The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-07-27
FULFILLMENT OF
PARTY PLEDGES
ASKED OF CHIEFS

NEW YORK.-Requestin that Rob
ert flanagan and Herbert Brownell
chairmen of the democratic and re
publican parties, call special meetings
of their national committees and ode
clare publicly their support for a
permanent Fair Employment Practice
Committee" the National Citizens
Political Action Committee today EN-
phasized in letters to the party lead
ers that they have "a responsibility
to the country and their parties to use
their full authority and prestige
to carry out party platforms and
pledges"
The letters to the party chieftains
asked for prompt replies as to action
that could be expected. Signed by
Elmer A. Benson. chairman of Nation
al Citizens PAC's executive council,
the letters were accompanied by a
committee statement outlining the
grave crisis in race and religious re-
1ations
Benson, in ST. Louis, one of 10
cities he is visiting on a cross-country
trip to discuss with local leaders in
cumbents and candidates worthy of in
dependent support in the 1916 con-
gressional elections, told press con-
ference, eve are unalterably opposed
to any member of the congress or
any candidate for congress who would
use the floors of the house and senate
as sounding boards for Hitlers race
theories" Benson demanded that
"the political parties adhere to their
platforms, and warned failure to do
so will result in the loss of faith of
millions of Independent American vot-
ers who believe thoroughly that it is
the responsibility of the congress to
assure for every citizen the right to
equal protection in his job regardless
of his race, creed or color"
The requests for party action in
support of FEPC were also sent to
the governors of the AZ states, the
state party chairmen, the national
committeeman of both parties, and to
all members of congress. Benson ex-
planned that National Citizens PAC
wants to know how each of these
leaders stands on this fundamental
problem, and hopes that the states
will make themselves heard in the
national offices of both parties and
in the halls of congress"
Text of the letters sent Brownell
and flanagan and the National Citi-
zens PAC's statement of alarm about
the problem of racial and religious
relations follow:
"The Steering Committee of the
National Citizens Political Action
Committee has adopted unanimously a
statement on the question of racial
and religious hatreds in American life.
The last paragraphs of the attached
statement read in part:
1--WE request that the chairmen of
the Democratic and Republican par
ties call special meetings of their
national committee and publicly de-
clare their support for permanent
Fair Employment Practice Commit
zee; and declare themselves unalter-
IDLY opposed to racial hatred and re-
igious intolerance. The common
oitizenry of American want leader
ship. They ask for action now
1T is the opinion of our steering
that both parties betrayed
4 callous Indifference toward the dem
1cratic principle of equal job oppor-
unity in the fight over Fair Employ
nent Practices appropriations. Par
.icularly in the light of :. party plat
'orm pledges of 1914, we know that
he negro people, the Jewish people, |
Catholics, and other minority groups
ire fully conscious of this neglect |
We believe that the elected officials
If both major parties have a respon-
ibility to the country and to their
'arties to use their full authority and |
'restige to see that party platforms
md pledges are carried out.
"As national organization of in
dependent voters we protest the in
ction of The . National committee
N this vital issue; we urge you to
ectify this shortening by positive,