St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1948-06-25
VOL. XIV, NO. As
New Jersey Town Reports
Findings on Civil Rights
Audit; Lists Assets, Liabilities
BY Herbert Mitgang in the New York

BY Herbert Mitgang in the New York
Times
Montclair, N. jim a dozen
American communities people
are talking about the Mont
clair Audit. For this small
New Jersey town has set an
example for others in the
touchy civil rights field. One sec
ton in Boston already is engaged
in a similar audit, and cities west
to Chicago, south to Richmond,
and north to Windsor, Ont, are
talking it up.
1t all began last fall when the
Presidents Committee on Civil
Rights stated that the American
ideal still awaits complete realiz-
alton" meaning that minorities
sometimes were treated as sec
ond class citizens. Montclair took
those words to heart.
Like many another American
town, Montclair (pop. $4,000 has
good intentions and some bad
traditions. The geographical
bounds are neatly delineated on a
map C'Compliments of Montclair
Trust Company showing its
contiguity to other towns in
Northern New Jersey. And Mont
clair also has bold dividing lines
that cannot be found on any map;
color and racial lines that separ-
ate the minorities from the major
ity. Along Bloomfield Avenue, the
main street, a five-and-ten mana
ger says, "Montclair? A good
town essentially, better than
most"
Montclair's decision to analyze
itself supported its reputation as
one of the most alert communities
in the East.
They called their effort the
MontClair Audit-a trial balance
of the towns credits and debts
in the civil-rights ledger. The
Audit would show whether Ne
groes were denied the right to
buy a house in the better" part
of town, if "gentlemen's agree
ments" existed.
Now, after months of work
they finally have the story OF
how the town adds up. A few
weeks ago the final Audit report
was deposited in the Montclair
Public Library. Copies are in the
hands of the town fathers for
study and action. The Audit has
been roundly approved. For this
was more than an accumulation
of facts; behind the raw figures
was an adventure in community
action for the benefit of minorities
still seeking equality.
From the start the MontclaiI
Audit was a joint undertaking
Leo Nejelski, a New York man
agement counsel and general
chairman of the Montclair Forum
initiated the idea. The local chap
ter of the American Veterans
Committee led by Curtis Cam.
paigne, Jr., spearheaded the Audit
with a confidential investigation
of the status of Negro doctors in
Montclair and their relationship
or lack of ito the three hos
pitfalls. Both sponsoring organiza'
tons were joined by the Mont
clair Intergroup Council, the local
branch of the National ASsocia-
ton for the Advancement of Col
tural Group of the New Jersey
ored People, and the Intercul-
State Teachers College. No at
tempt was made at the outset tC
involve any groups holding lib
eral opinions.
Nobody who didn't participate
felt offended at being left out,
said AVG leader Campaigne, who
acted as coordinator for the Audit
FaCt-fnders on six sub-com.
mittees went into the field. The
subcommittee studying public ia.
cilities made an experimental
visit to eight fairly expensive
restaurants, taking along mixed
groups of white and Negro stu
dents. After briefing, drivers OF
delivery trucks engaged in unob-
trusive conversations with Gus
toners about their feelings or
mixed neighborhoods; that helped
the housing subcommittee decide
whether it was economics or pref
udices that caused restricted COW
enantS.
Some opposition did arise
though it never was fully organ
lied. At various stages Audit
investigators heard such objec-
tons as: People are too indiffer-
emit" and why not let sleeping
dogs lie?" Criticism came from
real estate people who felt that
property values would go down
if segregation ended. And the big
American Legion post in town
was not overjoyed at the idea Of
a civil rights survey.
A balance sheet of civil rights
recounting for the first time a
towns assets and liabilities in
this field, was presented soberly:
Employment
Assets: Department Of Public
Works, Bureaus Of Public Nurs-
ing and Public Welfare do not