Arizona sun., 1953-01-09
STRAIGHT
AHE: AD

NEW YORK, (GlObal.-At JnlS
season of the year, newspapers, So
cial' agencies, fraternal and church
groups are busy passing out bou-
Duets to individuals and .OrganlZa-
tiOnS for their contributions to
race or human relations during the
past twelve months. In many in
stances these awards are given to
favorites or. persons representing
some particular point of view the
awarding group wishes to honor.
Too often they do not truly re-
ward actual merit.
Just who will be honored by the
Global News Syndi a tie Press
Awards, which are not made until
June, has not been decided upon,
but there is one individual who,
in the judgment of the author OF
straight Ahead should be 50
honored. He is New York's Cover
nor Thomas E. Dewey.
Many of Governor Dewey's
friends have felt for long time
that the New York Chief EXecu-
tive doesn't exploit his administra-
ton for political purposes as much
as he should, noting that other
political leaders, notably the ma
tional administration, has managed
to gain more political strength
through talk than Dewey has
through solid achievement.
Since no one has been able to
convince the Governor that he
should prate aloud every time he
takes some action to advance the
cause of the people, one must con-
clude that Mr.. Dewey knows what
he is doing and doesn't feel it nee
essary to shout from the house-top
every time he performs such func-
ton as the people have a right TO
expect of him as Governor Of the
State of New York.
Many of his supporters have al
ways felt that Governor Dewey
never got half the public credit he
deserves for his efforts in bring
ing about the nations first Fair
Employment Practices law which
created the S te Commission
Against Discrimination. When he
signed the bill establishing the law
back in 1915, Governor Dewey SOL
emnly pledged to work for its eX-
pansion as the need became appar-
ent and as its Workability was
proved. That it's Workability mas
been proved is evidenced by the
fact that discrimination in employ
ment in eJeW York has steadily de-
clined and that more and more Ne
groes are being integrated into the
full economic stream of American
life and are being upgraded in ac-
cordance with their abilities with
a minimum of conflict and misun-
derstanding.
It should also be noted that the
law has been expanded. Although
the Governors office has denied
that the action taken early in 1852
resulted from the Stork Club incl
dent in which the actress, Jose
phine Baker claims she was dis
criminated against, the fact re-
mains that in January, on his first
appearance before the State Legis-
lature after the Stork Club episode,
Governor Dewey requested the
Legislators to expand the jurisdic-
ton of the State Commission
Against Discrimination to include
Restaurants, NiNght Clubs, Hotels,
Resorts and other places of public
accommodation Just what this new
law means to the Negro was most
effectively demonstrated two weeks
ago when "a jury in Ulster County
gave 81 ITO in damages to four Ne
groes against a resort owner VINO
was charged with violating their
civil rights and for breech of con-
tract. The Negroes had made res
ervations at the resort but when
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