St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-02-02

oyment practice bill.
In prepared statement. Owens
told the group there are 800
manufacturing firms in 81. Paul
and only I2s employ Negroes.
Only 10 use them in accordance
with their skill and Abilities"
which. according TO Owens, leaves
many competent Negro workers
employed under a Job ceiling
which restricts fair chances for
any up-grading
The Urban League executive
told the committee that ont o.
~ s. Paul high school grMdm-
ates In 1850, Only ia received
fun time employment. He con-
tributed this 10 the fact that
many doors arc closed 10 the
Negro youths because o. their
color.
Survey shows Need
Owens report showed the CONF
mittee facts about a recent sur
vey conducted by that agency in
which 257 firms were contacted
for future possibilities OF en-
ploying Negroes. The survey re-
vealed 1877 or 90 percent did not
employ Negroes. 90, or IS per
cent had never employed them.
Owens further stated 90 firms
employed Negroes but only eight
OF them employed Negroes In
semi-skilled positions and four
sldlled positions.
The firms which had no Me-
groes were questioned AZ TO their
future policies toward employing
them. Owens said. "there are 40
or "a percent who said they would
not employ Negroes. None OF
these firms had employed Negroes
In the past and previous exper-
fence could not be used AZ an ex-
cuse.
When asked by q member Of
the committee n the state had
practiced discrimination against
Negroes, Owens said Eyes" and
stated the league had 10 work
with some departments TO cor
rect this policy.
Abbott washburn. who was one
OF the originators of the Crusade
for World Freedom and a General
Mills executive, told the commit
tee Of his experience while with
General Lucius Clay In Berlin last
year. Washburn quoted excerpts
from radio broadcasts and news
stories from Moscow controlled
newspapers. which he stated are
fed to the people, morning, noon,
and night. about the u. 8.
washburn said Moscow has
been waging an extensive hate
campaign against US. According
to him the people are told we are
a nation of War-mongers. have no
real choice Of voting, that our
press Is in chains controlled by
Mccormick and Hearst and that
autos are owned by only a priv
ileged few.
Must Strengthen Democracy
The General Mills official told
the group the only way we're go
ing to get anywhere 10 TO streng-
then our democracy at home and
tell the world about 1t. He stated
the legislature should pass FEPC
legislation as an effective means
to combat Communism. WASH
burn said the best answer to the
Communist SANDER that the
United States practices hypocrisy
by demanding world freedom
while enslaving It's own minority
groups, Ia laws Ike FEPC.
Deinarti Speaks
Amos Deinard, head Of the
Minneapolis FEPC. told the group
that during the three and one
half years of the city ordinances
existence, 139 cases were reported
stating that many Of these were
later found to be without basis
and all of them settled by arbi-
tration.
Others who appeared and APP
prove the passage of the bin
were Robert Olson. president Of
the Minnesota Federation Of La
Dor who stated he was for the bin
and that the AFL Is on record for
this type Of legislation. Bradshaw
Mintener. vice-president Of Pills
bury Mills. Inc. told the group
passage Of the bin would increase
the purchasing powers and also
ease the labor market In an
swer to a labor committeman's
question about his own firms
policy, Mintener stated his or
ganization had been hiring minor
ity group members for years and
also stated the progress Of
branches Of his firm In citiea