Evening star., 1948-12-11
Critics Concede Value of Report
On Segregation; Reaction Slow

l~ssksSSS SOBISO0S
On Segregation
Continued From First Page.)
I couldn't find anybody belonging
to the Recreation Board who knew
anything about it. That's the kind
of thing I am complaining about. "
He said there are indications of
special interest" in the board in
the report.
But he added that the whole
purpose of the report is excellent y
Rankin Attacks Statement.
At the Capitol, Representative
Rankin, Democrat, of Mississippi,
longtime foe of civil rights legisla-
ton, said the statement reads like
a message from Moscow He called
it 'one of the most vicious and
braken attacks ever made on the
white people of the District"
Mr. Dankin charged that "a large
number" of those whose names are
attached" to this document are
known to be" members of Com
munist-front groups and he added
that he hopes to be able, after a
check, to show just how many and
to which organization they belong.
The copies of the report distrib-
uted early contained an error which
later was corrected. 1t described
Mr.. Wender, not referring to him
by name, as "a former president Of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, leader in the restrictive
covenant movement, a man who has
been devoted to segregating colored
people in Washington"
This description was linked out in
copies of the report distributed
yesterday. At a luncheon yesterday
at which Mr.. Wender was present
Charles S. Houston, colored attorney
and a member of the committee,
said:
The committee got two preSi-
dents of the Citizens Association
mixed up. The chairman of the
Recreation Board is Harry Wender,
and he is not a leader in the re-
strictive covenant movement. We
apologize to you,' Harry
Rutland Hits Hospital Section.
DR.. Rutland said the statements
regarding District hospital facilities
for colored are ridiculous and
sensational"
The report said the facilities for
colored patients are inferior and
short of their needs and that, at
sGallinger Hospital, the city has
tolerated conditions of neglect that
have long been an open scandal"
The report said also that, in 1916,
colored babies born in the District
were twice as likely to die as white
babies and Negro mothers were six
times as likely to die as white
mothers
The Health Department yesterday
issued its weekly statistical report
for December T. 1t gave the infant
mortality rate-deaths of children
under / year per 1000 live births
The rate so far this year for white
infants Is 20; for colored infants
29.1. For the corresponding period
of last year the figures were 25.5 fol
white infants and 43.2 for colored
The general death rate - deaths
per 1000 Of population-up to De-
cember Of this year, has been 6
for white persons, 1875 for colored
Comparable figures for last yea1
were 8.4 for white persons, II fol
colored.
Copies of Report Available.
Copies of the report may be OBJ
tanned at the Offices of Robert r
Nathan Associates, 3 Thomas circle,
where the committee has rented
Offices. 1t is summary Of a study
of about 500 pages made by a staff
of %. 1t is an attractive slick-paper
pamphlet, illustrated with charts
and photographs and two photo
graphs. 1t has four color cover.
Charge of rs cents is made
for the pamphlet. DR.. Joseph
D. Lohman. University Of Chi
cago sociologist and executive Sec
retary and director of research
for the committee, said there is no
great supply" now but that 1t is
planned to print more according to
| the demand.
The committee includes 81 men,
| bers from many parts of the coun-
try. The committees announce
ment originally listed 80, but it had
Inadvertently failed to include the
name of Phillip Murray, president
of the CIO.
DR.. Lohman explained that the
committees organization stemmed
from an interest in race relations
on the part of five persons. They
were:
DR.. Lohman himself, Charles Dol
lard of New York, president Of the
Carnegie Corp: Edwin r. Embree
Of New York, president Of the Liber-
ian Foundation and former presi-
dent of the Julius Rosenwald Fund;
DR.. Charles S. johnson, Nashville
Tenn, president of Fisk University
and Donald Young, executive direc-
tor of the Russell Sage Foundation
and formerly executive director OF
the Social Science Research Council
Shuster Named Chairman.
DR.. Lohman said the projected
study was discussed and was called
to the attention of others. About
20 persons met here in October
1916, and formed the national COM
mittee. They elected as chairman
George N Shuster, president OF
Hunter College. New York.
Other persons known to be in
terested we're asked to become
members. District residents number
IA. DR.. Shuster referred to the
organization primarily as COM
mittee of social scientists.
The cost of the work has been
about $4,000. This was contributed
mostly by the Julius Rosenwale
Fund, the Phelps-Stokes Fund
| 49, rSAIa E,o,,ndo}ioyo ond fhf