St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-12-12
Women's Conference
Hedrs Speakers on
Ruciul Problems

Laws against racial ulScrlmlna-
ton on the statute books aren't
sufficient to overcome intolerance
unless there is public cooperation
to back them up, was the consensus
Of opinion Of a panel of five
speakers at the Women's Confer
ence on Human Relations, last Fri
day at the Curtis hotel.
Appearing on the panel at the
morning session Of the conference
were Hubert Schon, United Labor
Committee for Human Rights and
state chairman of the American
Veterans Committee, who moder-
ated the meeting; William Seabron,
industrial secretary Of the Mime
apolis Urban League; Lawrence
Kelley, promotion manager of the
Minneapolis Daily Times, Kent Van
DenBerg, assistant attorney gen.
eral Of Minnesota, and Mrs. Law
renee Steefel, Mayors Council on
Human Relations.
SchOn said that I'VE are not
going to try and deal with things
outside our own community" He
outlined local restrictions in hOus-
ing, employment, state national
guard, public accommodations,
Sports and in social life.
VanDenBerg said that the COM
munity frequently overlooks re-
sources in the law" which while
not solving the problem of discrim-
nation, would help solve it. He
said that while there is a state rul-
ing against religious restrictive
covenants in Minnesota, there is
none against racial restrictive cove.
nants. VanDenBerg stated that he
knew of no recorded case in which
the ban against religious restrictive
covenants had been brought in use
The mere fact of having a law
on the statute books is not
enough" he concluded.
Kelley, who told of the enact
ment of a Minneapolis FEPC on
January 81, 1947, said that so far
no funds had been provided by the
city to put the machinery of the
law into operation, but he hoped
the city council would approve a
request for $4,000 to start the fair
employment body functioning.
The fact that the law is on
the books does have a wholesome
influence" Kelley pointed out and
gave several instances in which
he believed the law had had an
effect on employers.
William Seabron said that the
problems of discrimination that
existed in Minnesota existed all
over the country. "They are Amer
lean problems" he pointed out, "but
what is done in Minnesota can in
fuence the rest Of the nation. Sea-
bron called the Minnesota problem
not one of unemployment but
under employment" as far as Ne
groes were concerned.
Seabron dealt with the problem,
Of job discrimination against Jews
also, stating that the Jewish prob
lem was in getting jobs in non-pro-
ductive fields such as clerical work,
sales, etc.
Mrs. Steefel said: while it's
unpopular to work for such meas
ures as FEPC, it's also unpopular
to work against them" OF the
two, she believed the latter was
the more unpopular. Mrs. Steefel,
in bringing up the problem Of
chain stores and organizations en-
forcing discriminatory policies
onto the district or local branches,
said that the chain corporations
should have to follow local fair
employment laws just as they
are required to follow local park
ing ordinances and civic regula-
tons.
She stated that lack Of funds was
preventing results Of the Mime
apolis community self-survey being |
returned to the city, and revealed |
that a budget Of $4,000 would be !
needed to carry on the work Of the
Mayors Council on Human Rela-
tons.
The afternoon session Of the Con-
ference opened with a mock radio
interview conducted by radio COM
mentator Florence Murphy with
Mrs. A. Fletcher and Miss Norma
Stauffer participating.
The afternoon panel session
Time for Reason" with DR.. Starke