Evening star., 1945-08-09


porated in its bylaws provisions of
the segregation of white and Negro
recreation programs" Mr.. Fortas
wrote that a policy of nonsegre-
cation has been in effect in areas
under the jurisdiction of the United
States Department of the Interior
for considerable period of time
and has operated satisfactorily
within the District of Columbia as
well as outside thereof"
This harmonious use of park
areas by members of both races has
demonstrated the practicability OF
adherence to the principle of equal
rights which is affirmed by the
Federal Constitution" Mr.. Fortas
continued.
Il hereby advise you that the
United States Department of the
Interior reafflrms its policy of nom
segregation. This policy will be con-
tinued in all areas under the juris-
diction Of this department. 1t ap-
plies to areas under the policy con-
troll of the Secretary of the In
terror, even though programs utiliz-
ing facilities within those areas are
administered by the Recreation
Board.
Citizens Committee Born.
Ten days later the Citizens Com
mittee Against Segregation in Rec
reation was born. A meeting was
called July 20 by the Recreation
Committee of the District branch
of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
Twenty-Five organizations became
affiliated with the committee and
named as chairman DR.. E. B. Hen
derson, chairman of the NAACP
Recreation Committee and director
of health, physical education and
safety for Negro schools since 1921
The committee set as its goal:
THE abolition of the rule adopted
by the District Recreation Board
on June IL providing for racial seq
regation in public recreation ia
cilities."
In addition to the NAACP, the
original member organizations are
the Washington Industrial Union
Council (CIO), Fraternal Council
of Negro Churches, Washington
Chapter Of the Southern Confer
ence for Human Welfare, Fedora
tion of Civic Associations, Inc; Dis
trict of Columbia Council, United
Federal Workers of America; United
Office and Professional Workers,
Local 27; National Women's Trade
Union League washington League)
CIO Maritime Committee, Wash
ington Chapter, National Lawyers
Guild; Washington Division Of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Por-
ters, Council of Negro Labor Leaders
Other Groups Claimed.
Also the Cooperative Bookshop,
Capital View Civic Association, Far
Northeast Council, Rock Greek Civic
Association, lie Droit Park Civic As
ISOLATION, National Sorority of Phi
Delta Kappa, District Office of the
Supreme Liberty Life Insurance
Co., John Wesley Methodist Church,
Mall Tennis Club and the Hotel and
Restaurant Workers Union, Local
80 (AFL).
Other organizations claimed by
the committee are the Improved
Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks of the World, Interna-
tional Longshoremen and Ware
house Workers, Local 222 (CIO) ;
Washington Labor Canteen, United
Cafeteria Workers, Local All (CIO) ;
Citizens Committee on Race Rela-
tions and Sigma Delta Tau Legal
Fraternity.
Since July II when the Recrea-
ton Board voted to hear the pro-
tests of II persons, the movement
has grown so that Mrs. Annette
w. Urciolo, clerk of the board, has
kept running list" of complain
ants.
Added Hearings Asked.
Additional hearings have been
asked by Dorothy S. Strange, vice
president, Communist Political AS
sociation; Austin L. Fickling, presi-
dent, Brookland Civic Association;
Charles S. Hill, Hotel Service Work
ers Local 80 and chairman, Council
of United Negro Labor Leaders OF
Washington; Billy Jones, chief JUS
tice, Court of Peers, Howard Uni
versity Law School; Elliot Lynch,
secretary, Inter-racial Unity Com
mittee, United Federal Workers of
America Local 1; George L. p
Weaver, director, National CIO
Committee to Abolish Discrimina-
ton, and Lewis w. Grove, presi-
dent, Ivy City Citizens Association
Sharp and vitriolic have been
some Of the letters Of denuncia-
ton to the board. Telephones in
the law Office of Chairman Wender
have tangled steadily with what he
terms "a planned pattern of agi-
tation." His secretary advises the
voices to call the Recreation De-
partnent.
The letters to the board generally
charged as did that of U. Simpson
Tate, secretary of the CCASR, that
the ruling (for segregation in rec
reation) is arbitrary, capricious
and contrary to any existing need
in our community"
Answers Charges.
In answer to these charges, Mr.
Wender said:
"The board in adopting the con-
| troversial rule did not In any way
deviate from the policy and law ap-
proved by Congress in the act Of
April 20, 1912, creating the board
1t is the.same policy adhered to by
the board since its first meeting ot
June l, 1912, and the same policy
which the board unanimously
adopted as one Of its first acts.
I'VE adopted unanimously all the
rules, regulations and policies Of
the Community Center and Play
grounds Department which we sue
ceeded and among those who voted
at that time were Mrs. Hunter and
Mr.. Root, who now say they object
to segregation in recreation"
Mr.. Wender explained the new
bylaws simply were q codificatior
OF the boards methods Of procedure
compiled from the minutes over 9
three-year period.
Public Law 534 creating the Recre-