St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1945-02-16
Taft Refuses to
Support FEPC
With Teeth
Tells People They Are
Pushing Too Fast

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struck what may prove to be a
death blow to the FEPC. He has
completely reversed his prediction
attitude and apparent commitments
on FEPC.
He bluntly told a delegation Of
white and Negro constituents from
his state on Friday that he is not
in favor of the bills now pending in
Congress because of their COM
pulsory features. He is introducing
his own bill to provide for voluntary
methods.
For the bills now pending in Con-
gress, he told the delegation, "You
won't have the enthusiastic sup
port of many Republicans and no
Southerners."
81 don't believe in a compulsory
bill,", he said. 81 think the colored
people are making a mistake"
At one point he said the present
bills would deprive people in small
er offices of their right to hire whom
they chose. He stated he had some
question that it might be limited
to larger firms Of 500 or 1000 en-
ployees, who he felt had some pub
lie obligation. Later, however, he
said he would not support that now
because he had decided the vol
untary method is better.
Lecturing the group in patroniz-
ing fashion-most of them being
Negroes the Senator declared: II
think you are pushing too fast. The
colored people are much better of
than they were 10 years ago."
He said he felt voluntary bill
is ''better for the colored people"
At another point of his lecture, he
said he did not think Negroes could
make all their progress over night.
He sounded just like George of
Georgia, Russell of Alabama, or
Bilbo of Mississippi, with whom he
has formed a coalition to control
the Senate.
The Senator lost his poise when
Judge William HASTE, invited by
the delegation to accompany them,
challenged his good faith on the
FEPC issue. Taft tried desperately
to place the blame on "the colored
people,"
HASTE told the Senator: zone
other thing disturbs me. The Sem
ator mentioned that last year the
Education and Labor Committee
voted out this bill without having
any idea in mind of passing it. The
Senator also mentioned the (Repub-
lican) platform did not mean a COM
pulsory bill.
Certainly the country got the
idea compulsory bill was intended
in both instances. They are going
to get the idea they have not been
dealt with in good faith"
Taft redeemed behind his ears,
assumed his full Senatorial dignity,
Importance and forcefulness. He
pounded on his desk and pointed
his finger as he answered.
81 think if there is any bad faith"
he stormed, at is on the colored
people who presented the platform
and failed to tell the people what
was in the bill they presented. No
one mentioned compulsory bill.
certainly did not intend the plat
form to mean compulsory bill. #
there has been bad faith, it is on
the colored people"
In answer to a previously asked
question, however, Taft had told
the delegation that he had voted in
favor of reporting to the Senate a
bill for an FEPC, which bill did
contain compulsory powers. He
said he did so with the understand
ing that it would not be acted on by
the Senate.
That was before the convention in
Chicago where the Republican plat
form was adopted. The only FEPC
bills pending in Congress before the
time of the convention contained
compulsory powers-the same bills
Taft is now opposing-and extern
sive public hearings had been held
on them in the House Labor Com
mittee.
When the Compulsory" FEPC
bill was reported to the Senate on
Sept. 20, 1944-(just before the
election in which Taft squeezed
through by only 1900 votes)-
Sen. Chavez, its sponsor, stated that
the bill was being favorably report
ed by unanimous vote without
amendment. He said several MEM
bers had indicated they might sub
NIT amendments to the bill before it
was considered. He mentioned that
it was also suggested that the bill
be not taken up before the cleo
ton.
Turning to Taft on the floor Of
the Senate, he said: 'I ask if that
meets with the approval of the
Senator from Ohio"
Taft replied: cit does"
Before the election, Taft's only
objection to the pending FEPC
bills was on a question of judicial
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