Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1944-08-19
Deplore Claim
Confined from page one)

mas now a large NUMBER OF luic
vehicles because of this manpowe1
shortage We know further that
there are presently unemployed
American Negroes available to man
and put into service these urgent
ly needed carriers. No one with
respect for fairness can disregard
these facts.
Thus, while the leading press
Of the nation condemn the strike
as an anti-democratic manifesto
ton, and the United States gov
eminent undertakes grand jury
Investigation to determine Its
causes, the Journal does not await
disclosure of the evidence. 1t seems
to suit its purpose better to lay
the matter at eyFEPC's doorstep.
Editorials of this sort tend to
incite the white people of our
community. That is not all how
ever. They tend to incfte the Ne
groes also. 1t is not within the
power of one racial group to fncite
only its members.
True, the Journal attempts to
make its position more acceptable
to fair-minded readers by assert
ing that it stands for square
deal for Negro citizens" and points
out that it has presented a def
mite point program looking to
the improvement of their status
through a decent living, a useful
schooling, adequate health an2
housing facilities, and civic rights
and safeguards" To us this pro
gram" is statement of generali-
ties, without specific proposals or
formulate for achievement. It
seems to us that at this time, the
Journal has had the opportunity
to show its sincere interest in "a
decent living" for Negroes. 1t
could use its influence to support
all efforts of the Federal govern
ment through the War ManpoWer
Commission and the FEPC, by
which more decent living" for
Negro Americans Is made possible.
Instead we find the Journal using
its influence to discredit an agency
which Is so effective in bringing
about the utilization of Negroes at
their highest skills in the war
effort. Make no mistake about it, if
the FEPC were ineffective these
attacks would not occur. The
FEPC is doing much to remove
undemocratic racial barriers to
employment and training.
LETTER TO CONSTITUTION
These are EXCERPTS taken from
the letter sent the Atlanta Con-
stitution:
In spite of the fact that the
majority of the nations newspap-
ers have long supported the efforts
of the FEPC, the southern white
press has continually attacked this
agency 1t has been gratifying that
until recently the Atlanta Con-
stitution has taken little part in
the majority of these attacks.
However, on August and August
IL 1t add ri its voice to other
southern critics, attempting to
/, place upon FEPC the blame for
| the Philadelphia strike. Instead of
waiting for the facts in the case to
be revealed by the Federal grand
jury, and instead of recognizing
that this strike has been condem-
ned by the nations leading papers
as an undemocratic demonstration
with many underlying causes, these
southern critics have chosen to
indict FEPC as having sole re-
sponSibility
1T is en- acknowledged fact
that one-sided presentation OF
news does not make for national
unity nor community good will.
We believe that newspapers should
be instruments for the public
good. We further believe that par
tial presentation of news is great
ly unfair to the total community
BY and large the southern press
has failed to tell the public the
truth, the whole truth, about the
FEPC. Such practice does not
contribute to the development of
sound community relationships.
1.-THE executive order establish
ing the FEPC states that, among
other things, there shall be no
discrimination in employment In
war industries. the Atlanta Con-
Stitution states that Senator Rus
sell "has no quarrel with the
FEPC as created" and urges Mr..
Russell to keep this before the
senate of the United States until
the FEPC is abolished or forced to
do only the job it was created to
de-" The CONSTITUTIONS principle
concern seems to be one of juriS-
diction and authority. 1t states
that by no stretching of the
point or Imagination can it be
said the FEPC had any business
whatsoever dealing with the street
railway business in Philadelphia.
In its necessary working rela-
tionship with the VINO, the FEPC
has accepted the WINGS List of
Essential War Industries as an
operating definition. Included on
that list are railroads and local
street railway systems. We believe
that by no stretching Of the point
or imagination" can this war be
won without the essential services
OF these two industries, and there
fore agree with the VINO in their
inclusion on the list.
MUST ESTABLISH BASIS
We further believe that any law
or order must be interpreted in