Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-02-11
Willard Townsend
CLIO Leader Says
Press Worth While
INTERVIEW WALKS IN" ON
REPORTER
By Clarence T. r. Nelson

Inc writer OF this story conSld-
ers himself most fortunate in that
he literally and actually had "a re-
porters dream" walk right into his
own home and come true. Regular
news reporters and special CORES
pondents are often sent to inter
view famous and outstanding pub
lie figures or individuals. Very
often these assignments are any
thing but easy and occasionally
the newshawk practically "gets the
gate" in attempting to get the de-
sired interview.
On Wednesday morning l sat at
my desk in our home and said to
one of the outstanding labor lead
ers of our country, "Bill, I want to
interview you for the papers l write
for-the st. Paul Recorder and the
NJ Inc apolis Spokesman" And
without moments hesitation, Mr..
Willard Townsend, handsome and
dynamic international president of
the United Transport Service EN-
ployees of America, walked into
my study (out of the room that he
and Mrs. Townsend occupied as our
guests) and the interview was on!
Mr.. Townsend is a member of
the National Executive Board of
the powerful Committee of Indus
trial Organizations (CIO) and the
first Negro to be named on the
executive board of any large labor
union in America.
Praises Negro Press
In speaking of the Negro press,
Mr.. Townsend had the following to
say:
"The Negro press has been of
great service to the Negro people
during this period. Many Difficult
ties imposed on our service men
would have been much worse if it
were not for the exposures to the
public by the Negro press. Unlike
the Negro press of the last war, it
has refused to be compromised on
any v a issue regarding the Ne
gro"
I appreciated the fact that when
I asked Mr.. Townsend if he h a d
anything to say regarding the I'M
complimentary remarks made by
an outstanding Negro labor leader
about him in an address in st. Paul
recently, he refused to make any
personal attack upon Milton Web
ster, first vice president of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por-
tiers.
Townsend and Randolph
Mr.. Townsend had told me the
day before about a conference that
he and Phillip A. Randolph had had
in New York City recently and he
expressed highest regards for Mr..
Randolph and his organization.
When I queried him about the Ne
gro in the labor movement, he said,
"The general opinion among Ne
groes is that the Committee of In
dustrial Organizations represents
the wing of the labor movement
that is most interested in his well
being: for, by concept, ritual and
Constitution, the CLIO is committed
to a program of equality for the
workers. In order to implement
these three cardinal principles the
CLIO has set up the National Com
mittee to Abolish Racial Discrimi-
nation, which is the watch dog of
this powerful organization and po-
Ices the field of race relations"
AFL Unsuccessful
at is significant to note" Mr..
Townsend continued, chat repeat
ed attempts have been made by Ne
gro leaders in the American FEEDER
alton of Labor "a. F. of L. to
create such a committee and con-
sistent with the policies of the A. F.
of L., they have met with no sue
cess at ALL"
Supreme Court Decision
I then asked Mr.. Townsend what
he thought about the recent deci-
sion of the United States Supreme
Court in regard to a matter that
vitality affects the st. Paul local of
his union, 1905, in particular, and
others in general. About that deci-
sion, Mr.. Townsend stated the fol-
lowing:
"The recent Supreme Court de-
cision, in it's Interpretation of the
regulations controlling the activi-
ties of the National Railroad Medi-
alton Board, certainly grants to
them 1.-THE Board) the unimpeach-
able right to determine whether
Negroes will enjoy the right to
work and, if accepted as a worker,
the right to determine his condi-
ton of employment.
The chairman of the National
Mediation Board, in recognition of
the untenable position taken by
the Board during his absence, in
the case of the st. Paul Red Caps,
has reopened the case and a series
of conferences is going on, out of
which we hope the Mediation Board
will undo what the Supreme Court
refused to do"
POSTWAR PERIOD