St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-05-16

| " civic ana social agencies dh
among minority groups.
The new bill drafted by X
Of Minnesota Law School Is de
signed 20 cover all public assisted
housing and subsequent housing
built on land covered by urban re-
newal programs, In effect. any
property covered by FILA and VA
mortgage insurance would fall
within the purview Of the law for
as long as such governmental in
surances or other governmental
commitments are In effect.
Controversy over the bill takes
two separate forms: Proponents
question the many housing exemp-
tons provided by the proposed
bill while opponents attack hous-
ing situations not exempt from the
law.
Section 4, Subdivision 1, pro-
vides exemptions for each OF the
following cases:
(aJ a housing accommodation
occupied by the owner az his per-
sonal dwelling place for sub
stantial part Of the year;
90 a housing accommodation
In multiple dwelling containing
fewer than five separate housing
Accommodations, one OF which "
occupied by the owner as his per.
sonal dwelling place for a sub
stantial part OF the year;
(c) a housing accommodation
owned by a religious or fraternal
corporation, association, or society
with respect TO discrimination
based upon the religion Of the oc-
cupant or prospective occupant;
or
Ia a housing accommodation
owned by a bona fide club when
offered 10 a member Of the club.
According 10 McClure's inter
probation OF these exemptions, any
OF the above exceptions 10 the law
would again be covered II any con.
tractual agreements were made
involving any governmental in
surfing agency.
Efforts by Bill Dunn OF the
Real Estate Boards legislative
committee, and Marvin Anderson,
state senator from the 32nd dis
trict to disrupt the committee
hearings with arguments on the
bilrs constitutionality were defeat
ed by Donald Fraser, senator from
the Goth district Fraser effectively
opposed any form Of public debate
on constitutional matters by coun-
ter-proposing that any interested
organization can have their at
torney submit a brief TO the At
torney General or the courts for
such a ruling
The most vocal opponent 10 the
proposed bill was w. +. McFerrn
who gave hts afnliation as presi-
dent Of the Maplcwood Community
Club. stating positively that he
and several 1SD OF his friends
We're interested in organizing
club with the sole purpose OF pur-
chasing property and creating an
exclusive all-whitc community, Nc
Ferrin was quetcd by the COM
mtttcc's assertion that any such
move would be unconstitutional
from the very beginning.
a check ON McFcrrin by this
newspaper revealed that he is a
IT, Colonel in the Regular Army
and is on active duty This fact,
OF course. raises the question as
20 McFcrrtn's right to attend,
much less become involved In lcgis-
htiyc or political matters.
The Army's Public Information
once lPROl stated that military
men are encouraged 20 vote but
discouraged from expressing their
opinion on such matters The PRO
concluded that such an act on the
part Of an Army officer could be
mtsconstrucd as the Armys opin-
ion since every act Of the active
military personnel and especially
It's officers must be interpreted as
representative Of the Army,
The possibility Of formal
protest against McFcrrin's &c
tons Is being raised by the many
agencies interested In the prop
oScd law,
Rep, Wright opposed To Measure
Other opponents in attendance
were the Citizens Emergency
Committee in the person OF II. Il.
Haskell, +. Gordon Wright, state
Representative from the saith dis
trict Many persons uung in
wrighrs district have suffered
housing Discrimination.
Wright stated in the presence OF
this reporter 70 Bin Dunn that
he was In effect ashamed 20 be
associated with even the conSidera.
ton Of such a bill. said Wright
TO Dunn zone OF the reasons I op-
posed letting copies % his bill
leave this committee room is that
I didn't want the public 20 know
that our committee would even be
associated with such a proposal. 30
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