St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-02-07
FEPC Ordinance
Voted By Mpls.
CITY Council

we have expressed in this letter are
entirely aside from any considera-
ton of our individual opinions on
the merits Of the presently pro-
posed legislation" 1t is understood
that Judge Waite, who is known
TO be for FEPC legislation, insisted
the inclusion of that statement.
Council Chambers Crowded; Only
Five Negroes Present
On Friday morning, Jan. 81, the
council chambers we're crowded. An
air Of expectancy lowered over the
routine proceedings. A crowd Of
over 200 was on hand. Only FIVE
Negroes were seen in the audience
despite the Importance of such
legislation to this group. The FIVE
were: Rev. A. L. Kirk Of Glendale
Seventh Day Adventist church,
Jacob Collins, painting and deco
rating contractor; Talmadge B.
Carey, civic figure and secretary
Of Governors Interraeial commit
tee; Nell Russell Of the Spokesman
and Recorder newspapers, and Cecil
f. Newman, newspaper publisher.
president Of the Minneapolis Urban
League and a member Of the HUI
man Relations council.
Others in the audience in con-
ference with council supporters Of
the FEPC were Mrs. Lawrence
Steefel, civic leader; Douglas Hall,
attorney for the CLIO, and Hyman
Edelman, all members Of the HUI
man Relations majority who ia
vored the legislation. Also seen
were George Matthews, county
commissioner, vice president Of the
Minneapolis Central Labor Union,
who was there in support Of the
measure; Robert Wishart, Henne-
pin County CLIO chief; Hubert
Sehon Of the United Labor Com
mittee for Human Rights, and
Robley D. Cramer, editor Of the
Minneapolis Labor Review, was on
hand. Labor appeared to be 100
per cent behind the passage Of the
law.
Letter Barrage Begins; Confuses
Supporters MOmentArily
About half way through the ses-
sion, ushers passed out a letter on
the Human Relations Council sta
tionery to each alderman signed by
five dissenting members, which
urged the council to defer vote on
the FEPC measure. The letter mo-
mentarily stunned aldermanic sup
porters Of the legislation. Swiftly,
however, the significance Of the,
letter was explained by persons
favoring the bill. Forty-five min
utes later, another letter was
placed in front of each alderman.
The second communication came
from Bradshaw Mintener, chair
man, and Elizabeth Hefflefnger and
Alfred Wilson, two vice chairmen
Of the Minneapolis Self-Survey
committee who also expressed the
fear that passage of the ordinance
would hamper the work of the
Self-SuTvey, a community study on
race and religious relations. Vice
chairmen, DIR. Theodore c. Blegen
and Mr.. Gottfrid Lindsten, could
not be reached to sign the letter.
This letter also added to the APP
parent confusion in the "city faith
ers'" minds, but 1t also made some
Of them angry. The letters also
gave opponents of the ordinance
courage and a talking point.
Situation Tense As Vote Nears
By the time the favorable re-
port Of the ordinances and legisla-
ton committee was read to the
meeting, interest was at fever heat.
When the committees recommended
ton for suspension Of the rules
and passage Of the ordinance was
read, Alderman Leonard Ramberg,
who has been opposed to the meas
ure in any form since it was first
proposed, secured the floor and
after a short speech moved that
the ordinance be returned to the
committee. He cited the two let
tiers which urged the delay. His
motion was seconded by Frank
MoultOn.
Debate RACES
In the argument on the motion,
Alderman Glen Wallace pointed out
that the council had had the pro
posed measure under consideration
for over a year, and that opponents
Of the law had not seen fit to
appear publicly against it. Presi-
dent Eric Hoyer had the clerk read
a telegram from Mayor Hubert
H. Humphrey in New York in
which he fatty urged the council
to pass the law, and asserted there
was no necessity for delay. Alder
man Henry Bank called the two
letters the aldermen had received
during the meeting an attempt to
confuse the aldermen. He read n
letter from the Minneapolis Y. W.
C. A. board urging passage of the
legislation.
Alderman Edwin Hendricks,
chairman Of the committee which
recommended passage, urged the
rejection Of Ramberg's motion. AL
derman Herbert Finseth said he
was heartily in favor of the passage
Of the ordinance and urged the
council to vote in favor Of it.
Alderman Frank Moulton strong
ly urged the return Of the bill to
the committee. Glen Wallace spoke
again and urged the council not
to pigeon-hole the matter again.