The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-08-14
BY HARRY McALPIN
Defender Washington Bureau

Defender Washington Burssu)
wASHINGTON-By a reorgan-
izstion OF its Office OF Race Rela-
tons effected last week. the Fed
al Public Housing Administration
is believed 10 have taken a pioneer
step toward the renewed and in
creased effectiveness of the race
relations function in federal agen-
cies.
Commissioner Herbert Emmerich,
in an exclusive interview with the
Defender. stated that the purpose
OF the reorganization is to strength
en- the function while at the same
time definitely placing the respon-
slbility upon the whole agency for
carrying out the job of migrating
Negroes INTO full and equitable par
ticipation in the entire war housing
program as handled by FPHA.
I'm the war housing program. II
Is the policy OF the FPHA to pro-
vide war housing to meet the pro-
portionate needs OF essential Negro
Immigrant war workers as that
need is defined by the War Man.
power Commission and the National
Housing Agency" he declared The
increasing employment and in-mi-
grafton OF Negro war workers re-
quire that adequate housing for
these essential war workers be pro-
vidcd at the proper time and place
in order that lack OF housing ac-
commodations does not preclude or
retard the utilization Of this source
Of labor supply. -
Shift Of Personnel
While the achievement of this
purpose is the responsibility Of the
entire personnel of FPHA, the eff
fective utilization of the services of
racial relations personnel has prov.
ed an important aid to this end.
With growing tensions throughout
the country, the need for such aid
is perhaps greater today than ever
before"
The reorganization. according TO
Commissioner Emmerich, scatters
the race relations function through
out the agency. The reviewing and
line functions previously carried
out from the race relations Office are
now to be conducted in the operat-
ing divisions and administrative
branches of the agency. This has
necessitated the shift of several
members Of the personnel OF the
race relations Office to the various
Offices involved.
Under this new arrangement
such personnel will be administra-
lively responsible 70 their respec-
tive division chiefs, but will carry
out race relations functions in con-
junction with their technical duties,
for which they will be responsible
TO the central or coordinating Office
OF race relations
The central or coordinating Office
Of race relations, which heretofore
was responsible to the assistant to
the commissioner in charge Of man.
agement, will now be q part of the
commissioner staff and directly re-
sponsible to him.
The reorganization has brought
about the following personnel
changes:
DR.. Frank Horne. the race rela-
tons adviser. his assistant Miss
CUrienne K Robinson, with a Sec
retarial and clerical staff. have be-
come part of the staff Of the COM
missioner. They are responsible to
advise on policy and to coordinate
the activities Of racial relations per-
sonnet in the regional and central
Offices.
James A. Weiseger and his secre-
tary, who have been administering
the non-discrimination labor policy,
are assigned to the Construction Di-
vision, where they will review
and consult with the
Labor Relations Division to carry
out these functions.
Herman A. Washington and his
secretary. are assigned to carry out
racial relations functions in Re-
gion III, with regional headquarters
in Washington, D. c.
Mrs. Alice Hyman is assigned as
an analyst in Management Review
to assist the director OF that divi-
sion in maintaining sound racial
policy in management activities.
Mrs. Susie E. Miles is advanced
to a junior professional position in
one of the area Offices Of the Man.
agement Review Division to carry
ou' regular professional manage
ment review functions. Mrs. Miles,
who came to the housing agency as |
an elevator operator and was later
advanced to a clerk, Is now placed
in an assignment wherein larger
measure OF her training and expe-
rience may be made available to
housing problems.
Regional Set-up
The regional representatives will
be maintained to assist regional di-
rectors and the other advisers in
carrying out racial relations func-
tons in the regional Offices.
The forward Cooking and pioneer-