Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-07-28

posed Of railway mail clerks, h
operates in all states or cities
or ordinances.
Facts In the situation and new
developments were revealed TO
this newspaper by Ben +, Perry,
veteran railway mail Clork and
active American Legionalro and
Wiltrcd G. Leland, executive see.
rotary Of the Minneapolis FErC
Commission,
The membership clause OF the
association until i9AA excluded
all except CaucRaiana and native
American Indians Passage OF the
New York FEPC law resulted In
court action In that state against
the union and the NJ Y, courts
ordered II to open Its membership
10 others besides CaucaAians and
American Indians,
In Ip47 Rt the Florida Conven.
ton an unsuccessful effort was
made by the northern delegates TO
open up the membership 10 other
Americans.
In i0i9 the move 10 open the
membership last when 90 per
cent Of the delegates voted
against Il. but the membership
clause was libcraliEcd 10 permit
membership Of Negroes and
others In those states and cities
with FEPC laws,
The old membership clause
section In operation In 90 Of the
~ states Ia as follows;
Any regular mail postal
transportation clerk or mail
substitute postal transportation
clerk % the United States Pos
tai Transportation service who
10 Of the CAUCAsIAN race or
q native American INDIAN
shall be eligible TO membership
IN the National Postal Trans.
portation Association"
The addition occasioned by the
FEpC laws mobiles the old dis
cfiminAtory clause by the add.
ton Of the following paragraph
Except that the restriction
commencing with the word
who and terminating with tho
word Indian shall have no
application In any state where
II IL found 10 be- In conflict with
the laws Of the state and In any
city In which II IL found 10 be
in conflict with the city ordin-
anoc."
In other words, Negro postal
clerks are eligible for member.
ship In the association In the
states Of New York. New jersey.
Massachusetts,, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New Mexico, Ore.
gon and Washington.
They may be admitted In Clsve.
land and Minneapolis where the
city councils have enacted FEPC
legislation but they are not
eligible In 81. Paul where no or.
dlnAnce covers discrimination on
account Of race or color by en-.
ployers or labor unions.
II IN Understood that two Min
nsapolis Negro postal clerks are
now eligible for membership In
the association.
The transportation AHSOcia-
tons present position hiEhIightS
the often ignored fact that the
efforts for FEPc legislation IL
not aimed completely at employ.
sra but also designed 10 break up
widespread discrimination by
huge labor unions. For example,
the Big -Four Railroad Brother
hoods have always barred from
membership all but whites. These
policies would have 20 be adjust.
ed n Federal FEPc legislation
was enacted
These unions know this and
they can BE- found fighting. some
what EhAmefAcedIy aIOngBlde
the DiNscrats and tbs more un-
enlightened employers 70 kill
FEpC legislation. This In not 10
say that In the rank and file Of
the big four BrOtheTho0ds there
IL not Considerable sentiment 70
change the un-AmsricAn lily.
white clauses in the unions by
laws.
In th0so states and cities which
have FEPC, laws should be made
10 force the Big -Four and II
other discriminating unions 10
cleanup and make their member
ship qualifications truly Amer.
can. The manner In which the
postal workers group was forced
In line points the way.