St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-03-18
Text Of Settlement
Of Judson Bemis
On FEPC Bill

On FEPc Bill
The following Is the complete
text Of the testimony Of Judson
Bemis, vice president Of the
Bemis Bro. Bag Co, before the
Minnesota State senate Judiciary
committee Tuesday, March 8.
1855.
MY name Is Judscn Bemib.
live al 3S4i Schuneman Rd. In
White Bear Township. Ramsey
county. l am n uce-president Of
Bemia Bro. Bag Co, Minneapolis.
/ am here representing myself, 10
speak In favor OF the bill for an
FEPc. II anyone had told me ten
years ago that I would ever be
testifying before a legislative
committee in behalf Of an FEPc
bill, 1 would have said they were
crazy. MY point of view has OBJ
viously changed. What has chang
1T Three things:
First an evening spent six or
seven years ago sitting In on an
informal meeting Of the Mime
apolis Fair Employment Practices
Commission. there witnessed In
telligent, quiet, impartial, investi-
cation and processing of a couple
OF problems In human relations
through the exercise OF logic, per-
suasion. counseliing and concilia-
uon-.in Essence, saw Intelligent
democracy Mt work in an entirely
constructive way.
Second / have become con-
WINGED that In this area of the so
called minority problem the ma
tural evolutionary pace OF educa-
ton and social change will not
bring results fast enough TO main
tain optimum political and social
stability. While II Ia true that you
cannot legislate tolerance and UNI
derstandlng, II Ia also true that n
little wise. yet insistent, gentle
yet firm, nudging, never did any
one any harm. Az an example ] re-
call how my young son, when con-
fronted with new food, categori-
cally says, II don't like III" But
when the gentle. yet firm hand OF
parental authority gets the spoon
into his mouth. DO times out OF
hundred, he finds it's o. X. after
all.
Third and this may only be
a confirmation of the second ~
time " running out. During the
past year spent one month In
India. on an assignment for our
DEVELOPED country and her people
are black. There are many under
developed countries where people
are black or yellow, or red. Can
we afford to substantiate the
Communist propaganda to these
people the democracy and discrim-
elimination 60 hand In hand7 OF
course Motive know II 10 be UNI
ie--but we would do well TO do
everything we can TO remove now
even the suspicion OF discriminas
ton.
For these three reasons. then,
I have changed my opinions on
FEPC. For these any many SINH
llar reasons ! believe that n large
number OF business men through
out the State have changed their
minds on F'EPC 80 much 30 that
! understand. and this l have on
the highest authority, that the
Minnesota Employers Associa-
ton tof which my employer IN n
membcr) this year has directed
their representative not to oppose
this legislation In their behalf.
While II In true that Mr.. Chris
tenson did testify before the
house committee against this bill,
apparently he appeared an an In
dividual and the arguments he
presented In opposition reflect
the view OF only one portion OF n
divided membership of the MrA.
One final point. Those opposed
20 this bin make much OF the
point that such n commission is
Unnecessary. particularly when
you get beyond the big cities.
Well, fire department Is UNI
necessary until you have fire.
Based ON the law OF averages. I
don't expect my house win catch
fire but I'm glad we have n fire
department. The insurance un-
derwriters win say that In spite
OF the infrcquency OF fires, q fire
department pays for itself. So I
believe viii an FEpC. And n II
shouldn't, I know Of nothing TO
prevent this legislation from re-
pealing this LEGISLATION. Satlsfac-
ton guaranteed or your money
back"