Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-08
Continued From First Page)

gram after school hours. The
school board has taken the stand
that 1t cannot dictate the policy
under which these schools are
used after it gives permission to
the Recreation Board to operate
them.
Now on SEGREGATED Basis
The Recreation Board acts as
q permit bureau for the schools
so designated. At present, these
permits are on a strictly segre-
gated basis with no mixed meet
ings allowed, white groups only
in white schools and colored
groups in colored schools.
mo reasonable justification can
prevent the board from recogniz-
ing the immediate necessity o.
either amending its rules or in
terpreting them SO as to permit
the use of both recreation and
school buildings for mixed racial
gatherings" M. Wender declared.
The board rules still prevent
any mixing OF the races in its
supervised recreation p, ogram on
the Fairgrounds or in the build
ings, Mr.. Wender pointed out.
This policy must be adhered to
until the board either amends the
rule or suspends it. he said. The
rule in question states that sepa-
rate recreation programs must be
conducted for white and colored
persons at separate locations.
Change Made Under Pressure.
Developments in the segrega-
ton question have been coming
fast since the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
removed the racial designations
on its master plan. admittedly
under pressure from the Admin
istration.
At last nights meeting Of the
Federation of Citizens Associa-
lions in the District Building, Mr..
Wender urged the delegates mot
to permit your member bodies to
go off half-cocked and take action
on this explosive question without
thinking of all the problems that
are involved"
He presented a plea that they
"look at this problem with pref
udice, look at my findings with
out prejudice and look at my rec
concentrations without prejudice. +"
Asked to Read Report.
Mr.. Wender asked the delegates
to read the report themselves
rather than judge it from accounts
or descriptions of it. He said he
was willing to hear any dispute of
facts in the report and promised
to take public recognition of any
errors.
He reminded the body he had
been active in the organization
for II years and had held Offices
including that OF president and
said:
II only ask for a square. fair
deal from you who have always
given it to me in the past.
He said in his talk that there
is before us today a great prob
lem, a race problem-one that
this Federation for years con-
tinued to dodge, although we knew
large proportion of our citizens
was of another color"
He said that he, during his
presidency and successive presi-
dents. had worked to close the
gaps that have existed.
Mr.. Wender urged the group
also not to PREJUDICE the second
report he plans to make.
1t was Representative Klein,
Democrat, of New York. who
played the greatest part in get
ting the change in the colored
and white designation OF play
grounds on the master plan. He
maintained the planning COM
mission had exceeded its authority
in setting up white and colored
areas. He called this to the at
tention of the planning commits
sion in a series Of letters to Maj.
Gen. u. S. Grant, III, which he
then forwarded to President Tru-
man.
When the planning commission
removed the racial designations,
1t Withdrew the prop on which the
Recreation Board has been basing
its segregated program. The
board on many occasions has
pointed to the master plan as a
reason 1t had to maintain segre-
cation.
In his report. Mr.. Wender said:
There is no legal restraint upon
the Recreation Board in the abso-
lutte determination of its own
racial policies in the operation OF
pIOSl dlllo dllu I1lC QoC Va AdS1AA11Co
under it's control. The last bar
rier to the boards independent
action in this respect was removed
when the racial designations,
hitherto an integral part of the
recreation system plan, were
stricken from the plan by the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission on April 49,"
Restaurant Situation Cited.
Under the title of restaurants
Mr.. Vendors report said:
Restaurant conditions con-
fronting Negroes in downtown
Washington are among the more
deplorable factors in Our complex
segregation pattern. 1t Is impos-
sible for a Negro to be- seated and
served at any restaurant in the
shopping section regardless Of his
station in life or economic Cir
cumstances. He may purchase
practically anything else from al
most any of our fine shops-but
may not eat except at a lunch
-.