Evening star., 1945-01-15
Transit Firm Explains Stand
At Hearing Before FEPC
Fears 70 Pct. Of Employees Would Quit
If CoIored Operators Are Used

at q nearing today before the PreSi-
dents Fair Employment Practice
COMMITTEE with racial discrimina-
ton for restricting operating jobs to
white persons, replied that If colored
workers were hired to run trolleys
and buses something like 10 per cent
of the company's employees would
quit.
In an opening statement at the
hearing in the United States Court
LOT Appeals chambers, Edmund l..
Jones, counsel for the company, cited
a survey by Paul Lunt, economist
and analyst, which revealed the
strike threat.
Mr.. Jones denied that the COM
pany had any prejudice against
hiring or upgrading colored opera
tors, but he said:
ut is matter of common knowl-
edge that there is at least a partial
segregation of the two races here
which does not exist in the other
cities"
He referred to cities where colored
operators are employed.
In an opening statement for
FEPC, Mrs. Evelyn Cooper. trial
counsel, asserted that for the COM
pany to say white operators might
quit was to say they will place
prejudice above patriotism"
Test of Democracy.
To contend the employment of
colored operators would work in
other cities and not here, she added,
| is ito say there is no assurance
democracy will work in the Nations
Capital"
Two civic and religious leaders, in
additional opening statements,
pleaded for Washington to get be-
hind the war effort without racial
discrimination, treating all citizens
alike.
In estimating the white employees
who would refuse to work If colored
men were given platform dobs. Mr..
Jones quoted from the Luf1t survey.
Mr.. Lunt will testify later.
Partial Segregation Here.
The attorney said the survey
showed that approximately 80 per
cent OF the present platform en-
ployes were born and raised in the
South. In other cities, like Phila-
helphia, where colored workers have
been upgraded to operating posts,
the situation is almost exactly the
opposite, Mr.. Jones said.
1T is matter of common knoWl-
edge" he added, that there is at
least partial segregation of the
two races here which does not exist
in the other cities"
At present, the company employs
about $40 colored workers, repre-
senting about IL per cent of total
employment, Mr.. Jones said.
"We are anxious he said, "to hire
more Negroes in reliable and steady
jobs at good pay. There are few or
no applications for the available
jobs, because of the tight employ
ment situation and the general lack
of available manpower.
THE company has no prejudices
whatsoever against hiring Negroes
for platform service"
He pointed to to attitude of the
employees, as shown by the Lunt sur
vey and a previous incident which
he described as indicating "a dis
tinct possibility of complete stop
page of transportation if Negroes
are hired in platform jobs"
Arranged for Upgradinx.
Mr.. Jones recalled that following
conferences with the FEPC in the
fall of 1912, the company made an
effort through the union to arrange
for upgrading colored employees. Al
though many of the white employees
expressed opposition, the company
went ahead with its plan to fill po-
sitions without racial discrimination,
and assigned one colored man to
platform work. Completing prelim-
mary training, Mr.. Jones related,
this employe was sent to the Ben
ming division for road instruction.
"The conductor who was assigned
to train him." Mr.. Jones recounted,
refused to do so, and other en-
ployes of the division refused to take
out their cars. This resulted in
complete stoppage of transportation
out Of this division for approx
mately half an hour"
The colored trainee then was re-
moved, and the service was re-
sumed, Mr.. Jones said. He added:
Because of the Importance of its
operations to the war effort, with
the great majority of the Govern
ment war workers, including key
personnel of the armed forces, de-
pending upon streetcars and buses
for transportation, it cannot take
upon itself the responsibility for
employing Negro platform employees
as long as the hazard of complete
stoppage exists. The serious impact
that stoppage would have on the
war effort might we'll extend its ef-
forts to the battle fronts.
Stoppage Feared.
''We take our responsibilities too
seriously to warrant hazarding the
loss of time and chaos that might
result if Washington's war workers
were deprived of their means of get
ting to their jobs in Government
agencies. We carry more than L.
000, 900 people daily on our lines.
Little imagination is needed to visu-
alize what would happen should
there be a stoppage Of their trans
portation."
Mr.. Jones pointed out that, while
the company had hired no colored
operators since the Benning episode,
| it had promoted and upgraded "a
very substantial number in the me-
chanical and way and structures de-
partments.