The Omaha guide., 1948-07-31
Special Session Of Congress
Asked to Enact Civil Rights
Bills


point minimum program OF q
vii rights legislation was to-
day adopted by representatives
of Is national labor, civil right
fraternal, Negro and religious
organizations attending a con-
ference here in the Willard
Hotel.
The Conference, called by
the A recommended en-
actment by the special session
of Congress of legislation for
a permanent Fair Employ
ment Practice Commission, a.
BOLTON Of the poll tax as a
condition for voting, punitive
measurers to suppress lynching
and mob-violence, banning of
segregation in interstate tram
s%portation, and revision Of the
displaced persons act to permit
immigration Of classes now
discrimination of classes now
disseminated against.
The conference also urged
President Truman to issue inn
mediately an executive order
banning discrimination and -eg
regation in the federal services
including the armed forces.
The complete text of the St
atement follows:
The special session gives the
8Oth Congress a third chance to
fulfill the urgent needs of the
American people. The Cong
business left unfinished on its
ress can now complete the
business left unfinished on its
calendar and make a genuine
contribution to the freedom
and equality Of all Americans
by %enacting the pending civil
rights legislation. AT the same
time the Congress can demon
strate to the American people
that the civil rights pledges in
the 1913 platforms, as well as
the 1914 platforms, are not
empty phases and mere samp-
align promises.
Almost a year has passed
since the historic report Of the
Presidents Committee on Civ.
il rights exposed the many a.
reas of American life where
the rights guaranteed by our
Constitution are being flagran-
thy denied to millions Of Amer
leans. The Presidents COM
mittee called for a program Of
these rights"
The national conventions OF
the major parties to which the
members Of the ongress owe
political allegiance have com.
mitted themselves to the pas
sage Of the civil rights bills.
The major parties now have
an opportunity to demonstrate
to the American people the
sincerity and INTEGRITY Of their
campaign pledges.
The organizations joining in
this statement represent out
standing church, labor, Negro,
Jewish, veterans and other civ
lc organizations. We are mind
tul that the special session
will be limited in duration but
we are completely convinced
that~the legislation program we
urge upon the Congress is a
wholly reasonable and pract-
ical program capable Of enact
meat now. Neither a filibuster
nor any other legislative dew
ice can prevent enactment of
this program if the members
of Congress are determined to
carry out their convention /.
promises.
We are mindful also that
other important gains for civ
il rights can be made by the
President acting under his
Constitutional authority. We
are confident that President
Truman will fulfill his promise
to the Congress by issuing
Constitutional authority. We
providing for the abolition OF
segregation and discriminat-
ion in all federal agencies, in
Guiding the armed services Of
the United States, and thus
give unmistakeable leadership
to the civil rights program in
the Congress.
Specifically we urge:
|. Fair employment practice
legislation. S. 984, a National
Act against Discrimination in
Employment" which was spon
sored in the Both Congress by
four Democratic and Four Re-
PUBLICAN Senators, and has BIZ
partisan sponsored in the Hou
Sc. In a democracy the right to
earn a living without racial or
religious discrimination is a
prime essential.
Q. Poll tax. AS a nation, we
have urged citizens in other
countries to vote in national
elections. Yet, here at home we
have denied to 10 million Neg