Evening star., 1949-11-27
| NAACp Opposition
Weakens U. 5. Stand
On Fac Headquarfer.
By Malcolm Lomborne, Jr.

The United States position In
seeking to have permanent head
quarters of the Food and Agricul-
ture Organization established in
this country has been weakened by
the stand of the National AssOcia- =
ton for the Advancement of Col
ored People against the University
OF Maryland site. informed con-
ference sources said last night.
At the same time, one we'll
placed delegate said ne thought
the chances of FAC picking the
proposed location at the univer-
sity were extremely slight" The
site question is due to be discussed
at an FAC session tomorrow.
The NAACP. in kilograms last
week to delegates meeting in their
fifth annual conference at the
Shoreham Hotel. urged rejection
of the site proposed by DR.. H. C..
Byrd. president of the university,
because of the university's segre-
CATION policy. The university does
not admit Negro undergraduates,
but has admitted some Negroes to
the graduate schools at College
Park as we'll as the professional
schools in Baltimore.
Despite assurances from Dr.
Byrd that the educational IA
cilities at the university would be
open to all members of the FAC
staff regardless of race or creed,
there remains opposition to the
campus site by some delegates.
Hopes for State Loan.
DR.. Byrd expressed confidence
that the State legislature would
make as much as $3,500,0 900 avail
able. interest free, for the con-
struction of a headquarters and
that the loan be repaid over a
15-year period through payment
by FAC of an annual rental for
the building.
The segregation issue broke into
the open at meeting of COM
mission 3 of the conference
Wednesday when the NAACP
telegram was read into the pro-
ceedings. On Thursday, the dele
gate from Liberia reminded the
commission that in considering
various sites. it should keep in
mind that FAC staff members
were composed of persons of vari-
Gus races, religions and ma
tionalities who are entitled to
enjoy all privileges. amenities and
freedom of movement and associa-
ton, in keeping with the principles
OF international law and practice. /"
There was the possibility that if
the sentiments expressed by the
Liberian delegate were general
enough and there was still a
strong backing for United States
site, then the final vote might be
for home in New York City at
the new United Nations headquar-
ters.
In addition to the university
and y. N. sites, others proposed
are in Copenhagen. Rome, three
locations In the Geneva, Switzer-
lands area and three undeveloped
sites In nearby Montgomery
County. r.
At tomorrow's plenary session Of
the conference, considerable de-
bate is anticipated even before the
delegates get down to the actual
balloting. At least four proposals
have been advanced on voting
procedure. and the delegates first
will have to decide under which
method they want to proceed.
In, some quarters there is oppo-
sition to procedures which it is
felt would stack the votes against
a United States site. This is par
ticularly true in the case of the
proposal for a first ballot between
America and Europe.
The United States delegation
also is reported unfavorable to
French proposal. This calls for
two preparatory polls, the first to
be on preference for the univer-
sity. the u. N. or the three nearby
sites and the second poll on either
Copenhagen. Geneva or Rome.
Should any one city obtain an alb
solute majority of votes cast, it
should be considered as having
been selected for the final ballot
ing. If no majority is achieved,