Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-03-11

Of the bill
The high point of tho hearings
before the senate and house com.
mittccs occurred Tuesday when
Judson Bemis, vice president of
the Bomia nag Co, told the sen.
ate judiciary committee that otto
=. Christensen. executive vice.
! president nf the Minnesota En-.
ploycrs association tMEA) had
been told by the MEA not TO APP
pear against the bin In the aAso.
cations behalf.
Bcmls Makes Charge
RENTS said, Il have ON the
highest authority. that the Min
nrsota Employers association tof
which my employer Ia u memberD
this year has directed their rep.
rescntative not To oppose the bill
w NliVlE bNfiHus
while II In true Mr., ChriSten.
son testified before the house
labor committee against this
bill. apparently he appeared and
the arguments he presented In up.
position reflects the views Of only
one person, af a divided member
ship 81 the Minnesota Employers
association.
Listening very carefully TO
Bemia, tho MEA lobbyist agreed
reluctantly that there are a mum.
her Of employers In tho state who
now favor FEpC. and that there
is also probably grea, many
businessmen IN this state who
don't care"
The significance II Bcmis' teHtis
mony before the committee In that
II represents n larger acceptance
~ FEpC by employers through
out the state,
This also means that Christan.
sons role as spokesman for the
association At the legislature has
diminished m far M f'EpC In
concerned
"Wednesday nights hearings be-.
fore the house labor committee.
was the first time that opponents
of the bill had ever been quea.
toned by members Of the com.
mlttse about some Of the state.
mentS they made In teatifying n
gainHt the bill
Rep Fred Gina. speaker 81 the
house ana principal author ~
FEpC In the house was partlcu.
larry sharp with ChriHtrnSon
when he asked him. ~ he knew
of any church organizations In
the state that were opposed 10
FEpc7"
When ChrtStenson testified he
referred 10 two church orgnniza.
tionH that were opposed Ia FErC.
After hedging around for a.
while, he answered that he knew
~ none
A. both hearings before the
house and senate, the chief
spokesman against the bin stated
the American Council Of Chris
tian Churches and the Lutheran
Research Society were on record
NJ opposed 10 FEpC
The American Council ~ Chris.
tian Churches II quoted In the
book Apostles ~ DiHcord" by
Ralph l. Roy ms having n close
relationship with hate mongerH
Gerald l. X. Smith and Harvey
springer
All Lutheran HynodR have dis
claimed tho Lutheran Research
socisty and It's head, Lawrence
Riley, because ~ It's hate pro
gram, the Apostles ~ Diacord"
states,
Gordon Forbes spoke sEains,
the bill for tho railroads and told
II an Incident that the Northern
Pacific Ry had with the Wash.
ingt0n state FEp cofumisHion.
where the railroad was found not
TO have Disseminated.
lie WIS questioned by Joseph
Pnfrei Jr. 81 Paul, and one Of
the suthHfH. about tho outcome
NJ the caae The Northern Pacific
had witt the Washington FEpC
involving two Negroes who APP
piled for dining car stewards
JobH.
Forbca said that IN" railroad
vas found not ~ have discrimin.
atsd.
What he failed 10 Eay was that
tho Warrington FEPC In It's re-
port ~ The cast said that the rail
road 10 have = white only pol.
tcy in hiring dining car stewards
Chhs'rnson charged that the
Iow number ~ cases that the
asg......... d. lHlHgsfs -. R.I