The Omaha guide., 1946-12-07
SEGREGATION ELIMINATION
JEWISH CONGRESS SEEKS
IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
Continued from page u

arate bue equal facilities. 1t argu
es that segregation, even when
equal facilities are provided, trans
forms a social, community sane
toned 'inferiority' into a legally
sanctioned political inequality
Leaders in the fight against dis
elimination believe that a favor
able court decision on the consti-
tutional issue of the case would
represent a long step toward the
ultimate invalidation of all racial
segregation laws. In addition to
American Jewish Congress-, the
local Mexican community and the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People are
active in the case.
The American Jewish Congress-
briefs marshalls a variety of ar
guments to support its case.
Segregation is held inconsistent
with federal policy as expressed
in the ratification of the United
Nations Charter and in the reso-
luton accompanying the Act Of
Chapultepec. The brief likewise
declares the segregation of child
rem of recent immigrants contrary
to the Federal naturalization DO
Icy which envisages the rapid as
similation of immigrant groups in
to American life.
The brief points out that segre-
cation against Negroes, Mexicans
and other minorities is predicted
upon assumptions of inferiority or
superiority and cites numerous
opinions by Southern courts which
frankly declare Negroes to be so
inferior to whites that a white
person may recover damages for
libel or SANDER if he is written or
spoken of as a Negro. Southern
courts view segregation laws as
official recognition of this inferi-
GRITTY. Where white persons have
been compelled to ride in segrega-
t e d Negro coaches. Southern
courts have considered the humi-
liation and modification so great
as to warrant an award of DANA
ges.
Supporting it's contentious with
numerous references to sociologi-
cal and psychological literature.
the brief demonstrates that an Of
fetal sanction of segregation
helps to perpetrate racial preiu-
dice. contributes to the degrade
ton and humiliation of the min
GRITTY child and has Gripping
psychological effects upon the in
dividual personality.
The American Jewish Congress
urges the disregard of racial and
religious differences mot for the
sake of minorities alone but be-
cause both the dominant and sub
ordinate groups are adversely af-
fected by segregation.
The point is made that while the
United States Supreme Court up
held segregation in the decision of
Plessy VS.. Ferguson, in 1895, it
did 50 only upon the assumption
that legal segregation did not i'm
ply the inferiority of the Negro
race. 1t is maintained, however,
that, in the light of fifty years
experience with legally enforced
segregation, "the only meaning of
the distinction between Negroes
and whites, Mexicans and Anglo
Saxons, is that of inferiority of
one group to another" and that
the very doctrine of the Plessy
case "calls for the outlawing of
humiliation and discriminatory
laws
The argument concludes that
while "all discrimination is bad.
none is so vicious as the. .humiIi-
alton Of innocent, trusting children
American children full of faith in
life. Their humiliation strikes at
the very roots of the American
Commonwealth"
The Westminster case is only
one of a number of legal and leg
islative actions against racial and
religious discrimination in employ
ment. education and housing un-
dertaken by the Commission on
Law and Social Action Of the A.
merican Jewish Congress.