St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-08-23
Washington ALL
Supports Jim Crow
Threatens USES
By JAMES L. HICKS
NNPA Staff Writer

w AOI1lINSlSINI -. ~, Au9'
22-The local body Of the
American Federation OF Labor
hos informed the United States
Employment Services that ii
that agency moves to end race
segregation in its local Offices, the
union will take the issue to men,
bers of the House Appropriations
Committee, who oppose integra-
ton, and will seek to have the
agency's offices here abolished, it
was learned here last Friday.
The threat by the union to the
agency followed an announcement
by the Congress Of Industrial Or
CARNATIONS that it would picket
the local offices of USES in pro-
test against the agency's policy of
maintaining separate facilities for
white and colored job applicants.
A delegation of the local AFL
called on USES officials and told
them that the local AFL is unalter-
ably opposed to the mixing of the
races in the District of Columbia.
In taking its stand against in
tegration, the local AFL directed
attention to the fact that its unions
maintain separate facilities for
white and cOlored workers in the
District of Columbia. The races
are kept separate in locker rooms,
tool sheds, eating facilities, toilets
and offices, the union representa-
tives said. Even separate water
pals are provided for white and
colored laborers, they pointed out.
The delegation warned USES Of
ficials that it would charge the
agency with attempting TO bring
about social reforms, if integra-
ton were attempted, and stated
that such an attempt might be the
forerunner of racial disturbances.
Before the conclusion of the con-
ference they drew from local Off
Gals a pledge that no attempts at
Indignation would be made without
authority from the director of the
fourth regional district of USES.
Meanwhile the CLIO last We'd
nesday threw a picket line around
the offices of Robert Goodwin, ma
tional director of USES, with 200
white and colored pickets marching
before his offices in the Labor De-
partment carrying signs which
read Goodwin Defends Segrega-
ton at USES" Jim Crow is Hit
ler's Brother" Smash Jim Crow
at USES" and Veterans Want
Equal Job Opportunities for All
Americans"
Following the one-day demon
stration, Miss Gertrude Evans,
secretary of the Washington In
dustrial Union Council (ClO), said
that the CLIO would continue its
fight against discrimination and
segregation in the agency and
that petitions are now being circu-
lated obtaining names of promi-
nent people in business and gov
eminent who endorse the fight.
The fight against segregation in
the USES dates back to hearings
before the House Appropriation
Committee in 1941 when reaction
airy members of the Committee,
who opposed Indignation, made an
alleged off the record deal" with
USES heads in which it was
agreed that segregation would be
maintained in the agency's District
Of Columbia offices.
Since that time the United Pub
lie Workers Of America has twice
protested to the United States
Civil Service Commission that the
agency was using discriminatory
practices in its referrals of white
and colored applicants to govern
ment jobs.
An investigation by the Civil
Service Commission substantiated
the charges of the UPWA and the
Commission ordered USES to de-
sist from such practices.
Two months later after a fol-
low-up check by the UPWA similar
charges were again levelled at the
agency. At that time Civil Serv-
ice promised another investigation
and C. c. Hathaway, public rela-
tons officer for the Commission,
said if the charges were again
found true, the only course of ac-
ton left to the Commission would
be to refer the matter to President
Truman.
Thus far the Commission has not
made public its findings in the
second investigation.
Goodwin, USES head, had mo
comment" to make when asked
about the picket line thrown around
his office.
Labor Department officials were
equally silent when confronted
with the fact that the ALL charges
had come to the attention Of