Evening star., 1947-03-08
Press Gallery Issue
Troubles Congress
Q. Q. P. Must Deal With Request
OF Colored Correspondent
By Doris Fleeson

ofo1t W ucd1 Will Tic COnGfOs
versial issue of the colored reporter,
Louis R. Lautier, whose application for
admission to the Congressional press
galleries has been rejected by the stand
ing committee Of correspondents.
The communicative reporters elected
by their colleagues for two-year terms
to run the galleries-relied upon the
technical ground that Mr.. Lautiers
main work was not done for his daily,
the Atlanta Daily World, but for va
rious weeklies.
This is indeed the strict letter Of the
law. 1t is well known, however, that the
rules have on occasion been generously
Interpreted for old timers (white) or
colleagues down on their luck who
needed break. It was the contention
OF the only dissenter to the Lautier de-
cision, Grifing Bancroft of the Chicago
Sun, that this tolerance was right and
proper and should now apply as en-
couragement to the only Negro daily
in.the country and its representative.
Mr.. Lautier will take his battle to the
Senate and House Rules Committees,
which share responsibility for the gal
leries with the press itself. Negro or
ganizations the CIo and various civil
rights groups are with him in the fight.
An Old Battle.
1t is an old battle-Mr. Lautiers
predecessor here was twice, after long
delays. refused admittance. 1t will be
the first time the Republicans have had
to grasp the nettle, however. The
Negroes expect special consideration
from Senator Brooks of Illinois, chair
man Of the Rules Committee, who is UP
for reelection in 1948 and is largely
dependent upon the vote in Chicago,
which has a powerful Negro element.
In the Roosevelt administration the
White House by-passed the White
House Correspondents Association to
admit Negro correspondents to the
presidential press conferences, q prac-
tice continued by President Truman.
Mr.. Truman only last week re-empha-
sized his interest by personally present.
ing the Wendell Willkie awards for
Negro journalism at a dinner here in
the National Press Club A scattering Of
correspondents, mostly liberal column
lists, attended.
Another minority, the women report
ers, have had their own troubles with
the conservative male correspondents, in
one instance setting the precedent for
Mr.. Lautier's appeal over the standing
committees head.
In 1888 an issue arose between the
women and the standing committee
when the galleries were to be enlarged.
Since there were no women reporters
when the Capitol was built, there were
no rest rooms for them In either Senate
or House press galleries.
BY 1893 it appeared to the approxi-
mately 80 newspaperwomen that, like
the horseless carriage, they we're here
to stay and they assumed that In the
remodeling of the galleries, facilities
comparable to those enjoyed by their
male colleagues would be arranged for
them.
Formal Hearing Held.
! This, it appeared, was to be no part
Of the New Deal The standing COM
mittee fatty refused. A committee of
women reporters then waited upon the
Senate Rules Committee which held q
formal hearing. The chairman, the late
Senator Copeland Of New York, said
that as physician he felt compelled to
rule for the women.
A House appropriations subcommittee
likewise received the newspaperwomen,
who were formidably buttressed by Rep
resentatives Norton of New Jersey,
Rogers of Massachusetts, and the late
Florence Kahn of California. Its chair
man, the late Buell. Snyder of Pennsyl-
vania, asked to have the record show 1t
was the first time since the administra-
ton of Gen. Grant that women had had
to petition for equal facilities in
Government building.
The women Representatives limited
gently that II the appeal were refused
it would be necessary for them to
bring the matter Of such discrimination
against women to the floor of the House.
The subcommittee voted hastily and
unanimously In favor Of the woman
reporters.
This was q well-won controversy, as
the war brought newspaperwomen in
droves to the Capitol. There are now
about SO, maybe more, in both galleries.
The White House Correspondents
Associations minority policy is ex-
pressed in its annual dinner. 1t blandly
ignores its 20-odd woman members by
holding strictly stag white House
Correspondents Association Dinner for
the President" Their poignant alibi:
If they "let" the newspaperwomen who
pay dues to the association attend, they
would have to admit their wives also.
British View of Britoin's Duty
From the London Daily Mail.
If Britain is determined to give India
complete ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the pledge
has been given without any mandate
from the people-it Is her clear duty to
insure, as far as lies within her power,
B peaceful future for the great mass
Of the Indian people. That could be
assured if the Hindus conquered the
Moslems or the Moslems conquered the
Hindus. In either event the victorious
party would impose their policies upon
the vanquished. 1t Is not a solution,
however, that can be contemplated by
Britain. The rivals must, somehow or
other, settle down together, in united