Evening star., 1946-02-17
9Th District Residents
Will Join Conference
On Human Relations

More than 100 residents of the
eighth district of Virginia yester-
day voted unanimously to organize
as an affiliate of the Committee for
Virginia of the Southern Confer
ence for Human Welfare at meet
ing at Gadsby's Tavern, Alexandria.
The need for such an organiza-
ton in the eighth district was
stressed by DR.. Clark Foreman of
Atlanta, president of the Southern
Conference. DR.. Foreman said the
aims Of the organization include
abolition of the poll tax and estab-
lishment of the rights of citizens in
the courts.
He cited the recent sentence i'm
posed on two labor union heads in
the Alexandria Police Court, saying.
What would Patrick Henry or
Thomas Jefferson say If they had
to speak for Hardman George
Hardman, president of the Alex
andria Central Labor Union) in the
case of this fragrant assault on JUS.
tice in the Alexandria courts?"
Given 90-day Sentences.
Mr.. Hardman and James c. Tur-
ner, business agent of the union,
were given 80 days in Jail and fined
$3.50 each by Judge Harry F. Ken
nedy on charges of assaulting Fred
Kirchner, former president of the
union, at union election meeting.
j. Rixey Smith, secretary to Sena-
tor Glass, Democrat, of Virginia
said the organization was needed in
the district so that "the little bunch
of small town Tories can be cleaned
out"
Mrs. Virginia Durr, chairman of
the meeting, pointed out that only
l6 per cent of the population of the
9th district votes; that the State as
a whole stands 43d in education,
and that in Fairfax County Sc per
cent of the selectees called for in
duction were rejected for physical
defects, proving the need for bet
ter health program in the State.
Study Hatch Act Effect.
Discussion of candidates for men,
bers OF the Executive Committee
centered largely on the effect of the
Hatch Act on the organization, with
opinion differing as to whether Fed
eral or State employees who are pre-
vented by the act from taking pub
lie part in political groups could
serve on the Southern Conference
committees.
Mrs. Durr pointed out that the
District of Columbia Committee of
the conference will meet Wednesday
at 1890 pm at the K street YWCA
to discuss the effect of the Hatch
Act on the organization, and sug-
gested deferral of further discussion
on the subject until it becomes clari-
fed.
Mrs. Durr was named chairman of
temporary executive committee,
which includes the following officers
and members-at-large: Mr.. Smith,
vice chairman; Mrs. Regina Wermil,
Arlington, executive secretary, and
Mrs. Jean Durham, Arlington, mem
bership secretary; Russell Nixon.
James Franklin, Dwight Chapman
and Mrs. Esther Cooper, Arlington
representatives; Mrs. Audrey Walz,
Malcolm Lamborne, jr., and Mrs.
Alice Humphrey, Alexandria; Mrs.
Elizabeth Chiffon Murray, Mrs. Ca
bell Phillips and DR.. w. E. Costner,
Fairfax; Mrs. Louise Medley and
DR.. M. B. K. Edmead, Loudoun, and
Miss Elizabeth Steptoe, Charlottes-
vile.
The Executive Committee was in
structeo to name two more delegates
to represent the American Fedora
ton of Labor and the Railroad
Brotherhood, so that, with Mr.. Nixon
representing the Congress of Indus
trial Organizations, the three large
labor groups in the district will have
representation.