Evening star., 1949-02-11
civil Rights Farley
Opens; Truman Unable
To Receive Delegates

Delegates to a conference to pro-
test racial discrimination were in
terviewing Federal and District
government officials today as well
as members OF Congress-, but were
unable to see President Truman.
More than 500 delegates from
Is States had registered for the
opening session of two-day leg
islative assembly and rally at the
Metropolitan Baptist Church, 1925
r street NV. Former Vice Presi-
dent Henry A. Wallace. Senator
LANCER. Republican. of North Da-
kota and Representative Powell,
Democrat, of New York were toI
address the delegates there to-
night.
DIR. j. Finley Wilson. exalted
ruler of the Improved Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks, who
is chairman of the conference.
announced that the White House
informed him the President would
be unable to grant their request
for an appointment to meet a
delegation. The letter, signed by
Administrative Assistant David K.
Niles. explained that "the presi-
dents time is very fully occupied
these days so that it will not be
possible to make the appoint
ment."
Officials and Agencies Visited.
Groups of the delegates, how
ever. began visiting the following
other officials or agencies early
this afternoon: Senator Taft.
of Ohio. Secretary of
Defense Forrestal, Chairman Seth
w. Richardson of the Federal
Loyalty Review Board, Veterans
Administrator Carl R. Gray, |
Chairman Guy Moffet of the Civil
Service Commissions Fair En-
ployment Board, Gov. F. K. New
comber of the Panama Canal Zone
and officials of the personnel Of
flee of the Treasury Department.
the Civil Rights Section of the
Justice Department, the District
Recre Department.. the
Washington Board of Trade, the
Washington Hotel Association, the
Motion Picture Theater Owners
and Representative
Harris of Arkansas. chairman of
the Judiciary Subcommittee of
the House District Committee.
Other groups went to the Capt.
tol to see individual members of
the House and Senate. Repre-
sentative Marcantonio, American
Labor. of New York. was scheduled
as the principal speaker at the
opening session of the conference
which will conclude late tomorrow.
Mr.. Marcantonio sent word that
death in his family prevented him
from coming here today.
Clark Foreman. who headed the
Party in the District
during the presidential campaign.
told the delegates that unless
racial segregation and discrim-
ination are eliminated from the
District, they cannot be elm
mated from other sections of the
country. He attacked the Board
of Trade. the Washington Real
Estate Board and the Federation
Of Citizens Associations for what
he said was their sponsorship of
racial discrimination in Washing
ton. This, he explained, was also
stated several months ago in the
report of the Presidents Commis-
sion on Civil Rights.
Mr.. Foreman urged the dele
gates to ask their representatives
in Congress to support the Marc
bill for home rule in the
District.
Other speakers at the opening
were Judge Hobson R.
Reynolds of Philadelphia, Austin
Fickling, Washington attorney;
Miller of Chicago. Illinois
State director of the Progressive
Party. and John w. Robbs. presi-
dent of the New Masons of
Georgia.
Judge Reynolds declared the
conference was absolutely non
partisan and would not be used
as a sounding board for any
group, political or otherwise" Mr..
provided figures which he
said proved that practically all
Federal agencies in Washington
either segregate Negro employees
or follow a policy of virtual ex-
,lusion of Negroes except in GUS
,odial jobs.
The groups visiting the various
officials were to re-
assemble at the church at 4:30
D m. to report on their interviews.
A