Evening star., 1947-10-29

committee charged.
Fewer Hospital Beds.
The committee found that coloreG
residents here have fewer available
hospital beds in proportion to the
population, that the beds are ir
segregated wards, and that four o1
the city's IL private hospitals admit
no Negroes. Public welfare services
are on a segregated basis" ano
discrimination is practiced against
Negro doctors and medical students
in public as we'll as private hospitals
The committee cited numerous
examples of discrimination it said
was practiced against Negroes in
District recreation activities as well
as private establishments such as
hotels, restaurants and theaters. 1t
noted, however, that recreational
facilities under the Interior Depart
ment here and elsewhere "are open
to all races and serious friction is
nonexistent."
In its denunciation Of restrictive
covenants, designed to prevent COL
ored people or others from living in
white neighborhoods, the commit
tee referred to dissenting opinion
Of Justice Edgerton in the Court OF
Appeals last May. At that time
majority decision upheld a District
Court ruling in favor of covenant
holders of property on Bryant street
NV.
Those cases, as we'll as others
from Detroit and st. Louis, involv-
ing the validity of those covenants
are before the Supreme Court. Argu-
ments on the District cases will be
heard December 8.
Sides With Edgerton.
The committee sided with Justice
Edgerton's opinion that the issue ir
such cases is fundamentally whether
law should affirmatively support
and enforce racial discrimination.
Throughout the report the COM
mittee stressed the need for direct
decitive Federal legislation and
Executive action, especially If States
and local communities refused tc
cooperate in eliminating practices
which amount to or lead to viola
ton of civil rights of all citizens.
The report, for example, called
not only for strengthening of the
Justice Departments Civil Rights
Section, but for joint congress
sional committee on civil rights and
the formation of such commissions
in each State.
It traced the history Of lynchings
and cited instances of police brutal
ity," and unfair court trials. 1t
recommended stronger Federal sta
tutes to punish police or other off,
cials convicted Of brutality or OF
injuring or intimidating persons in
the exercise Of civil rights.
Other Recommendations.
Other recommendations included
those to:
Broaden the Federal statute or
involuntary servitude," develop
ment of a better policy to prevent
abridgment of civil rights of persons
or groups who because of race o,
ancestry are likely to suffer in war
time evacuation or detention moves
in the United States; more effective
safeguards for all persons to VOTE
in Federal primaries, modification
Of Federal naturalization laws tt
permit granting of citizenship with.
out regard to race, color or nationa
origin of applicants;
Federal and State laws requiring
all groups attempting to influence
public opinion to disclose pertinent
facts about themselves through
systematic registration procedures.
One of the suggestions was thai
envelopes of letters mailed in bulk
should bear the name and addresses
of the sender.
The Committee on Civil Rights
was headed by Charles E. Wilson
president of the General Electric Co
Other members were Mrs. Sadie T
Alexander, assistant city solicitor o1
Philadelphia; James B. Carey, CIC
SeCTetdTy VI cdSulci, 1iCoiucAt OoAh
s. Dickey of Dartmouth College
Morris L. Ernst, New York attorney
Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn O
Rockville Center. Long Island; Presi
dent Frank B. Graham of the Uni.
versity of North Carolina, Bishop
Francis J. Haas Of Grand Rapids
Mich.
Also Charles Luckman of Cam
bridge, Mass; Francis P. Matthew
Of Omaha, Nebr., former suprem