Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-08-24
UPWA Votes
To Buy Site for
Headquarters
Board Also Urges
Truman to Set Up on
FEPC in U. S. Service
By Joseph Young
Stor Staff Correspondent

CHICAGO, Aug. 23-The Execu-
tive Board of the CLIO United Public
Workers of America tonight author
lied its policy committee to pur-
chase a permanent" national head.
quarters in a suitable location"
Winding up its three-day semi
annual meeting here, the board also
adopted a policy resolution urging
President Truman to set up a Fail
Employment Practices Commission
in the Federal service.
Although the final decision on q
headquarters location will be left
to the policy committee, there is a
possibility that the permanent head
quarters will not be in Washington
At present, UPWA has its head
quarters in Washington but does
not own the building in which it is
housed.
Sentiment for New York.
There is considerable sentiment
reported among some UPWA officials
to establish the unions headquarters
in New York where the union has a
large membership of both Govern
ment and New York City and State
employees. Chicago and Detroit
locals also are interested in getting
the headquarters.
UPWA officials said. however, that
even if the headquarters is moved
elsewhere, they would still maintain
Psoiclotiun roOj0n q
branch Office in Washington.
The board asked that a Federal
FEPC be created to end growing
instances" of discrimination against
minority groups in Government de-
partments and agencies.
The board charged that persnonel
directors in many Federal bureaus
refuse to hire persons because of
the officials racial prejudices.
Is Agencies Cited.
A union press release issued after
the meeting said Thomas Richard
son, UPWA vice president and chair
man of its antidiscrimination COM
mission "cited 10 major Federal
agencies where personnel chiefs
have refused to hire Negroes" The
agencies we're not listed.
Mr.. Richardson. according to the
release, also disclosed situation in
New York where the Internal Rev.
enue Bureau moved an office en-
ploying 1000 Negro workers to the
State of Missouri. resulting in loss
of Jobs to these workers"
The adopted policy resolution de-
clared our union regards the ques-
ton of discrimination from the
point Of view of its effect on the
membership as a whole and upon
the civil rights Of the American peo-
pie generally
The board said it had adopted Mr..
richardson's recommendation to
''robilize the entire union in this
fight against discrimination"
To Fight Loyalty Charge.
Regarding the Federal loyalty
program, the union plans to use
everyalegal means at its command on
Uelldll Vi ally VI lto IHeillbClS VIII
might face loyalty charges.
UPWA officials deny that there
are Communists in their member
ship. but they say they fear that
"a loyalty witch hunt" might react
against liberals and progressives'
in the Federal service.
The board made no plans to test
the legality of some of the provi
sions of the loyalty order in the
courts, deciding instead to concen-
trate first on efforts to have the
Federal Loyalty Board give greater
protection to accused employees.
One of the things that UPWA
wants done is to give accused en-
ployes the right to confront and
crossexamine their accusers.
The UPWA Executive Board also
selected California as the site of the
unions convention next April or
May The city hasn't been selected,
but it is expected to be either Los
Angeles or San Fr4f1ciSco