Evening star., 1951-10-14
Donohue Tells
OF Threat in
Integration. Row
Called by 'coword';;
Letters Back Plan fol-
Mixed Fire Units
By Hurriet Griffiths

By Harriet Griffiths
More than 100 letters on the
pending integration of white and
colored flremen herewith only
two objecting-aild d telephoned
threat to run him out of town
were reported last night by Com
missioner F. Joseph Donohue.
The Commissioner told listeners
to his weekly Report to the
People, broadcast on Station
WWDC the threat was made to
himis Friday morning by an "un-
identified coward" g..
He used the word coward" be-
cause of the lack of identity. He
said he throws away anonymous
letters, since "intelligent neople
are willing to sign their names .''
He said he had received two or
three other unpleasant telephone
calls.
Union Meetings Today.
Meanwhile, the f1remen's union
planned two meetings today-one
for the night shift and one loi
the day Shift-to take another
vote on the integration issue, and
to consider asking for 40-hour
week. Firemen now work 10 hours
one week and SO the next.
Behind the 40-hour week move
would be the objective of per-
mitting f1remen to spend their
sleeping hours at home, it was
explained.
The meetings called by Local So,
international Association of Fire
fighters, AFL, in Odd Fellows Hall.
419 Seventh street NV. will be
open to all f1remen. a spokesman
said. The union claims $50 of
the more than 1000 firemen.
Action Is Delayed.
After the Commissioners on Oc-
tober 2 decided to abandon the
30-year-old segregation policy of
the Fire Department on recon-
mendation of Fire Chief J. A
Mayhem, a poll of union members
showed a vote of 204 to 26 against
integration.
It had been planned that IA
colored flremen would be assigned
in pairs early this week to seven
white units.
In a mutual concession agree
ment Friday, however, the start
OF ntegration was postponed by
the Commissioners after Repre-
sentative Davis, Democrat, of
Georgia. made that a condition to
holding up hearings on his bill to
force continued segregation of the
Fire Department.
MrA Donohue had asked the
legislator to postpone hearings
until he returned October 20 from
Miami, Fla, where he is an elect
ed delegate to the American Le-
gion convention.
No Change in View,
Commissioner John Russell
Young said the delay did not
mean. the Commissioners had
changed their views on the new
integration policy, which they
have twice reaffirmed.
Mr.. Davis said YESTERDAY the
Commissioners would be included
In schedule of witnesses he is
preparing, designed ''to 60 to the
bottom of this thing"
Congress hopes to adjourn at the
end of this week, and as Mr.. Dono-
hue will not be back until next
Saturday, it is presumed the legis-
lator may stay on and hold hear
ings anyway. He is chairman of
the House District subcommittee
on police and f1remen.
Mr.. Davis also replied to Mr.
Donohue's comment last week
that the Representative was emo
tionally upset"
II am emot1onally upset, I
recover from that" said Mr.
Davis. "but am afraid his dis
ability is permanent"
Sure Bill Wouldn't Pass,
Mr.. Donohue said on last nights
broadcast. which was prepared
before he left Friday, that he was
satisfied MIR. Davis "has no illu-
slons as to his chance of having
such an un-American bill passed
by the Congress of the United
States" He added he also was
satisfied that "his real purpose
in introducing the measure is to
enable him to use his power as
chairman of the subcommittee on
police and firemen to call the
Commissioners before him for the
political purpose he has charged
against us-the non-voting, non
elected members of the Board of
Commissioners"
Mr.. Donohue was asked
whether Mr.. Davis statement
that the integration order was
part of pattern OF pandering
to Negroes for political purposes"
meant in effect follow through
for the. President on the civil
rights program.
The Commissioner asserted he
considered the Presidents civil
rights message to Congress in
1946 lone of the finest expressions
OF Americanism Ilhave ever read
IF to follow that is to engage
in the kind of chicanery the Con-
gressman refers to, I am doing
that, but I challenge his adjec-
tives."