The Omaha guide., 1946-02-23
THE SOUTHERNERS HAVE 1T.

With the temporary defeat of the Fair Employment Prac-
tice Bill, Southern senators are gloating over the fact, not
that they were successful in defeating fair employment
practices, but more over maintaining State Rights.
To thwart any infringement on State Rights was the main
issue of southern senatorial opposition. Getting the sup
port O ftheir constituents back home was easy for they knew
Lhat all necessary was to publicize the old bugaboo of social
equality. They knew their constituents would no. or could
not read tn eprovisions of the bill, even if they did know
that White supremacy would render them blind or uncon-
scious to anything else.
This is just as true today as it was before the war. The
humiliation of that theory was taken from America to Ger.
many after causing millions of men to lose their lives has
not enlightened the people at all.
What were the objections to the Presidents Fair En-
ployment Practice Commission?
Ignorance to its provisions seems to be the most logical
answer.
In simple language, the bill only prohibits discrimina-
tion in employment because of race, creed, color, national
origin and ancestry. 1t only applies to agencies of the Fed
eral Governments; employers of six or more persons who
operations affect interstate or foreign commerce, and fed.
eral contractors and sub-contractors who employ six or
more persons.
Is that undemocrattic? If it is, what about this: "All
persons born or naturalized in the United States, and sub
ject to the Jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United
States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall
make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges
or imrnunifies of the citizens of the United States; nor
shall any State deprive any person Of life, liberty, or pro-
perry, without equal protection of the laws"
Or what about this? H'The right of citizens of United
STATES to vote shall not be denied, or abradged by the Uni
ted States o rby any State on account of race, color, or pre-
vious condition of servitude."
These are amendments to the Constitution. The first was
adopted in 1868, and made clear that Negroes we're citizens.
The second was adopted in 1870 to secure Negro suffrage
and to prevent Negroes from being disfranchised. Now to
deny the Negroes these, according to southerners is demo-
cratic. Sill they are part of our Constitution.
Something is wrong somewhere. If it is undemocratnc
I ogaarantee fair employment to citizens of the United
States. AMI undelnocratic to deny citizens privileges guar
anteed them by the Constitution. Somebody has the bull by
Ehe wrong end, or the Constitution isn't worth a damn.
Il has been evidenced that it was poor stratetgy on the
part Of polticos after the south was defeated and whipped
into the union to trade State Rights for party support. The
South got the power it welcomed. for it gave southerners
the right 10 deal with the Negro the way they saw fit. To-
day that power has become detrimental to the entire struc-
ture of a democratic country. and if not curbed soon, is
likely to cause the overthrow of entire America.
Already the tradiotions of the South have made it III,
poorest section of America, the most iliterate, the poorest
in health: and that alone has cost the North, East. and West
more than their share of casualties in our late world strug.
gle. This is IN addition to making America a menace 10
worlds peace.
something. sooner or later must be done. This much is
thing offered to better. the conditions from other sections.
1--WE must work out our own program they say. Yet, no.
body offers a program for any substitution.
1t is our prediction, unless the South wakes up and Of