Chicago world. (Chicago, Ill.) 1918-????, 1949-05-28
FIRST REPORT
RELEASED TO
COVER |948

ed plans for the puDlIcdIloH VI
periodic joint |IrveNs on the
state of civil rights and group
relations in the United States.
The announcement was made BY
DR.. David w. Petegorskyy, Elk
cent WY director Of the Ameri-
can Jewish Congress and Walter
White, Secretary cf the NAACP,
in releasing the (irst OF these
joint surveys, "Civil Rights in
theUnited States n 194S-A
Balance Sheet Of Group Rela-
tons"
The surveys wero being issu-
ed, declared DIR. Petegorsky and
Mr.. White in their joint states
ment, because "the field of civil
rights is the most Important
area of our national life in which
democracy rema'1s unfinished"
The 1919 ~7-rvoy issued today
evaluates- 40 events in the fields
Of social, political and economic
discrimination. IT'he 35-page re-
port was prepared by Joseph B.
Robinson and Monroe Berger.
In assessing the progress made
during 1913, the survey pointed
to helpful decisions by the u. 5.
SunYeme Court, forwalrd steps
taken by a number Of state and
local governments, and to some
reforms achieved by private ac-
ton in scattered instances. How
ever, it added, "the practice Of
DISCRIMINATION land segregation
because of race, religion and
national origin was still the rule
in much of the day-to-day acti-
vities of the population" A basic
failure, the report said, was the
fact that no major civil rights
bill was enacted.
con the other hand" the re-
port pointed out, 'in 194S the
American people thought, read
and talked about civil rights
more than they ever had since
the Civil War and Reconstruc-
tion periods" In this connec-
ton, the report declared that the
searching analysis Of the short
comings in our practice of demo-
cracy and the detailed program
for improvements presented by
the Presidents Committee on
Civil Rights, shortly before tho
year opened, reached millions of
Americans during 194S. The pro-
gram was circulated through
publication by the Government
Printing Office, reprints by
private publisher and a news
paper, specialization in the Negro
press and analysis distributed
by civic organizations. Wide dis
tribtion also was given to the
report Of the Presidents Com
mission on Higher Education
which discussed the problem of
school egregation and the uni
versity quota system"
Public awareness Of the civil
rights issue was increaed by the
Presidents special message to
i Congress requesting legislation
/ along the lines suggesting legis-
lation along the lines suggested
by his committee and the en-
suing campaign waged against
the Presidents program by
bloc of southern legislators and
politicians. Books and films such
as "Gentleman7s Agreement"
and "Crossfre," and Pulitzer
prize winner Ray Sprigle's &C.
count Of his travels Through the
south posing as a Negro, all
helped to focus American at
tention on group relations.
Thi ferment Of discussion STIR
red a growing belief that action
could and should be taken to
meet the problem, the report
declared, and strengthened the
civic forces organized to rene
dy the civil rights deficiencies.
One positive achievement was
I the series of community SELF
audits" conducted in Montclar
and "Northtown" in New Jersey.
| and in Minneapolis and Denver
Local leaders directed a survev
of group relations in those ci-
ties and initiated action pro-
grams to cure the evils they had
discovered.
In the federal field, the report
hailed the U. s. Supreme Court
for continuing ITO protect min
GRITTY rights, following its trend
! during the last decade. In 1913
| the Court issued six decisions
favorable to minorities in edu-
cation, housing, business and
employment, and transportation
The survey detailed and an
alyzed the significant achieve
lations during 194S under the
ments and failures in group re-
following headings: Citizen
ship-Immigration and Nat1ra1i-
cation; Elections and the Right
to Vote; the Right to Safety and
Security of the Person; Segre-
cation Generally; Discrimination
in Employment and Business.
Discrimination in Education
Discrimination in Housing. MI.
elimination in Places Of Puhlic,
Accommodations; Athletics; Group
| Defamation.
In its conclusion, the report
declared: is the recent improve
ment in minority status and
welfare primarily the result az
the current period Of prosperity
or does it represent a more
fundamental advance in Ameri-
can democracy? The long.term
evidence seems to show s7,cb =
Fundamental advance, vet it
must be emphasized that . dc