St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1949-01-28
THE WEEK
Under Capitol
DOVE
BY Clifford Rucker

National Guard resolutions and a
Fair Employment Practices Act
highHghted the weeks activity in
the Minnesota State legislature.
The budget message pointed out
what is apparent to every family,
that increases all along the line
have been tremendous. For ex-
ample it is costing $4,000 a year
more to heat state buildings than
it cost two years ago. The mes
sage called for a 42R6 increase
over the current biennium.
The Governor proposed to
meet the increase by added
taxes on cigarettes, hard liquor,
beer and tobacco. These add
tiOnal taxes together with the
expected balance In the General
Revenue Fund would take care
Of the proposed increased ap-
preparations.
In the Senate, a resolution
memoriaizing the Congress Of the
United States to institute a policy
Of non-segregation in the Mime
sofa National Guard was intro
duced by Senator B. C. Novak of
st. Paul. A companion bill spon-
sored by Representatives Anthony
Podgorski, William Carlson and
Joseph Prifel Jr of st. Paul, Clar-
ence G. Langley of Red Wing and
H. P. Goodin of Minneapolis was
introduced in the House.
The policy of segregation in the
Minnesota National Guard is car
ried out by virtue of a regulation
Of the U. S. War Department
which requires units under the
level of battalion to be in separate
organizations. Today there are no
Negroes serving in the Minnesota
National Guard and all efforts to
integrate them into the existing
units have failed.
In a communication last year
to Governor Youngdahl, an Of
fetal of the War Department &C
howledged that an exception to
this rule had been made in the
case of the State of New Jersey
since that states constitution
specifically prohibited segregation
in the militia. The official further
stated his inclination to make the
same exception in the case of
legislative action by any other
state. The present resolution is an
effort to get action in Washing
ton. After a reasonable time if il
appears the policy will not be
changed in Washington, the Gov
ernor has urged that our state
constitution should be amended so
as to include a specific provision
against discrimination in our Ma
tional Guard.
A Fair Employment Practices
Act was introduced in the Senate
by Senator Gerald T. Mullin of
Minneapolis, Gordon Rosenmeier
of Little Falls and Thomas d. W.
keich Of st. Louis county. A COM
panion bill was introduced in the
House by Representatives Floyd
o. Flom of Glenwood, c. Langley,
Red Wing, P. X. Peterson Of Min
neapohs, Anthony Podgorsd Of
st. Paul and Robert ]. Sheran Of
Mankato. The bills were referred
to the Labor Committees. The Act
relates to prevention and elimina-
ton of the practice of discrimina-
ton in employment and otherwise
against persons because of race,
color, or national origin.
The Act provides for methods
of Cancellation, creating the Min
nesota Fair Employment Prac-
tees Commission and the office of
the Director thereof and author
ICES the Governor to appoint a
Board of Review.
1t declares certain practices of
discrimination to be unfair, pro-
Tdes for the issuing Of cease and
desist orders, provides for judicial
review and for an appropriation
to carry out the terms of the Act.
The bill is the identical one
presented to the last session of the
legislature, and is endorsed by the
Governors Interracial Commits
sion. 1t seeks to correct injustices
in employment with the least
amount of irritation and emphasis
is placed on Cancellation and fair
administration.
1t should be pointed out that
few bills are passed In the orig
inal form and also that often
several bills covering the same
subject are presented.
Several Veterans Bonus bills
have already been introduced.
With the members Of the legisla-
ture rests the final decision as to
the content of a bill.
The third week of the 56th
State Legislature has passed and
with it many organizationaI prob
lens, much hard work and earn
est consideration Of bills lie ahead.