Evening star., 1943-04-01
Racial Discrimination
Charged at Hearing
On Service Bill
T Tronsit Co. Has Failed
To Use Monpower
Here, Senators Told

peIes SeHutOIS OI0
Walter White, secretary to the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement OF Colored People, told
the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee today Congress should turn
its attention to racial discrimina-
tions which, he charged, are pre-
venting maximum use of available
manpower, before considering COM
pulsory assignment of workers to
war industry.
Testifying against the Austin
Wadsworth national service bill, Mr..
White cited inability of colored per-
sons to get jobs as streetcar and bus
operators in Washington to support
his claim. He said the Capital
Transit Co. has half f-heartedly"
agreed to employ colored persons for
these jobs, but he charged that
white operators refused to give prac-
tical experience to q colored man
who was accepted.
Of the Workers Defense League,
also complained of racial discrimina-
ton in essential industries In op-
posing the Austin -Wadsworth Bill,
and accused War Manpower Chair
man Paul v. McNutt of lack of
courage" in dealing with these Is
sues.
Cites Situation Here.
In referring to local transporta-
ton situation, Mr.. White testified
us follows:
Discrimination against the Negro
worker is not confined to employers
alone. All too often employees are
willing accomplices. A case in point
Is the Capital Transit Co. of the
District of Columbia.
The Presidents Committee on
Fair Employment Practices had been
literally swamped with complaints
against that company. charging that
1t Disseminated against Negroes in
Its hiring practices. After investi-
cation the committee made finding
that the company Systematically ex-
cluded Negroes from jobs as bus and
streetcar drivers. 1t issued order to
the company to hire qualified
Negroes at all grades and levels
TN this connection it would be
interesting to note that the War
Manpower Commission has deemed
the labor shortage so acute in the
public transportation system in
Washington that 1t has instructed
Selective Service Boards that en-
ployment in this field shall consti-
tute a basis for occupational defer
ment and has permitted the COM
pany to station full-time employe
at the United States Employment
Service Offices to enable them to ilire
potential job applicants on the spot
Charges Completely.
The company has half -heartedly
agreed to employ Negroes in con-
fornity to the order. but the single
Negro who was accepted for train
ing was denied job in any but Gus
todial classification because white
bus drivers refused to give him the
practical experience In handling a
vehicle operating on regular passen-
ger schedule, although the applicant
has satisfactorily completed the
company's prescribed training under
Its direction and in its training
center.
I'VE have made the point to the
Capital Transit Co., and to the War
Manpower Commission, and we now
tell this committee that under these
circumstances. where men ready and
willing to work are denied employ
ment on purely arbitrary and ca
PRECIOUS grounds, there is no demon
strable showing that labor short
age exists"
Senator Austin, Republican, Of
Vermont, co-author of the national
service bill, asked Mr.. White if 1t
would meet his objections to insert
In the measure requirement that
workers would have to be selected
without regard to race or color for
assignment to war industries. Mr..
White said that would strengthen
the bill.
Supplements Testimony.
Supplementing Mr.. Whites testi-
mony, Charles H. Houston of the
National No-Partisan Council also
favored continuation of the volun.
tary approach to the manpower
problem. AS veteran of the last
war, he said that. 50 far as theory
Is concerned. he favors equalization
Of burdens, but laws are not self
enforcing so his reason for oppos-
ing a compulsory law is that I'VE
have no assurance the Federal Gov
ernment would carry it out impair
tally"
Edgar G. Brown of the National
Negro Council said he favored
bringing to Congress, rather than
Government departments, the prob
lens of his group. He said he ap-
peared against the Austin -Wads-
worth bill several weeks ago only
because it lacked protective clauses
against discrimination, such as
Senator Austin suggested today. If
1t contained such provisions, he said,
the group he represents would give
1t every support.