Evening star., 1949-06-15
by Colt hendIey. Jf.

vote TO wipe out the race barriers
that now exist.
At q long and tense meeting
yesterday. the beard adopted q
statement Of policy" and one
actual change In the present pol
Icy Of strict segregation.
The board voted unanimously 10
allow bi-raeial public assemblies In
school buildings after school
hours and In recreanon buildings
The policy statement II adopted
pledged the board to remove racial
segregation lin such sequence and
such progression" as consistent
with the public interest. public
order and effective administration.
Root Move Fails.
Irving c. Root, superintendent
of National Capital Parks and the
Interior Departments representa-
tive on the board. presented the
amendment to the boards bylaws
which would have eliminated
segregation on the city's play
grounds.
He was backed only by Mrs.
Alice c. Hunter. secretary Of the
board and the only colored MEM
Der. who presented a similar
amendment.
Harry s. Wender. board chair
man. voted against complete
abolition Of segregation along
with four other members Of the
board-James z. Schwab. Mrs
Andrew Saul. Albert E. Steinem
the Board of Education's repre-
sentative, and @. NJ. Thornett,
who represented the District
Commissioners.
Mr.. Root charged the boards
present rule Of racial discrimina-
ton violates our ideals and our
democratic assertions here and
abroad" He said the rule feeds
the propaganda mill Of the Com
munists and the fascists all over
the world"
Mrs. Hunter Attacks Statement.
Mrs. Hunter made a biting at
tack on the policy statement
adopted by the board.
She said 1t was in effect pro-
posal Ito leave the compulsory
segregation bylaw In full force
and effect" and is not new policy
but "only an attempt to justify
the continuation Of the existing
segregation rule"
The meeting room Of the board
at 3l49 Sixteenth street NV. was
jammed with approximately loo
interested citizens. some Of whom
applauded statements made by
Mrs. Hunter and Mr.. Root In favor
Of non-segregation In spite OF Mr..
Wender's warning that no demon
strAtion would be tolerated. NJ
One spectator. Edgar q. Brown,
head Of the National Negro Coun-
Gil, shouted that Mr.. Wendei
..soaght to be with the Nasis" when
he was refused permission TO al
ID question.
Another stalked out Of the room
shouting at Mr.. Wender. Speak
for yourself. mister" as Mr.
Wender was making comments
about one part Of Mrs. Hunters
statement In favor Of elimination
of segregation.
A third man left after being
refused permission to ask q ques-
ton, saying the board was o Zine
example Of democracy"
Nender Warns Spectators.
Before the meeting started. Mr..
Wender warned the audience that
although the meeting was public.
1t was not a public hearing and
no speeches could be made or
questions asked.
MIR. Root said the boards rules
arbitrarily denies to white citizens
and to colored citizens the use
Of public play facilities solely on
the basis Of their race. even when
the people Of both races want to
use them together"
This board Ia q Government
agency working for all the peo-
ple," he declared. ''It Is not our
function to impose q compulsory
racial pattern on any community. !"
Mrs. Hunter said the new
policy" Of the board meant moth
ing because four years ago q ma
jority of the board said they were
sympathetic" to the ultimate
elimination Of segregation.
The board has done nothing
about 1t yet. except under pres
sure Of the Interior Department, ="
she declared. u do not believe
that our record Is such that we
can expect the public to rely on
general expressions Of good win. 50
League Policy Explained.
After the policy statement was
adopted. Milo Christensen. recre-
alton superintendent. brought up
the fact that the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement Of
Colored People had been making
inquiries about the policy followed
in the baseball and softbaIl leagues
sponsored by the Recreation Board.
1t was explained that the policy
was strict segrekation-no team
could use players Of another race
and games between teams Of Diff
ferent races was forbidden.
Here's q chance TO put our new
policy TO work" Mr.. Wender exc
claimed.
Efforts by MIR. Wender TO frame
3 motion which would allow teams
TO use players Of any race were
however. with Mr.. SchwabI
saying:
II don't think We should leap
70 quickly"
It was agreed to study the
matter.
Experiment Mentioned.
When questioned after the meet
M by reporters about what |