Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1945-05-04
Rankin Sheds
OratOrical Tears
Over Good Negroes
Rankin and MarcantOniO Debate
FEPC Measure in Sharp
Exchange

Exchange
Washington, D. C.-Shortly after
Representative Mary Norton placed
a discharge petition to discharge
the Rules committee from further
consideration of H. R. 2232, the bill
to establish a permanent FEPC,
Congressman John Rankin d.,
Miss attacked the bill.
He was answered by Congress-
man Vito Marcantonio.
Rankin said:
Mr.. Chairman, l rise to sound a
warning to the Members of this
Congress.
You have been asked to sign this
petition to bring out this FEPC bill,
the most dangerous piece of totalt-
tartan, communistic legislation ever
proposed in the Congress of the
United States. Already the peov le
Of this Nation are greatly dis
turbed over the prospect of the pas
sage Of this legislation. Al-eaoy
the peaceful, Woodworking Negr, IS
Of the country are disturbed, be-
cause they know it would stir up
race trouble such as this country
has never known before.
While communistic representa-
tives of another race are demand
ing the passage of this Legislation,
many patriotic members of that
race, notably those whose families
have struggled and toiled alorg
with the rest of US through the
years are disturbed because they
know the trouble this measure
would bring to them.
Every businessman in your dis
trict is disturbed. He knows w5at
lit means. He knows it means a
dictatorship of the worst kind here
lin Washington, harassirg every
businessman, dominating him and
his affairs in the most vicious man
-ner.
. Dc not try to crawl behind a
ismoke screen and get the idea that
syou are tantalizing the white peo-
pie of the South and stirring up
trouble there when you sign this
fpetition. You are stirring up more
trouble in your own districts than
you are in mine. 1t means total
permanent RECOMMENDATION, a COM
tplete change in our form of gov m
!ment to the worst type of totali-
tartan bureaucracy the world has
ever known. 1t would destroy the
very liberty for which our young
men are fighting and dying on
every battle front in the world.
. The Communist party is behind
this vicious measure. 1t is a part
of their scheme for stirring up
trouble in this country. They man.
aged to get it slipped into the Re
publican platform last year, AMI
wrecked whatever chance the party
had.
The passage of this legislation
would probably mark the begin
ming of the end of this great Re
public. 1t is one of the most dan,
gerous measures ever proposed.
On your shoulders today rests
the responsibility of protecting oul
form of government and the Ameri
can way of life. On your shoulder.
rests the responsibility of main
tanning free enterprise, operated
: by freemen and freewomen in thi!
country. Read the speech the gen
tleman from Texas (Mr. Fisher,
made on the 18th. Read the speed
! made by the gentleman from Ar
Kansas (Mr. Hays) a few days ago
Read the remarks l made showing
who is operating in this set-up ant
see what it means to the business
a! men in your district. Do not lie
them tell you this is to guarantee
! the Negro the right to work. Tha
; is pure bunk. 1t is for the purpos
! of putting this Bureau in control
even of our public school system
The ones who are pushing thi
measure are the worst enemies tn
Negroes have on earth.
/ If our boys who are fighting Of
every battle front in the worl
could march down this aisle an
know what is behind this move
ment and see those elements try
; ing to destroy at home everything
for which they are fighting, de
stroying American freedom, de