St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-07-25
Race Discrimination
BY Better New
York Cafes Drops

ToTK Cores Drop:
New York City N. Y.-Dis
elimination in east midtown res
taurants of Manhattan has drop
ped from 42l5 to 1851 in two
years, the Committee On CiW
Rights in East Manhattan re
ported yesterday following a re
survey Of the areas eating places
Chosen two years ago because
Of its proximity 10 the United
Nations headquarters, the terri
tory covered Is between Fifth
Avenue and the East River, ant
from Saith to seth Street. The
Committee was eager to test this
district because II believed that
the United States largely on the
basis of impressions gained in the
area.
The Committee, encouraged by
the statistically significant drop
in discrimination, attributed the
reduction TO a process of educa-
ton by the Committee both
through direct contacts by letters
to restaurant owners and inter
views with restaurant owners and
personnel and through work with
civic organizations in the COM
munity.
In 1850. 10 determine whether
there was discrimination or not,
the Committee carried out a sur
vey in this area by a direct test
ing method. In the 1852 re-survey
the same techniques were used,
The re-survey was carried out by
272 persons, divided into minor
ity" teams Of two Negroes and
control" teams of two whites. A
sample of 90 East Midtown res
taurants was tested during a 10
day period. Forty-three of the
restaurants tested had been sur
veyed two years ago and 80 were
tested for the first time. The Ne
gro team entered first, followed
closely by the white team. Each
team was instructed not TO rec
ognize the other and to give no
indication OF any interest other
than getting a meal Both teams
observed carefully a number OF
details concerning the treatment
accorded them. reporting these
Immediately after the test on
carefully prepared report forms,
The two surveys were conduct
ed under the guidance of a group
Of social scientists, including DR..
Kenneth Clark OF the Northside
Center for Child Development ;
DR.. Herbert Hyman of Columbia
University: DR.. Sophia NJ. Robin
son of the New York School of
Social Work, and Claire Sellitz,
OF the Research center for Human
Relation of New York University
who prepared the report, noted
I'm 1850, discrimination was
encountered much more frequent
ly in restaurants charging an
average of $500 to $3.99 per meal,
than in those charging under 81.
In 1852, the percentage Of dis
elimination dropped In higher
priced restaurants while remain
ing stationary in the lower priced
restaurants.
Head Walters A Problem
Again, head walters and hos
tesses were the most frequent
sources Of discriminatory treat
ment. In eight of the discrimina-
tory restaurants. the head waiter
or hostess alone showed discrim,
inatory behavior: in two. a waiter
or waitress alone showed such be.
havior; in three. both head
waiter or waitress were involved
In the remaining two cases, an.
other employee chat check girl
bartender) also showed discrim,
inatory behavior. or the fifteen
discriminatory incidents, head
walters or hostesses were involv.
ed in a total of thirteen. walters
or mattresses in a total of six.
The findings indicate, however
that the clear-cut pattern OF
unequal treatment in 42cc OF the
cases revealed by the initial audit
in 1850 is generally breaking
down. In the future II is expected
that the residual 16rS of dis.
elimination can be wiped out
through continued efforts of q
voluntary citizens group such as
the Committee on Civil Rights In
East Manhattan which is com.
posed of members of % civic and
church organizations and which
has secured the friendly coopera,