The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-13
Some Pertinent Facts
About Permanent FEPC

symptom OF the change which the
American people achieved in Con-
gress through their votes in No.
vember. Some Of the members OF
Congress who made the biggest
minority-bsiting. Neg debating,
red-baiting. lsbor-bsiting noises
have suffered the sad fate OF not
being Reelected. This not only
weakens reaction i'm Congress-: il
also makes the remaining members
stop and think II calls for soft
pedalling those divisive tactics IL
they hope to stay where they are.
As a matter OF fact, we need not
be surprised il even q number Of
the poll-taxers show signs of NOV
ing over a little towards our side.
The attempt OF the worst southern
reactionaries to throw the election
to Dewey by stealing electoral
votes was q dismal failure. This
failure can help us wean away
some OF them. Certainly IL loosens
their grip on Democratic party
policy. Even such a die-hard as
Cox OF Georgia indicated in a re-
cent speech that he recognized the
peoples decision in November as
vote OF confidence in Roosevelt's
progressive policies.
Naturally. this trend Is helped
by the fact that white and Negro
voters working together tossed
opt. despite poll taxes. some OF
the/ most vicious congressional
spokesman OF the poll tax states:
Dies, Starnes, Newsome, and 9TH
ers.
The increase in Democratic seats
GO in the House of Representa-
tives); plus seats which, without
changing parties. will be occupied
by unquestionably better men Cat
least IL in the House and six in
the Senate); plus those members
with reactionary records who are
smart enough to go along with a
trend when it hits them in the eye
these factors make the 10th Con-
gress a truly new Congress, a Con-
gress from which we shall expect
and demand far more than we
could from the 18th.
The Michigan delegation is not
so happy picture as the Congress
as a whole. Yet the state is to be
congratulated on the replacement
OF small-time reactionary, Ben
nett, by Democrat and genuine
progressive, Frank Hook. and on
the endorsement given to the pro-
gressive voting records Of the five
Democratic congressman from De-
troit. Even one OF our Republi-
cans, Representative Kitchener.
has committed himself 10 support
the permanent IFEPC bill But
there is still much left to be de-
sired from Michigan Republicans.
The national Republican plat
form paid /lipservice TO the perma-
rnent FEPC. But the Negro people
! looked at the miserable record Of
the Republican members OF Con-
gress on issues important to- the
| Negro. and then voted overwhelm-
/mgly for Roosevelt and his sup
porters. In the fight TO abolish
poll taxes last spring, for example.
Senator Vandenburg> was pledged
TO support the anti-poll tax bill.
But he exercised no leadership TO
stop the niibuster Which killed the
bill, on the contrary. he obviously
enjoyed watching the northern
and southern Democrats pummel
one another.
When the House OF Representa-
tives considered the Senate amend
ment to cut off FEPC funds. not
single Republican opposed this
amendment
The people OF Michigan should
| demand OF their Repub Ii C n
spokesman that they now support
in action the principle OF equality
to which their platform gave lip
service. Senator Vandenburg is the
chairman of the Senate Republic
cans. If he genuinely and active
ly supported the permanent FEPC
legislation its passage would be
guaranteed!
Some Republicans. like some
poll takers, will begin to shift
away from reaction during this
session--and for the same reason
because OF what the people ac-
complished in November and what
they continue TO do as the crucial
issues come up for vote.
We must now make it very clear
that the great mobilization OF the
common people which took place
in November was permanent,
not temporary mobilization
What is needed is constant alert
ness TO the issues Congress ham
dies, constant letters and visits
showing Congress that the people
continue TO fight for true victory
and full democracy and continue
TO add up the record by which
their spokesman must be measured
in AS.
BY such means the heckling. OBJ
structionist behavior OF the 18th
Congress will be relegated to the
past. A new pattern OF closer ma
tional unity and Of unity between
Congress and the President can be
set. II Congress closes ranks be-
hind the President whom the peo-
pie have endorsed. an all-round
program Of world progress and. al
home. OF full democratic opportun-
ity and equality, can be made real.
Among the basic essentials OF such
a program is the guarantee OF fair
job opportunities embodied in the
] policiac NJ thu EEpC -