St. Paul recorder., 1944-10-06
Roosevelt Pledges
Full Support to
Permanent FEPC

Washington - (NNPA)-
Pointing out that he had Gin
vented" the FEPC, President
Roosevelt pledged his support
to legislation to create a per-
manent Fair Employment Practice
Commission in a conference on Fri
day with three representative Ne
groes, at the White House.
Walter White, secretary of the
NAACP, in an interview with
White House reporters following
the conference indicated that the
group, which included DIR. Chan
ming II. Tobias, field secretary of
Negro Work for the National
YMCA, and Mrs. Mary Mcleod
Bethune, president of the National
Council of Negro Women, had
pointed out to the President that
the facts of discrimination on ac-
count of race, creed and color are
well known and that ample testi-
mony has been taken on the sub
ject.
They urged therefore that the
House Labor Committee, which
postponed further hearings on bills
for a permanent FEPC until after
the election, take immediate action
to report the bill out and that it be
made "must legislation" in his 18th
Congress.
Will Support Action
The President, according to Mr..
White, indicated his approval and
said he would support such action.
This is the first public indication
given by President Roosevelt, who
created the Fair Employment Prac-
tice Committee by executive order
in 1941, that he favors and will sup
port making permanent the agency
he set up as war measure to COM
bat discrimination because of race,
creed, color or national origin.
Action on the part of the House
Labor Committee can be taken dur
ing the Congressional recess, and
the legislation be ready for the cal
endar Immediately upon return of
Congress on November ID, White
declared.
In Columbus, Ohio, at the Ma
tional Urban League convention,
FEP Chairman, Malcolm Ross, told
delegates that President Roosevelt
favors early enactment of legisla-
tion for permanent FEPC.
Peace Problem
Ross said: GAS chairman of the
FEPC, I can assure you that Presi-
dent Roosevelt is deeply interested
in these (postwar employment) is
sues, and can assure you that he
favors the early enactment of a
permanent FEPC law so that the
problem which we are now facing
during the war may be effectively
met in the days of peace"
The White House meeting also
discussed pending legislation to
make it a federal criminal offense
to attack person wearing the uni
form of the American armed
forces. The bill, S. 1927, is to
amend an already existing law
making it a federal offense to as
sault or kill certain federal officers.
The present law, however, does not
include members of the Army,
Navy, or Marines. The amendment
was proposed by the War Depart
ment and approved by the Depart
ment of Justice. It has passed the
Senate, and is pending in the House
Judiciary Committee.
The President was reported by
the group to have pledged his sup
port of this legislation.
Mr.. White pointed out to re-
porters at the White House after
the conference that this legislation
is of particular concern to Negroes
because there have been numerous
assaults upon Negro soldiers in the
South: 'The last killing of soldier
named Spicely in Durham, N. c."
he said, "who was shot and killed
by a bus driver, was tried in a
state court and the driver acquitted