Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-03-03


practice bill, which jAmmed IN,
tossed about by Communist propa.
gGnda In n world whose population
Ia half dark skinned.
The House passed. 2t0 to 1T.
and sent TO the Senate an FEPC
bill stripped OF enforcement pro-
visions, President Truman had de.
mAndcd n mandatory ban on racial
discrimination In employment.
Thus tho House adopted q tooth.
less bill 10 set up q commission
with power only 20 investigate,
educate and recommend. and re-
jectcd the administration pro-
gram.
Action on the bill came In two
stages, A lb-hour session ended
at $40 q, m. Feb, ~, In which
southern Anu-FEPC forces were
unable 10 prevent . vote alto.
Ecther. but were, nevertheless.
able to combine with enough Re
publlcanH 10 give them what
amounted 10 essential victory.
Substitute Voted
Then the House picked up again
at noon. and this time adopted O
substitute proposal by Repre-
sentative Samuel X. Mcconnell.
Jr. tR Of Pennsylvania. The
House first rsJectsd n move 10
send the watered-down bill back
To committee. The vote here was
lit 70 24O. Southern Democrats
led tho unsuccessful fight 10 send
the Mcconnell bill back 10 com.
mittee after first having gotten
II adopted.
Politics was involved In the de-
clslve vote, The uoP-Dixiecrat
coalition, welded 10 "gradualIsm"
numbered 1T Democrats and i0t
Republicans. Tho administration
forces. committed 10 Mandatory
enforcement" numbered I2s Dem.
ocrats 10 Republicans. and Rep.
resentAIve vito Marcantonio
(ALPI Of New York.
However. when the Mcconnell
bill comes 20 u direct vote In IL
own right on final passage, II In
uncertain whether the southern
bloc will vote for II, Republican
advocates Of EraduAllsm may ind
themselves with no measure nj
all.
FlooF Debate
In floor debate on the Intensely
difficult subject, advocates Of the
FEPC bill declared that Congress
has passed no civil rights bill
since 1875. just 10 years after the
war which was assumed for n time
10 have settled the issue.
Opponents Of the FEPC meas.
urs argue that the administration
measure would fomsnt rather
than eliminate racial strife by at.
tempting 10 change Iong-eStab-
llShed social patterns Of dlscrim-
inAtion and segregation by force
Of law.
Both 1913 party platforms ad-
vOcated congressional action. The
Democratic plank aaid:
I'VE call upon Congress 10 sup
port our President In guarantee
ing these basic and fundamental
American principles the right
10 equal opportunity Of employ.
msnt.
The Republican plank declared;
This night Of equal opportunity
70 work go. should never BE-
limited. because Of race. re-
ilKiOn, color go. We favor the
enactment ..... Of such federal
legislation a. may be necessary 20
maintain this night. 49,"
Besides entering domestic poll.
tics. ths matter has q deeper
meaning In the duel between Rus
sia and the United stats for the
moral support OF the world. The
issue has been raised by Soviet
propaganda In the Far East and
India.
Anti discrimination legislation
would strengthen the hand Of the
United States In foreign affairs
by fulfilling implied obligations Of
the United Nations Charter. The
UN Declaration Of Human Rights
adopted by the UN General Az
Sembly In Paris, Dec. 10. i04B. As
Ssrts In Article 20 that ~ every.
one without Discrimination has
the right 70 work. 20 free choice
Of employment 70 just and favor
ak,lN s...nalflrna a. vssOwar ana "a