The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-04-10
SECRETARY OF
nAACP POINTS
70 RACE BIAS
Tells Senate Military
Committee About Huge
Reservoir OF Men

WASHINGTON. ID. C.--CnngresS
must halt practices Of facial DIS
elimination against workers .in
war industries before j, undertakes
legislation for compulsory employ.
ment. Walter White. executive Sec
rotary Of the N.AACP. told the
Senate Military Affairs Committee
April !.
White testified against the AusNr.
Wsdsworth bill which provides Tor
the successful prosecution OF the
war through a system OF civil! Sc
lective war service
No Adequate Safeguards
White pointed out that the bill
Is based on Q false assumption. for
there still exists q huge reservoir
OF voluntary man and womsnpower
which has not yet been utilized
because OF racial prejudice. He cited
the oilrs failure 10 compel employ
ers to accept IL workers who vol.
unteer or are drafted regardless OF
the workers race or color as one Of
Its most glaring Z ults White add.
ed that the bill contains no sde.
quate safeguards to protect work
ers from arbitrary action by en-
ployers or local draft boards.
Charles II. Houston. attorney.
spoke for the National Nor Par
tsan Council Of Alpha Kappa Alpha
sorority and supplemented the testi-
mony OF Mr.. White. 81
The bill provides that the Presi-
dent through the chairman OF the
War Manpower Commission. may
Issue q call for volunteers specify
Ing the number Of persons required
with their qualifications and the
places where their work would DC
performed. But" said White, Ill
creates no obligation on the en-
ployer TO accept such volunteers.
The underlying assumption OF
s. e06," continued White. lis that
workers are not volunteering for
service In war industries and must
therefore be drafted. This assump-
ton Is belied by the facts. There is
already vast recervoir Of Negro
man and womanpower today beg
ging for employment at their
proper skills and levels, but 10
whom the doors are tightly closed
and bolted.
eeo.eoo Unemployed
In . recent War Msnpower Com
mission estimate there are still
100000 Negroes who are outright
unemployed. There are 1000, 900
taxm hau1s working on cotton crops
4 k1~a NE have 4 two years supply
& - Accprding 70 John Beech
Hk1ar regional representative
- tHPC there are 2000, 900
omnl farm workers whose serv-
could be entirely utilized to
~ manpower needs.
Ze are also opposed to this leg
ofion.- White declared. because
nntains no safeguards TO protect
worker against arbitrary action
NE part Of employers or local
v - boards. This bill is entirely
~ on the obligation Of an en-
Dvor not to discriminate on &C.
1T Of race, creed, or color, TO
4 orly assign and upgrade en-
- to use safety appliances,
1 70 establish reasonable wage,
49, and health regulations.
~ ~ ~ bill requires compulsory
4 htyfce but does not guarantee en-
ovment For example. under
- 10000 white workers could
- drafted and transferred 10 a
1efhern community even though
4Epres were already present there
\ 1870 Negroes capable Of filing the
-. a prejudiced draft board at
- behest Ct a prejudiced employer
Mo refused to hire available Negro
! nabUr could then order 10000 Negro
workers to pick cotton though they
poaDessed the skills 10 work in in
dustry.
Gives Employer Power
This bill gives an employer the
right TO reject a batch of drafted
labor without assigning any reason
fcr doing so and then permits him
% call on the United States gov
.arnment TO provide more patches
from which he can choose those he
wishes 10 employ. The worker
would not have even the proiecs'
ton provided by the Civil Service
where the employer has 10 choose
from the top three on the list. IN
short. omnipoten, controls are
placed In his hands to compel servi-
tude without the correlstive obligs-
zion to protect the servitor.'
Asked at this point by Senator
Austin, Republican OF Vermont II
the insertion into the bill OF re-
uuirement that workers would have
70 be selected without regard 10
race or color for assignment 10 war
industries, would meet Mr.. Whites
objections, White said that such an
inclusion would strengthen the bill
White, citing the deplorsble treat
ment of Negro soldiers in the South
argued, "even with ample laws on
the statute books. the federal gov
eminent has failed 10 protect the
Negro from intimidation. coercion
and abuse while he is theoretically
nnfettered and free.
what can be - prospect for
covered domestic. agricultural, in
dustrial, and defense workers liv-
fna In the South and faced with
= eompulsory- sefVFe legislation
watch In most instances will be
no<hing less than government sp-
Droved peonsge?" White asked
whist chance would q qualified Ne
3 - mechinist living in Mississippi
Inve IL he appealed the decision of
- lruft board denying his sppIi-
1850 - 20 10 Detroit 10 work in
A .nlrplsne factory when such
sho6 previously classified him
wQgk % q common field hsnd7