Evening star., 1947-02-12
Minority Groups Specialist, United s

No community in the country is better
situated to serve as barometer of the
trends in American race relations than
the city of Washington. Strategically
located at point where North meets
South, the City of Washington is repre-
sentative of every possible shade OF
opinion on interracial considerations.
As the capital of nation that has had
world leadership thrust upon it, the
slightest trend in local race relations
comes into the focus of both national
and international scrutiny Eighteen
months have elapsed since the cessation
of hostilities and the beginning of a
new era in American affairs. During
this period certain definite trends have
appeared on Washington's horizon Of
race relations which are now being re-
iected on the national scene.
The major civic problems that con-
front the average American community
are multiplied many-fold in Washing
ton because of the relatively high pro-
portion of the Negro population to
the city as a whole. Since the 1910
census in which the nonWhite popu-
lation averaged % per cent, recent fig
ures have estimated an increase to 35
per cent. These population statistics
are reflected, for example. in pub
lie school registration The present
enrolment of nonwhite children in
the public elementary schools shows
registration of 44.9 per cent. This ratio
is somewhat lower in the secondary
schools, but it is still far above the
proportionate average of any American
city. Similarly, registration of job ap-
plicants at the United States Employ
ment Service Office for the District of
Columbia shows nen-white ratio of
SIS per cent. Other civic problems of
housing, public health, recreation and
delinquency, vexing in other localities,
are painfully acute in the Nations
Capital.
Higher Standards of Living.
To complicate further the intensity
Of the local situation is the added factor
of the human element. The average
per capita training and education of
the whites in the District OF CO.
lumbia IS far superior to. comparable
populations in other American COM
munities. As the Negro improves his
iteracy he gains access to a larger
world Of ideas Furthermore, his per
capita earnings are higher, and as a
consequence the standard of living
reaches level beyond that of non
whites in other cities. A high intel
lectual quotient coupled with a high
standard of living produces a situation
where it is becoming increasingly diff
cult to maintain any system of public
segregation based on racial differences.
One after another of the hitherto
accepted patterns of community seq
regation have come under the fire of
nonwhiteS, as we'll as interested white
groups. 1t has been the practice in
the past to characterize these move
ments as -''red'' and "communistic,"
and to classify the interested whites as
fellow travellers" or members of the
"lunatic fringe" However, in spite of
the immensity of the mission and the
unpopularity of the cause, these move
ments have not only persisted, but have
gained considerable momentum within
the past few months. This has been
due in part to the impact of the
peace, and the trends away from the
status quo as it affects minority groups
and subject peoples the world over.
Employment Service Practice.
The U. S. Employment Service for the
District of Columbia is case in point.
When this agency was established in
1884 under the terms of the Wagner
Peyser Act, District Negroes were SO
pleased to have seven members of their
race appointed to the staff of about
30 persons, that not single voice was
raised iE protest against the rigidly
segregated set-up As time passed and
the agency grew in size and effective
ness the non-white staff was increased
proportionately with the expansion of
the local Office. Today there are about
45 colored employees out of approx
imately 180 persons.
In 1885, about the time of the Begin
ming of World War II, rumblings were
heard for the first time in the Negro
community for the abolition of racial
segregation as it applied to both appli-
cants and employees at the local USES
Office. So persistent were these rum
blings that in 1910, committee of
the House Committee on Appropriations
questioned high agency officials on the
authenticity of reported plans to change
the segregated Office to partially
integrated system. The House sub
committee expressed itself as being
definitely opposed to these contemplated
changes, and exacted assurances from
the heads of the agency that no plan
of racial integration would be attempted.
For time the movement toward in
tegration was effectively silenced.