St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-07-14
JOB DISCRIMINATION WASTES HUMAN
RESOURCES HUMPHREY TOLD SENATE
Seventh nstament Of senator Humphreys


Is replete with additional eW-
dence that economic discrimina-
ton of America qualified workers
threat. In virtually every sec
ton of America qualified workers
are being denied the opportunity
to make a living solely because
Of their race, color, religion or
national origin.
Discrimination in employment,
however, does not merely contri-
butte to a growing insecurity in
America; it also is a threat to
the welfare of our economy. To
remove discrimination in employ
ment is not merely to be consis-
tent with the basic principles of
morality and justice, but is to
serve the best self-interests Of the
American economy.
Discrimination in employment
is nothing more than a waste of
human resources. Our economy,
to fulfill its productive capacity,
must utilize the human resources
of its citizens to their fullest ex-
tent. When a skilled mechanic is
unable to assume his rightful
place as a member of his craft,
simply because of his color, the
community suffers. 1t suffers not
only because his skill as a mech
anic is not utilized by the econ
omy, not only because his educa-
ton and training Is wasted, but
also because a man who cannot
earn, cannot take his rightful
place as a consumer in our soci-
ETY.. A community of workers,
Disseminated against in en-
ployment is also a community of
consumers who discriminate
against the purchase of goods
and services. When the aver
age salary of a Negro teach
err in a school is so percent that
of a white teacher, quite obvious
ly that Negro teacher provides
only three-fifth of the economic
stimulation to our economy of
which he is capable.
The factors add up to an enor-
nous cost to any area where a
large segment of the population
Is Disseminated against. In a
commencement address to last
years graduating class of the
University of Miami, Ralph Nc
Gill, editor of the Atlanta Con-
stitution, declared:
THE South, as it sees its agri-
cultural economy changing and
industry coming, surely is not so
blind it fails to see that the in
naturalization will not be a COM
plete regional success until the
Negro is integrated into it, using
what skills he has on equal terms
and wages"
The States which had a per
capita income of only $500 in the
boom year of 1910 were those in
which discrimination was great
est, whereas the income for more
democratic states was the high
est per capita in the country,
averaging $500. There have been
responsible estimates that the
total cost of discrimination in our
country Is more than SIS, ,000,-
900 a year.
The House report on FEPC
well points out that discrimina-
ton in employment keeps in mo-
ton a vicious cycle in our econ
omy. 1t depresses the wages and
income of minority groups and,
because of competition for jobs
by these groups. exerts a down.
ward drag on all wages. As a re-
suit, purchasing power is cur
tailed and markets reduced. Re-
duced markets result in reduced
production. This cuts down en-
ployment which, of course, means
lower wages and still fewer Job
opportunities. In the absence of
effective standards of fair en-
ployment, rising fear, prejudice
and insecurity aggravate the very
discrimination in employment
which sets the vicious cycle in
motion.
It is not possible to indicate
precisely the dollar and cents cost
of certain aspects of discrimina-
ton. When jobs are denied be-
cause of race, color, religion, or
national origin, the group affec-
ted is forced to a lower economic
level, a lower level of health, of
housing, and of education. The
Negroes average life is 10 years
shorter than that of the white
population. Three times more
Negro than white women die in
childbirth. Illness and disease do
not confine themselves conven-
iently within color groups.
Wherever the death rate for the
Negro is highest, so too does the
death rate rise for the members
of the white race. In those States
in which infant mortality among
the Negroes is greatest, the
deaths of infant white children
are greatest. We who dare not
estimate the value of a single life
should ponder this incalcuable
and appalling cost to our society.
The problem Of FEPC is more
than an economic problem, how
ever. II is also a psychological
and a social problem. want to
bring to the attention of the Sem
ate the testimony of a very dis
tinguished judge, Hon. Stephen
S. jackson, who for 10 years was
a Judge of the children's court
and director Of the bureau for
prevention of Juvenile delinquent
cy in New York. We must re-
member, as 1 am sure those of us
with children will, that when
children are shut up for any
length of time with nothing to do.
they are quite likely to become
boisterous and irresponsible.
When adults, mature men and
women, are deprived for long of
useful work for their hands and
their minds solely because of
their color or manner of worship,
they are Just as likely to be-
come irresponsible and impatient
with the social order in which
they live.
I quote from Judge Jackson:
over and over again have
found in the mental and emotion
al makeup OF these children a
strong, bitter sense Of hostility
and resentment against society.
A society which glibly prated of
equality to all but which in prac-
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