St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1943-01-15
MeNUTT SQUELCHEs
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aided as a key test Of the FEPC's
prestige and power. Heretofore,
most FEPC probes have been con-
fined to single war plants or locai-
ties rather than to an entire in
dustry. Moreover, the railroads
long have been a target of sharp
attack among Negroes because of
widespread and fragrant discrimi-
natory practices.
Indicating the importance at
| tached to this case, the FEPC de-
cided at the outset not to rely ex-
clusively on its own staff and called
on Henry Epstein, former Solicitor
General of New York State, to con-
duct the hearings. Epstein has
been working with group Of aides
for many weeks and was ready to
open the hearings on schedule.
Railroad management and labor or
CARNATIONS already had received
"bills of particulars" from the
FEPC, summarizing the major
findings of the investigation.
What reasons McNutt offered for
sidestepping the hearings could not
be ascertained. Representatives of
the railroad magnates and Of the
railroad brotherhoods have been
carrying on a acknowledgements
campaign to force abandonment of
the inquiry, on the ground that it
would create friction" among rail-
road workers.
Some sources suggested that
members of the Railway Mediation
Board may have used their weight
to scuttle the probe. The Board,
it is understood, also was slated for
sharp attack at the hearings for
approving one of the "Jim Crow"
contracts which the FEPC was ex-
pected to condemn.
Jim Crow Agreement
A major part of the indictment
against the railroad groups is I'M
derstood to rest on "non-promot-
able" agreement between the all
white Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Enginemen with the
Southeastern Carriers Conference,
representing rs Southern railroads.
This agreement, it is charged,
provides, in effect for elimination
of all Negro fremen on the roads
as fast as Diesel or stokerized en-
gines replace the hand-ired coal
engines. (The Interstate Com
merce Commission has ruled that
these requirements must occur by
July l, 1943.) No Negroes are adj
mitted to the Brotherhood, but that
organization is permitted to act as
"sole bargaining agent" for them.
Commenting on this agreement,
A. Philip Randolph, president of
the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car
Porters, said recently:
eff the FEPC cannot prevent the
unfair and illegal elimination Of
Negro workers from jobs in which
they have been established for
nearly century, it's ability to open
new opportunities for Negroes will
be hopelessly impaired"
In the same statement, issued
few days before McNutt's inter-
vention to block the hearings, Ran
dolph declared that the FEPC's
railroad investigation is ga show
down for executive order No. 1902
and for the Committee itself"
"If we can stop this vicious non
promotable' offensive by the broth
erhood-carrier coalition, then the
way is opened for more upgrading
of Negro workers, not merely on
the railroads, but throughout in
dustry."
eff the FEPC permits defiance
or evasion of the Presidents order
by the powerful all-white railroad
brotherhoods, We'll sooner or later
face relapse into Jim Crowism by
other unions which only recently
have begun to see the light"
Randolph's views reflected the
feeling throughout Negro circles
and among anti-discrimination
groups generally.
The railroad hearings originally
were scheduled to begin last De-
cember, but were postponed until
January 25, to permit completion
of the investigation. Plans for the