Evening star., 1945-01-15

operators to relieve the manpowel
situation" he said, SIS so simple
and obvious a step, in the interest o1
the company itself, that 1t would be
clearly evident that the company
would have taken this step long age
If it was felt that such a procedure
would be helpful"
In her opening statement for the
FEPC, Mrs. Cooper charged the
Capital Transit Co. with persistine
in its unfair employment prac-
tees" She added:
1T does SO to the detriment OF
the entire community, to the detri-
ment Of the work of the war agencies
of the Government where employees
in large numbers are dependent
upon the company for transporta-
tion-even to the detriment of the
war itself"
Mrs. Cooper also deplored the
tefect on the morale of "a large
segment Of the city of Washington.
She explained that "the Negroes
themselves are suffering from trans
portation deficiencies resulting from
discrimination against members of
their own race"
Unwillingness Charged.
Mrs. Cooper conceded that the
company has been astute and
skillful in its attempt to cope with
this manpower problem in every
way possible short of employing Ne
groes." She added:
Its failure to apply the same
managerial skill in compliance with
national policy would seem to be
due to unwillingness rather than
inability, yet today need for plat
form workers is as great II not
greater than before. Transportation
is seriously inadequate. And still
the company refuses to utilize quail
fled Negro workers"
100 Applicants Cited.
Mrs. Cooper said the company re-
ceived more than 100 applications
from Negroes early in 1943 and by
June of that year there were 24C
available registered with USES ano
by September, 1928.
The company, she said, has not
tapped the possible source of Negro
manpower, including Negro womer
and part-time Negro workers-mer
and wonderland the Negroes now
in its employ who might qualify fol
platform work"
She cited Detroit, Chicago, Phila
delphia. San Francisco, Cleveland
and New York as cities where
Negroes are satisfactorily employed
at platform jobs. While the com.
pany may plead that the problem
in Washington is unique, she added
this Is to say that there is nc
assurance that democracy will work
in the Nations Capital"
A plea for adequate measures to
assure the city the best possible
transportation without social dis
elimination was made in state
ment by Frederick E. Reissig, chair
man Of the Citizens Committee on
Race Relations.
Social Danger Seen.
Mr.. Reissig cited Detroit where.
he said, 1.500 colored operators work
without difficulty.
But Washington lags behind
other cities he added.
A similar plea was made by the
Rev. E. C. Smith. pastor of the Met
ropolitan Baptist Church and head
of the Potomac Council of Negro
Churches.
Mr.. Smith saw policy OF dis
elimination in the streetcar system
as breeding social danger"
America" he said, must feel a
deep sense of shame that such
things can happen here at the Ma
tional Capital"
He called discrimination in hiring
"a poisonous and explosive doc
trine," which would mark "a defeat
for our democracy"
Equal Opportunity.
Malcolm Ross, national chairman
of FEPC, said in opening the hear
ing that it was clear the community
cannot divest itself of the duties
to see that all its citizens have an
equal opportunity to devote their
best skills to the winning of a war
in which all our fortunes are en-
gaged.'
In most of the cities where COL
ored operators have been employed
there has been no serious dificulty
he pointed out. He added that in
Philadelphia "a few selfish men sue
cessfully plotted a surprise walk
out;;' but he emphasized that COL
ored operators are at work there
today.
Despite the fact that strike pre-
vented a previous attempt to employ
colored operators in Los Angeles,
he said this policy was carried out
with no further trouble. Today
there are so Negro operators there,
ne said, land perhaps of greater
Importance to the war, the morale
OF 100000 Los Angeles citizens has
been greatly raised by this simple
act OF justice to a few people of
their race
Could End Discrimination.
Under the executive order Great
ing the FEPC, Mr.. Ross explained
"the committee may take appropri-
ate steps to eliminate any discrimi-
nation which may be found to exist
The FEPC called today's hearing
under specific charges that IA COL
ored applicants for platform jobs In
the transportation system were re-
fused employment because of theil
race.
In a statement reviewing the hir-
ing practices of the company, FEPC
said an original order asking the
United States Employment Service