agencies, and
in the departments of the Fed
eral Government in order to ac-
celerate and reinforce the all-out
effective use of our manpower po-
tential without regard to race, creed,
color or national origin of any man
or woman.
Moreover, the committee will
continue to refer to the President all
matters. which, in Its judgment, re-
quire its decision.
The protest meeting here, spon-
sored by the local committee of the
March on Washington Movement at
the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church,
passed resolution asking that the
President rescind the transfer order
and be advised of the adverse
effect and demoralizing tendencies
of tampering with this committee
in response to the demands of un-
democratic and reactionary forces
While the committee was inde-
pendent, the resolution stated, it
was "unhampered by constant snip
Ing by hostile Congressmen."
The resolution added that the
committee had done effective work
toward integrating Negroes and
other minorities into war industries,
Government service and in training
courses.
Lower Morale Cited.
It also was contended that the
committee through its fortnight
and unequivocal stand has aroused
and alienated certain illiberal and
reactionary forces which have set
out to sabotage and emasculate it."
The transfer, it was said. will
seriously hamper and possibly de-
stroy the effectiveness of the COM
mittee and will utterly destroy the
confidence which Negroes have i'm
posed in the committee and will tend
generally to lower the morale Of
Negroes in the war effort"
Speakers at the protest meeting
included Charles H. Houston, special
attorney of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People; Edward E. Grusd, editor of
the National Jewish Monthly; Jack
Fucker, vice president of the Indus
trial Union Council; Joseph Phillips,
president of Local 203, United Fed
eral Workers Of America; Miss Jose
phine Hubbard of the Office of War
Information; Alexander Barnes. vice
chairman of the local March on
Washington Committee, and Mrs
Jewel Mazique. chairman of the
mass meeting, who presided.