The Omaha guide., 1955-10-21
lonsing Endorses Fair Employment

lonsing Endorses Fair Employment
Lansing, Michigan = Michigan, with its seven million people
xhis week became the 18th state to have a Fair Employment Prac
The new Michigan FEPc act became effective on october Il, and
Che six member Commission appointed by Governor G. Mennen
Williams officially took office.
At a ceremony in his office marking the effectiveness of the new
law, Governor Williams said:
To-day marks a great and historic step in the direction of equal
rights for every citizen of our state. I am proud that Michigan once
again takes her rightful place in the forefront of the march of the
American people toward a more perfect democracy.
I'VE have written the dignity of man into the law Of our state"
Marks Victory.
For the Governor, it marked the elimination of seven years of
effort He recommended a Fair Employment Practices act to the
Michigan Legislature in his first message in January, 1e9, and re-
peated the recommendation at every succeeding regular session until
Il was finally adopted in the Spring of 1855
The Fair Employment Practices Commission appointed by Gov
ernor Williams is headed by Sidney M. shevtz, Detroit attorney and
former president of the Jewish Community Council of Detroit.
Other members are: Mrs. Anne P. Cook, Greenvle housewife;
parishes; Alex ruler, executive vcepresldent OF the Wayne County
Clio Council; Harry j. Kelley, Grand Rapids industrialst; and the Rev
Chester A. McPheeters, minister of Metropolitan Methodist Church.
Detroit.
Funds Granted
The Legislature granted the Commission an appropriation of
$4,000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends next
July ]. Out of this fund the Commission is authorized to employ a
fulltime executive director at a salary of $500 a year, and necessary
staff.
DR.. Louis Friedland, associate professor of public administration
at Wayne University has been named temporary acting director, un-
Gil a permanent appointment can be made. DR.. Friedland will take
a leave of absence from his Wayne University duties.
The new Michigan law proclaims in its preamble that "the OPP
portunity to obtain employment" without discrimination as to race,
color, religion or ancestry "s hereby recognized and declared to be
a civil right
Summary of Law
The Michigan law prohibits discrimination by employers; forbids
employment agencies to specify any discriminatory qualifications Of
race, color II creed; requires labor unions to admit and service
members of all religions and races without discrimination; forbids
the use of discriminatory helpwanted advertising, questionnaires
or application blanks; and requires non-discrimination clauses in all
state contracts.
Michigan is the tenth state to adopt such legislation with en-
forcement provisions.
The law authorizes the Commission, through its staff to investi
gate complaints of job discrimination either by employers or labor
unions, and to engage in efforts to bring about compliance with the
law by Cancellation. If Cancellation fails the Commissions next step
is to call a public hearing at which testimony is taken, and an order
to comply is issued.
AS a final step, the Commission may apply to the courts for
an order to enforce its decision. The Commission has no direct sub
pena power but may apply to the courts to force the appearance OF
witnesses.
The law also directs the Commission to engage in a statewide
educational program to promote the elimination Of racial and religi
Gus prejudice and discrimination
How II Wa Done
The history of the FEPC issue in Michigan is a story of persist
ent effort to raise the question above the arena of partisan politics
In the end, the law was adopted only after a political decision
at the polls.
In 1s4s Democratic Governor Williams made his first recommen
dation for FEPC to the Republcandominated state legislature. A few
weeks later the Republican State Convention Joined with the Demo
cratic Convention in endorsing FEPC. But in April 1e49, the Demo
Gratis were soundly defeated in Michigans biennial Spring election
and the Republican legislative leaders promptly dropped FEPC
No secret was made of the connection between the election and
the attitude of the Legislature. The Detroit News blunty said
Prospects for a Michigan fair employment practices commission
faded with the Democratic defeat at the Spring election"
Then followed several years in which the issue was regularly de-
feated in partisan votes-an Democrats in the Michigan House of
Representatives voting for FEPC, and all but a few Republicans vt
ing against it
Republican Legislature to adopt the measure, his appeals began to
have a effect A Republican champion of FEPC arose in the person
of State Representative Louis c. Cramton, of Lapeer, IN elder states
man of his party and a former Congressman. Rep. Cramton Joined
with Rep. Ed Carey of Detroit, Democratic minority leader of the
House, to forge a bipartisan bloc in support of fair employment
practices.
In December 1858, in a moving pre-Christmas message sent direct
H to each legislator, Governor Williams again urged that this vital
question of civil liberty and equal opportunity be made an order Of
business tanscending all political considerations at the Forthcoming
1854 session. He cited the promises of President Eisenhower to sup
port state action in the field of fair employment.
. That resulted in passage of an FEPC bill by the Senate. But the
House killed it by a margin Of six votes-an Republican.
This development threw the question again into the political
zEena. Although the Governor and many legislators of both parties
continued to work for bipartisan support, many Democrats and
friends of civil rights argued that the Michigan Republicans would
never pass FEPC without the voice of the people clearly expressed
st the polls.
After that Cramton found the going easier among his Republican
colleagues. He was joined by a group of young Republicans who
rebelled against their traditional leadership. When the vote came