The Omaha guide., 1946-04-06

new 4Ork-Ine 1OIlOW1nR let
ter was Sent today to the Repub-
lican National Committee asking
consideration of the 5 items
FEPC, the Anti Lynching Bill, the
AntiPoll Tax Bill, the Housing
Bill and the conservative ReLub-
dcan-Southern Democratic coali-
tion-at its meeting in Washing
ton on Monday.
LAS the Republican National
Committee meets on Monday, We
ask, on behalf not only of ID mil
lion American citizens of Negro
blood but as well on behalf of the
other Americans concerned with
the fate of u country, that the
Committee take u~nequivocal and
affirmative action in the 1914 Re-
publican platform. We ask that
unless the Committee can see it's
way clear to take acton without
punch pulling it take no action
at all so that those interested may
thereby know that the Republican
National Committee does not See
fit to implement without reserva,
ton its party pledges.
The issues upon which we re
quest affirmative action are:
% The Fair Employment Pra-
ctice Commission
Support of Federal legislation of
this measure was pledged without
qualification in the 1914 platform.
But eight Republican Senator's
failed to vote for cloture in the
United States Senate and by that
he House Of Representatives the
majority Of Republicans have
'ailed to date to sign the dischargS
petition despite inumerable pleas
to them that they do SO. Repub-
lican signatures could bring the
bill to the floor for a vote imme-
diately. But those votes are to
date lacking. We ask that the Re
publican National Committee take
whatever steps are possible under
its present machinery and that it
revise its policy and procedure if
necessary to secure enactment at
this session of the Congress of the
bill for the permanent FEPC.
~ The Anti Lynching Bill
The recent mob outbreak at
Columbia, Tenn. the attempts to
revive such lawless organizations
as the Ku Klux Khan and similar
groups designed to stir up racial
and religious prejudice threaten a
recrudescense of mob violence
which al only be checked by
federal legislation. We ask the
Committee to 60 on record and to
implement such pledge by support
of cloture in the Senate and the
signing of the discharge petition
in tie House.
CD The Anti-Pon Tax Bill
The United States is vigorously
supporting democratic elections in
Bulgaria and Japan while Ameri-
can citizens, Negro and white, arr
denied the right to vote here in
the United States. This is a most
extraordinary and hypocritical con-
tradiction. Republican votes for
cloture can gring about Gle pas
sageo of the anti-poll tax bill with
in the next few weeks. VIII the
1ACRd01IOd1l 1NdllOlLdl SOIAlIIlLLCG
see that these votes are forthcom-
ing?
az Housing
Americans of all races and all
Sections of the country Desperate
ly need housing. A Enthusiastically
financed lobby of real estate in
terests is bringing pressure to
bear on the Congress against hou-
sing legislation. Many of the Re
publican Senators and Congress
man, as well as those on the other
side of the aisle, have given evil
dence Of yielding to that pressure.
We ask the Republican National
Committee to repudiate this lob
by and to put forth every posi-
BILE effort for the immediate en-
actment of such legislation.
(5) The recent public announce
ment of a coalition in the Con
gress between conservative Re-
publicans and Southern Democr-
ats, although evidence of such a
working agreement has long been y
Seen, has u~nfuriated many AmerL
can citizens, particularly those Of
a minority like the Nero, because
of the opposition of that coalition
to legislation desperately needed
for alienation of suffering cGused
by job discrimination, disfranchi-
sement, mob violence and lack Of
housing. We ask the Republican
National Committee to repudiate
this coalition without equivocation
The position taken by the Re-
publican National Committee on
these issues will profoundly af-
feet the decisions made in 1916
and 1948 by many Americans, but
m rtin11Ia rlu hrr Monrn nitirOrn