Evening star., 1951-10-15
5 Local
Votes 664 to35
For Segregation
lnteerotion AssoiIed;
Group Represents
"a of BIoze Fighters

The vote OF nearly all the men,
bership of the Washington local,
International Association of Fire
fighters (AFL). which held spe-
cial session yesterday, was 664 to-
IS in favor of continuing the
30-year policy Of racial segrega-
ton in the department.
The District Commissioners
have adopted the "integration"I
plan recommended by Fire Chief
j. A. Mayhem to mix colored and
white assignments in the depart
ment. But in the face Of opposi-
tion by Representative Davis,
Democrat, Of Georgia. the city has
deferred putting the program into
effect until after Commissioner
F. Joseph Donohue returns from
an out-of town trip on October 20.
Davis Supported 663 to 81.
Just to make the record COM
plete, the firemen's union also
supported, 663 to 81. Represent
ative Davis resolution to set aside
the Commissioners integrationI
order. and, by 693 to 2, the same
Congressman's resolution requir-
ing competitive examinations for
appointment of all officers Of the
force.
The District branch of the Ma
tional Association for the Ad-
of Colored People,
meanwhile, has written to Repre-
sentative Davis protesting his in
tegrating bill.
The NAACP letter, signed by
Stephen Gill SpottSwood, said
that Moscow this morning re-
joices in your bill" and added
that integration in the Army and
Navy has been accomplished
without any undesirable re-
suits"
Opposition Promised.
Calling the bill "anti-American"
and "non-Constitutional." the as
sociation's letter states that the
NAACP will "oppose the measure
with all the resources at our COM
Imand."
The firemen's union deferred
action on a proposal for a 40-hour
week, to supplant the present aver
age 60-hour tour of duty.
According to union spokesmen,
lit was felt that action now on that
issue would hamper the unions
efforts to preserve segregation.
Purpose Of the 40-hour week de-
mand is to enable firemen to
spend their sleeping hours at
home rather than at the fire sta
tions.
Close Relationships Cited.
Although newspapermen were
barred from both union meetings
one for the night shift and one
for the day shift-yesterday, it
was learned that the nub of the
anti-integration feeling is the
white firemen's objection to shar-
ing fireman's close quarters with
Negroes.
1t. Alvin e. Davis, president OF
the firef1ghters union. stated the
majority case this way:
THE public and the Commits
sioners apparently don't realize
that flremen on the job live like
members of the same family.
"On duty hours. the men eat to-
Igether, sleep in the same small
bunk room. play cards together
and shoot the bull together.
Living Together Stressed.
"Other people can talk of ideals
and principles all they please. but
this idea of living with some one
of another race is something else
again. They don't think of that
From what the boys said al
these meetings today, they-anc
I know, I-believe in the idea oi
equality.
But it's not something any one
can cram down any ones throat
That was tried with prohibition
Its got to come gradually
What we feel now may be differ.
ent five or 10 years from now"
AS things stand at present, tn.
relations between white and Ne.
gro personnel are good" accord
ing to 1t. Davis.
But if this integration thinl
lgoes through. it will only NEAR
: segregation inside the station
. houses" he said.
1 IA Were to Be Assigned.
Under the Commissioners orig
inal plan, IA Negro f1remen wer
: to have been assigned in pairs t.
seven white firehouseS.
Speaking as an officer, 1t. Davi
said that if any Negro firemen ar
assigned to his company he wi
see that they are treated right.
But I won't be able to tell tn
: other men to associate with tn
colored men," he said. II can
tell them they must get along wit
the colored men-or else.'
Isolation of Negroes Predicted.
The result, he said, would b
that the Negro flremen would b
isolated from the others when h
eats and sleeps in the station dur
ing the long daily duty hours.
Although some members wer
bitter in criticizing Chief Mayhem
statements that Interrogation
would be economical and that a
earlier sample 'poll' of the 1,04
firemen showed they favored tn
proposed new order, both meeting
yesterday were generally quie
Less than a dozen Negroes attend
ed each session, it was reported
Of the 106 Negroes in the depart
ment.