Evening star., 1949-06-28
'GSI to Operate Pools in Dispute
f interior Will Poy Expenses
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~ u" w III
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after today's swim. Pool Man
ager Henry A. Agusiewicz said
II the guards don't appear TO-
morrow, the pool xill be closed
for the morning session and open
only for. the pay session At pm.
Meanwhile. the Executive Board
OF the Federation Of Citizens As
sociation was on record In favor OF
returning the pools to the Recre-
alton Department and demanding
immediate resembling Of the order
establishing a nonsegregated pol
Icy at the pools.
Letter Is Sent to Krus.
The Federation sent O night let
ter to Secretary OF the Interior
Krug. after q special meeting last
night. calling his attention TO the
present emergency created IN the
District by your departments ILL.,
advised interference in the long
established pattern Of segregation
In the swimming pools OF the DIS
trict."
Recreation Supt. Milo r. Chris
tiansen said today that at any OF
the pools patronized by white
children where colored children
appear for the free" swim. the
STATS will serve through the period
for safety's sake and thereafter
be withdrawn. Mckinley is the
first example Of this policy.
Mr.. Christensen said before the
GSI decision that only . pool
where an "interracial incident"
occurs would be affected. The
Recreation Department. he said,
would continue to supply staff at
the other pools covered by its
contract.
Assistant Secretary OF the In
terror c. Girard Davidson was
asked earlier what could be done
III the Recreation Department stops
providing morning swimming and
instruction.
I'm afraid I don't know" he
told The Star. If the recrea-
ton stats do leave. We will do
our best to keep the pools open"
GSI officials said. meanwhile.
the organization is losing money"
at the Mckinley pool because 1t
has been virtually taken over by
colored children and there are not
enough Of them to support the
pool financially.
Wender Is "Indignant."
Harry 8. Wender, chairman Of
the Recreation Board. said he was
Indignant about the whole
thing" He charged the colored
children coming to the pools have
been inspired by radical elements
who know full well elimination Of
segregation at the pools is q very
explosive thing"
He said it was impossible to
police every part of the swimming
centers. including the locker rooms.
and cited an incident at Anacostia
pool yesterday. r. j. Mccarthy,
Gs1 parks supervisor. said he had
been informed by the manager
that q white boy and colored boy
got into a tight in the bathhouse.
and the colored boy received q cut
above his eye before police sep1
arated the fighters.
The Recreation Board poll was
on this recommendation:
''The contract OF the Interiof
Department with Government
Services, Inc. for the operation
Of the six large pools under the
jurisdiction Of the once Of Ma
tional Capital Parks provides that
these pools shall be operated on
q nonsegregated basis
"As q result Of the enforcement
Of this regulation, employees for
the free swimming and instruction
periods In the mornings on these
pools are unable to conform to the
regulations Of the board requiring
the staff to serve on q segregated
basis.
Recommendation: That the
Recreation Board notify Govern
ment Services, Inc, that unlass
the program Of free swimming
and instruction conducted by the
Recreation Department ut Gov
ernment pools Is operated as in
previous years. On . segregated
basis. the Department Of Recrea-
ton staff on these pools for the
morning period will be with
drawn"
How Members Voted.
Voting for the resolution were
Mr.. Wender. Walter L. Fowler.
representing the District Commits
sioners, and Albert E. Steinen,
representing the School Board.
Voting against the recommended
ton were Irving c. Root. sUperin-
tendens Of National Capitol Parks.
and Mrs. Alice c. Hunter. hoard
secretary. Out Of town and not
voting were James Schwab and
Mrs. Gregory Hankins.
In its night letter to Secretary
Krug. signed by Federation Presi-
dent John H. connaughton, the
Federation Of Citizens Associa-
ton declared In part:
This situation approaches that
which created the recent racial ex-
plosions In st. Louis and Youngs-
town. We remind you that In your
hands lies the power to prevent
q similar explosion that can only
reflect discredit upon you. your de-
partment and upon the Federal
Government.
Resembling Of Policy Asked.
I'VE demand the immediate res
ending of the Interior Depart
menf,S nrf3eY ecfa hlishinT n pOlicy