Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1943-07-24
Minority Problems

4
participation IN government.
Following the conference with
the Vice President, the group met
Assistant Secretary Of War John
J.. McCloy with whom they discuss
ed problems of treatment of colored
soldiers IN the Army, inclusion Of
qualified colored men in Army pub
lie relations bureaus in Washing
ton and in the field, increased mo-
bility for colored correspondents in
war zones, increased coverage Of
colored troop activities by Army
public relations and Signal Corps
men in the war theatres, and the
Army policy on recruitment of COL
ored women for the WAC.
In answer to requests for War
Department action in cases of un-
fair treatment of colored soldiers,
Mr.. McCloy requested that specific
cases of such treatment be reported
to the War Department where they
would be thoroughly investigated.
Both Mr. McCloy and Col. STAN
ley Grogan, chief of the War De-
partment Bureau of Public Rela-
tons, agreed to the fairness of the
request for colored representation
on the public relations staffs of the
army units in the field, but failed
to commit themselves upon the ne
ceSsity for colored writer's on the
Washington BPR staff.
INCREASED NEWS SEEN
A request for the breaking down
of casualty lists according to race
was similarly turned down because
OF the difficulties involved. Mr.. Nc
Cloy stated that request for in
creased coverage of the activities of
colOred troops in the various
theatres Of war had been presented
to Secretary of War Stimson short
iy before his departure for Eng
land and that more news of the ac-
tivities Of colOred troops overseas
might be expected.
1t was pointed out, however, that
the questions of policy affecting the
WAC would have to be submitted
to Col. Oveta Culp Hobby, COM
mander of the WAC, and that pub
fishers would be advised of the poll
icy as soon AS it could be ascer-
| tanned.
A series Of five questions present.
ed to Navy Department officials,
pertaining TO admission of colored
women to the WAVES, attendance
of non-segregated schools, commits
sions for colored enrollees in the
| Navy, and the admission of coiored
men to Naval aviation were an
iswered "off the record" although it
was stated that the policy affect
ing use of colored WAVES is now
under consideration.
A diScuss-o.l of the inability of
colored newsmen stationed in
Washington to gain admission to
Secretary of the Navy Knox's press
J conference resulted in a promise
that action would be taken upon
the matter following conferences
between Washington newsmen and
Navy Department officials early
this week.
The problem OF War production
training for colored workers, Sc
verely curtailed by the elimination
of the NYA, was taken up with
Manpower Commissioner Paul "
McNutt during the second confer
ence held by the group on Satur-
day.
| In an earlier conference held
with H. M. Bittner, chief of the
Printing and Publishing Branch OF
the WPB, the publishers outlined
the difficulties and hardship which
would be brought upon them by the
curtailment of newsprint allot-
ments.
Commitments to give the prob
lem further study were obtained
from the WPB officials.
WILLIAMS COMMENDED
AT the McNutt conference the
group commended Aubrey Williams
NYA administrator, upon the job
done by his agency before it's liqui-
dating and requested action by the
War Manpower Commission to in
sure the following:
l. Opening of all war produc-
ton training to colored train
eeS.
2. Publicizing of information
outlining training programs
available to make certain
that colored Americans un-
derstand the training oppor-
tunities offered:
8. The placing of advertising
publicizing war production
training and placement OPP
portunities, paid for by the
government, in Negro news
| papers.
4. Fullest possible utilization of
all available labor supply and
the payment of particular
attention to the elimination
OF practices which prohibit
normal participation in war
work programs by colored
workers.
In answer to these requests,
Chairman McNutt said that every
effort would be made to secure full
and equitable participation in the
war production training programs
and declared:
THE full utilization of every
| worker on pvnfv ioh 10 ooo &c ~, -