Evening star., 1945-01-16
SocioIogist AssoiIs Position
OF Transit Firm Before FEPC
Dsogrees With Conclusion Thot RocioI
Issue Would Result in Strike
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Sharp issue with the conclusion
of the Capital Transit Co., based
on an opinion survey, that its opera
tors would walk out if colored
workers were hired for similar jobs
was taken by DR.. Louis Wirth, pro-
fessor of sociology at the University
of Chicago, in testimony at hear
ing before the Fair Employment
Practice Committee in session today
in the United States Court OF Ap-
peals chambers.
DR.. Wirth did not agree that the
survey made by Paul Lunt, labor
conciliator and analyst, proved the
men would strike.
Mr.. Lunt had just testified that
in his opinion, based on his survey,
something like 10 per cent of the
white operators would walk out.
do you think the tie-up would
be complete?" asked Edmund L.
Jones, attorney for the company.
Yes, in my opinion. I think
most of the men would return
later. Some of them would not
Mr.. Lunt said
Selected at Random.
I'm your opinion DR.. Wirth was
asked by Mrs. Evelyn Cooper, coun-
sell for FEPC, lis Mr.. Lunt's report
a survey of attitudes?"
DR.. Wirth said it was not, adding
that attitudes are betrayed rather
than expressed" He explained that
opinions are expressed"
Despite its claim, the Lunt sur
vey was not based on "unguided
interviews" DR.. Wirth said. Such a
survey, he added, should show not
merely what people are talking
about but what they would do"
DR.. Wirth pointed out that Mr..
Lunt had testified he and his aides
went to the homes of a group of
operators selected at random from
certain seniority lists and told them
they were calling at the request of
the joint management-union COM
mittee.
The witness said such a survey
should be carried on under condi-
tions of anonymity. In this in
stance, he explained, the operators
knew to whom they were talking
and, in sense, why they were sent
Fishing for Ideas Charged.
"The men had a pattern" said
DR.. Wirth. land they fished for
ideas that corresponded to that at
titude."
The sociologist said he assumed
feeling was high here when the sur
vey was made, and to make it OF
scientific value the men would have
had to be approached with extreme
caution. Such a survey would be
difficult under any conditions, he
conceded.
Even assuming that Mr. Lunt hao
correctly reported the attitudes OF
the workers interviewed, DR.. Wirth
said, such attitudes could be modi-
fed.
Such attitudes have to be learn
ed" he pointed out, land that means
they can be unlearned"
He felt, he said, the men could be
taught that the hiring of colored
operators was matter of public
policy and they could be educated to
accept it. He deplored the COM
pany's experiment of two years ago
when a single colored operator was
put on and removed when the op-
orators at his barn refused to take
their cars out. He said a deter
mined effort was necessary. with
perhaps II to 20 colored operators
placed at one time, rather than one
on whom all attention would be
centered.
Conferred With FEPC.
DR.. Wirth was called by the
FEPC counsel. 1t previously was
brought out by the company that
Mr.. Lunt was one of several experts
suggested by FEPC to make the
survey. Mr.. Lunt testified that he
started it after conferring both with
FEPC and with the Management
Union Committee of the company.
In arriving at his estimate, Mr..
Lunt made survey in which 225
white operators were interviewed.
The number interviewed was
about 8 per cent of the operators
employed
The report showed that 2O.4 per
cent of those with whom the matter
was discussed were strong" in their
intention to quit work if colored
workers were placed on platform
jobs and that 52.4 per cent were
moderately strong" in expressing
such purpose.
There we're 1876 per cent who we're
moderately" sure they would stay
on the job, while per cent
were emphatic in indicating they
wouldn't quit. The rest, rs per cent,
had nothing to say as to what they
would do.
Some Expect Violence.
The Lunt survey also showed that
20.4 per cent of the operators ap-
preached were strong" In their as
sertion that they would refuse to
train colored operators. Another
20 per cent were moderately
strong" in rejecting such . plan.
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