Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-02-07
FEPCO Ordinance
Voted BY Mpls.
City Council
Continued from Page u

VIC have expressed In this letter are
entirely aside from any eOnsidsra-
ton Of our individual opinions on
the merits Of the presently pro-
posed legislation" II Is understood
that Judge Waite, who Is known
10 be for FEPC legislation. insisted
the Inclusion Of that statement.
CounciI ChambeTa Crowded; Only
Five Negroes Present
On Friday morning. Jan. 81, the
council chambers were crowded. An
air Of expectancy lowered over the
routine proceedings. A crowd Of
over 200 was on hand. Only Ave
Negroes were seen In the audience
despite the Importance 0f such
legislation 10 this group. Ths Ave
were: Rev. A. l.. Kirk Of Glendale
Seventh Day Adventist church.
Jacob Collins. painting and deco
rating eontrActoTi TalnAdgs D.
Carey, civic figure and secretary
Of Governors IntsrTaciAl commit
tee; Nell Russell 81 the Spokesman
and Recorder newspapers, and Cecil
y. Newman, newspaper publisher,
president Of the Minneapolis Urban
League and = member of the Hu-
man Relations council.
Others In tho audience In con.
ference with council supporters Of
the FEPC were Mrs. Lawrence
Stsefsl. civic leader; Douglas Hall,
attorney for the clio. and Hyman
Edelman, all members Of the Hu.
man Relations majority who IA.
Vored this legislation. Also seen
we're George Matthews, county
commissioner, vice president of the
Minneapolis Central Labor Union,
who was there In support Of the
measure, Robert Wishnrt, IIenne.
pin County CIO chief! Hubert
schon Of the United Labor Com.
mittss for Human Rights. and
Rohlsy u. Cramsr. editor of tho
Minneapolis Labor Review, was on
hand, Labor appeared to be- 100
por cent behind the passage Of the
law.
Letter BarTaEs BsHiRsI Confusss
Supporters MomsntaTily
About half way through the SOS.
sion. ushsrA passed out letter on
tho Human Relations Council sta
tionery TO each alderman signed BY
i've dissenting members. which
urged tho council 10 defer vote Oh
tho FEPC measure, The letter mo.
msntarlly stunned aldermAnic sup,
portsra Of tho legislation. Swiftly
however, the significance % th'
lettsr was explained by persons
fayorinG the bill, Forty-hvs min,
utsu later. another letter wal
placed In front Of each alderman.
The second communication cAm'
from Bradshaw Mlntsnsr, chair
man, and EllEAbsth IIstfiShnEsr An'
Alfred Wilson. two Vice ehairtnsi
Of the Minneapolis Sslf-Survsi
COMMITTEES who also expressed thu
fear that passage Of the ordinances
would hamper the work Of tn
Sslf-Survey. = community study OF
race and religious relations. Vie,
ehAirmen. Or. Theodore G, BlsEeI
and Mr.. Gottfrid Llndstsn. coul'
not BE- reached 10 sign the letter
This letter also added TO the ap
parent confusion In the "elty faith
srS'" minds. but Il also made SOM
% them angry. The letters ais,
gave opponents Of the ordlnanc,
courage and = talking point,
Sltuatloa Tense AZ Vote Nearu
ny the time the favorable 70
port Of the ordinances and lsgialA
ton committee was read 10 tn
meeting, interest was at fever heat
When the committees recommsnda
ton for suspension Of the rule
and passage of the ordinance wal
read, Alderman Leonard RamhsrE
who has been opposed TO the meas
urV In any form since Il was hru
proposed, secured the hoor an,
after . short speech moved tina
the ordinance he returned 20 IN,
committee, lie cited tho two lot
tsrs which urged the delay. III
motion was seconded by FrAnl
Moulton,
Debate RACES
Ia the argument on the motion
Alderman Glen Wallace pointed on
that the council had had the pro
posed measure under consideration
for over = year, and that opponent
% the law had not seen AZ I,
appear publicly against Il. Prssi
dent Eric Hoyer had the clerk reR,
. telegram from Mayor Huber
H. Humphrey In New York Il
which he fatty urged the council
10 pass the law, and asserted Their,
was no necessity for delay. Alder
man Henry Bank called the tw,
letters the aldermen had receive,
during the meeting an attempt +,
confuse the aldermen. lie read {
letter from the Minneapolis Y. W.
c, A. board urging passage Of III,
legislation.
Alderman Edwin Hendricks
chairman Of the committee which
recommended passage, urged IN,
rejection Of RRmberE's motion. Al
dermAn Herbert Finssth said h,
was heartily In favor Of the passage
of the ordinance and urged the
council to vote In favor 81 Il.
Alderman Frank Moulton strong,
~ urged the return Of the bill Il
the COMMITTEES. Glen Wallace spoke