The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-01-25
AMmunHM'
\4S + 7zs~zsAAss

There is a great deal of disappoint
ment in many quarters over the fact
that Fair Employment Practices com
mission has received such small ap
preparation for its support as to make
drastic curtailment necessary. Presi
dent Truman recommended to con
gress an appropriation of $4,000 fol-
the work of the FEPC, but the con
gress cut that appropriation to $780,,
900. AS a result of this reduced ap
preparation the commission first abol
ished five regional offices and recent
Ily has abolished seven more, leaving
only three offices in the whole coun-
try. Chicago, Detroit, and st. Louis,
are the only offices functioning.
These three offices were chosen be-
cause it was felt that the employment
problems were most intense in those
cities, and that the population. prob
lens were such as to make charges
and perhaps practices of unfair dis
elimination frequent.
President Roosevelt established the
manpower shortages brought to light
the fact that in many tight labor mar
kets certain races and certain relig-
ious groups were frequently refused
employment which they were able to
undertake or could be trained to I'M
dertake.
Dealing in the field of intense pref
udices, the FEPC has had a rough
road at times. In general its influence
has been on the constructive and
practical side 1t has never had au-
thority to enforce the carrying out of
its rulings, but it's advice and recon-
put into operation through
the War Manpower commission has
had very large effect on the atti-
tudes of many employers and the pub
lie generally.
There seems to be no doubt that in
thousands of instances it has over
come prejudices against employing ne
groes, Jews, or women where the dis
had been pure thought
lessness and a lack of realistic ap-
probation of the need of these groups
for wide scope for making a living
and the need of industry and society
for more workers, more wage earners,
and more purchasing power in the
market. Many employers who never
employed negroes have
done so with favorable results, and
it has been discovered by trial and
error that when proper preparation
and introductions are made negro and
white workers can cooperate on the
same job.
The FEPC has done much to show
employers how they may improve their
practice in this sometimes delicate
field of personnel relationships. 1t
IS apparently a matter of making the
proper preliminary explanations, both
20 colored and white workers, and ex-
Decting good faith and general good
Intentions of the workers to prevail
Working people for the most part are
very sensitive to the need of others,
and having had problems of their own
IN making a living will usually try to
help others who are at disadvantage,
Even in certain types of office work,
negro girls have been used successful |
v. The New York Telephone COM
oany has hired over a hundred girls
IS operators and reports that the ex-
pertinent is successful. A number OF
insurance companies have also taken
IN properly trained negro girls in of
ice work.
1t takes tolerance, flexibility, and
orbearance on both sides to overcome
I'D prejudices and establish new hab-
is. One reason why prejudices
against other people is so bad for hui
nan being is that it affects the victims
lot only in their material well being |
)ut has also a subtle and profound
influence on their character, their per-
their attitude toward life. The
often intensity the original and
gnorant intolerance. Free people,
rec of the fear of arrogance and dis
CONTINUED on Page Three) J