The Omaha guide., 1947-08-23
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put forth for discussion purposes
1t would permit state legislatures
to act exempt their states from
the enforcement provisions of the
bill. Senator Smith asked each
witness his opinion of the amend
ment and practically all of the
proponents of I'LL bill gave a
strong Mo-. Not only would Sen
ator Smiths amendment be a bad
precent for all federal legislation
but would give the veto power to
southern legislatures whose DEM
ocratic mandates and intent are
highly Questionable inasmuch az
they n based on an arbitrarily
restricted electorate due to the
poll-tax and Negro disfranchise-
ment.
Committee Action and
Present Status Of Bill
S-984 was acted upon by the
subcommittee after the hearings
and referred to the full Senate
Labor Committee with a recon-
mediation for further study" In
view of the fact that three of the
five members of the sub-commit-
tee were sponsors of our bill there
is no doubt but that there would
have been a flat recommendation
for favorable action had not SEN
ator Smith muddied the waters
in the way he didi. Senator Taft
announced that the full Labor
Committee had accepted and ad-
opted the subcommittee state
ment expressing agreement On the
general purposes of tn bill but not
on all of it's provisions and there
fore was holding the bill in CON-
mittee until January when amend
ments may be offered by members
of the committee. Thus, Senator
Smith played right into the hands
of Senator Ellender, leader of the
southern opposition, who prob
ably would not have been able
to secure the delay on his own
account. A full analysis of this
sordid episode was made by Co.
Chairman Randolph and released
soon after the recess. A copy will
be sent you on request.
We intend to expose such man
euvers, cloaked as they may be
with good intentions, whenever
they occur.
Our bill, then, is now in the full
Senate Labor Committee and wwe
are urging that it be voted out
Immediately after Congress re-
convenes in January. In the House
the bill, sponsored by eight Re-
personalities, is in the House
Labor Committee of which Con-
gresham Fred G. Hartley Of New
Jersey is the Chairman. We are
urging that action be taken in
the House in January likewise. Of
course, if Congress is re-called
earlier We will ask that our bill
be acted upon at that time.
The Congressional Recess in
July makes no difference in the
status of the bill and when Con-
gress returns it will take up
where It left off its consideration
of the FEPC and other measures
Action Program
During Recess
The aim of the National Council
and its local affiliates is to carry
out a campaign Of mobilization
of every possible source of sup
port for the permanent FEPC
bill all over the country. This in
cludes the building of local coun-
ellis in every large city and COM
mittees in every Congressional
district where they al be organ
zed. Our bill will pass or fail on
the strength Of our public support
Favorable attitudes, potential eff
fort Or latent activity will not
be enough. This bill must be an
issue throughout the country and
all individuals and groups who
have favored it must work actively
for it.
During the recess we ask you
and your organization to:
1. Canvass your Congressman
for his support of S.984 and HIP.
1924 and compaion bills. If he is
in favor of it, ask him to do all
he can to get action on it when
Congress returns and to win
friends for it among his colleag-
ues. If he is non-commital or op.
posed, use every reasonable tech
nique at your command to win
him over We have found two ma.
jor handicaps in Congress: Con.
gressmen often do not have time
to become familiar with all the
bills they are called upon to con.