The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-05-03
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
~ HAZEL BRANNoN
rEpc SHOULD BE DEFEATED

FEPC SHOULD BE DEFEATED
Congressman considering the pas
sage of a permanent FEPC should
weigh the attack made upon the
FEPC by Rep. Carter Manasco
Dem. Alabama).
There is one thing certain. The
establishment of the FEPC on a
permanent basis in America will
precipitate more race riots and nus
more trouble in our industrial Sys-
tenn than any other single factor.
Representative Manasco, in attack
ing the FEPC bill in a recent speech,
predicted that il this bill ever did
become law, an aroused American
public opinion would drive from Of
flee every person who votes for its
passage.
To-day, as never before in the his
tory Of country" the Alabamian
said, nothing should be done to
cause disunity.
I'VE have Just lost a great Presi-
dent. The task Of our new President
will be most difficult with all Of us
working in harmony to aid him in
carrying out his program. Strong
pressure is being brought to bear
for the early passage Of H. r. 2232,
q bill to prohibit discrimination In
employment because Of race, creed,
color, national origin or ancestry. To
my humble way of thinking, the pas
sage Of this bill will create so much
disunity in this country that Presi-
dent Truman's administration will
be wrecked and any hope for last
ing peace will be dashed on the
rocks.
Whenever the Congress by law
delegates the authority to any man
or bureau to force American en-
ployers to employ against their will
any person, that day democracy dies.
1t is just as reasonable to attempt
to legislate whom ones friends
should be or whom should
marry as it is to attempt to legislate
whom an employer should employ.
"Under the terms of H. r. 1882 a
publishing house owned and oper-
ated by a religious institution could
be forced to employ believers in 9TH
er faiths. A Protestant church could
force a publishing house owned and
operated by the Catholic Church to
give him employment as an editor
of a religious paper, or vice versa;
or a Mohammedan who is otherwise
qualified could force a theological
college owned and operated by Bap-
fists to train Baptist preachers to
employ him as a professor. An
atheist who is otherwise qualified
could force a Jewish synagogue to
employ him to sing in the choir If
choir members are hired. The same
thing would be true Of employers of
religious bookstores, who cater SOLE
ly to members of certain faiths.
"In many communities where peo-
pie Of the same national origin, Gull
lure and religious belief live, 1t is
good business to employ people in
stores and other businesses who are
members of this particular group.
This is as it should be, for it is hu-
man nature and good business to
have harmony among employees.
IF this bill were in effect now,
it would be a violation of the law
for a manufacturer who is a
featuring highly secret war mater
ials to refuse employment to a quail
fled Jap or German. A Jap or Ger
could force his employment in II
munitions factories. u aircraft fac
tories, our radio factories, and u
shipyards. Why should we ieopor-
dire the security of our country in
On effort to get votes?
"Of course, there are those in our
midst who ridicule the American
system of free enterprise. They much
prefer the Russian system, where
fewer than 1000 900 party members
control the destinies of l~70,000,000
Russians-where it is almost impos-
sible to break into the selected inner
circle.
'Where would our production be
today if our armament manufactur-
ers were hailed into court every time
a person sought employment and
was turned down because he hap
pened to be a Jap or a German
SympatniZer!
"A lot of people are laboring I'M
der the illusion that this bill is to
force the %upgrading in industry OF
the negro. This bill is to force Amer.
leans, against their wills, to employ
people of any race, color, or creed.
1t could force negro undertaking
establishments to hire white under
takers, and you and ! know what a
howl would be raised if that were
to happen. Any American who is
worthy of being called American de-
sires to select his own employees
without dictation from Congress, the
President, or any government bu-
reau.
"If we want to precipitate race
riots, destruction of property, and
the abandonment of the system OF
private ownership. there is no bet