Federal Fair Employment Practice Act

In the light of this, I urge that the right to employment without discrimination because of race, religion, color, national origin, or ancestry, be recognized as and declared to be a civil right of all the people of the United States.

The bill now being considered, H. R. 4453, known as the Federal Fair Employment Practice Act is similar to H. R. 1348 which I introduced on January 3, 1949. Although nothing would please me more than to have the bill under consideration bear my name, because of my deep interest in this problem, I am extremely happy to support the Powell bill, because my primary concern is to wipe out the un-American practice of discrimination in employment.

Your chairman is to be complimented on the vigorous stand he took in introducing the bill, and on the fight he is making for its passage. I trust that you will favorably report this measure, so that the oppressed may enjoy that true freedom, which should be the blessing of all in this great country of ours.

Thank you, gentlemen, for this opportunity to testify.

Mr. POWELL. Are there any questions you would like to ask Mr. Dollinger, Mr. Perkins?

Mr. PERKINS. Nothing.

Mr. POWELL. Mr. Burke?

Mr. BURKE. Mr. Dollinger, does your State have a State Fair Employment Practices Act?

Mr. DOLLINGER. We have. I think there could be a better commission set up there. I think it has room for improvement. But I think they have started to do a job which, in my opinion, is helpful and which I think is a step in the right direction.

Mr. BURKE. But there has not been any of the disarrangement of industry that the opponents of such legislation contemplate?

Mr. DOLLINGER. Oh, no; definitely not. They have not upset anything. I do not think this bill intends to disrupt industry any more than the legislation in effect in the State of New York. I think every group intends to do the right thing, and the purpose, of course, is to educate, if they can. There are very few instances that I know of where they have gone to court. The Attorney General has usually stepped in, and there have been agreements between the parties that they would discontinue the practice.

Mr. BURKE. Thank you.

Mr. POWELL. Thank you ever so much.

Mr. DOLLINGER. Thank you, gentlemen.

Mr. POWELL. Representative Hoffman, of Michigan.

Mr. HOFFMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.

TESTIMONY OF HON. CLARE E. HOFFMAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

Mr. HOFFMAN. While believing there should be no discrimination in opportunity for employment, I cannot go along with the present bill or any bill of similar import.

I must apologize for not filing a statement, for the reason that I was not sure that I could be here this morning, and the other committee assignment that I had prevented making one.

Without expressing my opinion as to the merit or lack of merit in connection with his comments, I would like to place in the record. certain comments and tables printed in the Congressional Record under date of March 13, 1945, by the Honorable John E. Rankin, of Mississippi.

Mr. POWELL. Without objection, the material will be made a part of the record.

(The comments, in part, and the tables referred to are as follows:)

COMMITTEE ON FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

You will note that in this office of the chairman, consisting of 10 people, there are 5 Negroes, and 5 white people, most of whom have foreign names. One of the whites is a stenographer who receives the smallest salary of anyone on the list. Remember that the members of this group preside over the destiny of every business enterprise in America, and are using their assumed powers to harass white Americans out of business.

This is the organization Members of Congress are now being asked to perpetuate by the passage of this bill.

You will note it consists of nine people-five Negroes, one Japanese, and three others-two of whom have records of affiliations with Communist-front organizations, according to the reports of the Dies committee.

Now look at this list and see who reviews all these records of racial discrimination when they come to Washington,

Here is the list:

You will note that it consists of six Negroes and two white people, one of whom is named Carol Coan and the other Celia Hoffman, a white stenographer receiving the lowest salary on the list.

You will note it consists of two Negroes and a Simon Stickgold. If you want to know who Simon Stickgold is, probably Sidney Hillman can give you the information.

INFORMATION DIVISION

Now we come to the Information Division. If you want information about this outfit you write to this Division.

You will note that it consists of two Negroes, one registered as an information specialist and the other as a clerk-stenographer.

BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION

This Division

Now we come to the Budget and Administration Division. not only makes up the budget but administers the regulations. Here is the list:

This outfit, which is composed of 11 Negroes, not only makes up the budget for financing this aggregation, but it seems to have the power of administration. * * *

MAIL AND FILES DIVISION

Now, here are the ones that have control of the mails and filing system:

You will note that this division is composed entirely of Negroes-no whites at all. I wonder why they discriminated against the white race in setting up these two powerful branches of this most dangerous agency?

REGIONAL OFFICE, NEW YORK

Now let us turn to the regional offices and see who is going to harass the business people back in the States. Here is the list for the State of New York:

* * * You will note that it is composed of four Negroes and three white people. Please read the names of the three white people and see if you can figure out their antecedents.

REGIONAL OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA

Now, let us turn to Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Constitution, the City of Brotherly Love.

You will note that it is composed of eight individuals-five Negroes and three whites, Mildred Greenblatt, Samuel R. Risk, and Karyl Klinger.

REGIONAL OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Now, here is the regional office in Washington, D. C., the Nation's Capital, where there has been so much persecution of white gentiles in the last few years. Here is the list: