committee of my desire to sustain the cause to the end of fulfillment of our pledges. I shall aid every move pointing to the earliest enactment of the FEPC bill. STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN A. BLATNIK, A REPRESENTATIVE LN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I take this opportunity to go on record in support of these proposals (H. R. 21 and H. R. 4453) now under consideration, which are designed to make illegal all discrimination in employment, and which would create a national commission against discrimination in employment to enforce a nondiscriminatory policy. I am convinced that the passage of this measure is necessary to the realization of the democratic principle of equality of opportunity and our desired goal of freedom from fear. The democratic principles of freedom and equality are inherent in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and represent the central theme in our American heritage. We have made great strides toward the realization of these goals in practice during the 175 years of national independence, but our achievements must not blind us to our shortcomings. We must face the unpleasant fact that great numbers of our people are not allowed to vote today because of the discriminatory poll tax, that rank discrimination-political, economic, and social-is today being practiced against racial, religious, and political minorities, and that mob action, police brutality, and the denial of minimum standards of court justice are common occurrences in many parts of the country. In my opinion, the most cruel, vicious, and un-American form of discrimination is that practiced in connection with employment. It is a well-known fact that today minority groups throughout America are being subjected to the most flagrant forms of discrimination in employment in both government and private industry. Discriminatory hiring practices fall most heavily upon the Negro people the FEPC report showed that during the war years four out of five cases of discrimination involved Negroes-but Jews, Catholics, Mexicans, Indians, and Japanese-Americans are also the victims of hiring-hall prejudices. For the minority worker who is fortunate enough to secure employment in the face of hiring-hall discrimination, there are still the injustices of on-the-job discrimination. He may find that his pay is less than that received by other workers who are doing the same kind of work. For example, statistics show that the average weekly wage for white veterans in the South is from 30 to 70 percent higher than for Negro veterans engaged in the same kind of activity. In addition, the minority worker is the victim of prejudice when it comes to promotion. A recent case study shows that it takes the Negro employee seven times as long to obtain a promotion as the white worker of the same efficiency. To make matters worse, it is the minority worker who is laid off first when the labor force is reduced, and reinstated last when production is expanded, which means that minority groups suffer first and longest during periods of unemployment. Mr. Chairman, it is impossible for me to adequately express my opposition to such forms of discrimination which deprives men and women of the right to work, and the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The existence of such discrimination in America is a national disgrace, and congressional action is necessary for the following reasons: (1) Discrimination in all its forms, and especially in connection with the right to earn a livelihood, is immoral, unjust, undemocratic, and un-American. It violates every principle to which Americans claim allegiance. It violates the moral and spiritual values, not only of Christianity, but of all the great religions-it is immoral and sinful in that it ignores the God-given dignity that every human possesses. Economic discrimination repudiates the basic meaning of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution which holds that every person enjoys the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. (2) Discrimination is today most embarassing to the United States which is seeking a position of leadership throughout the world. The United Nations charter provides that members of the UN shall promote freedom to all regardless of race, language, or religion. If we tolerate discrimination we are in a sense repudiating our obligations under the UN. Discriminatory practices in the United States discredit the United States in the eyes of the peoples of the world, and especially in the eyes of the millions of nonwhite peoples of Asia who today demand the right to sit in the councils of the world on a position of equality. It arouses ill-will against the United States and represents an obstacle to mutual understanding between nations and peoples. (3) Discrimination in employment is an obstacle to economic progress because it prevents the best use of our human resources in production. This means in turn less production, lower national income, and less purchasing power to maintain full prosperity. Artificial barriers separating minority workers from the average worker creates labor division which can be exploited by management to lower wage standards in industry. Moreover, the final effect of economic discrimination is to drag down the entire economic level of society, perpetuate poverty, and create a host of economic and social problems (slums, disease, crime, delinquent taxes, juvenile delinquency, and poverty); and (4) Discrimination of all kinds is now on the increase in America, and Congress must take action now to check the revival of such practices before the increasing tensions create grave disorders and social unrest in America. During the last great war minority workers made great gains in industry, Government work, and all other areas of endeavor. Now there is evidence to show that we are reverting to the prewar pattern again, and unless Congress acts soon all the gains made during World War II will be lost. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, discrimination in all its forms is a vicious 'and evil phenomena, and it has no place in America. It is my hope that this committee will take the first step toward abolishing the evils of economic discrimination by reporting favorably on this legislative proposal to establish a permanent FEPC in America. You may be sure of my unqualified support if you bring this measure to the House floor for debate. STATEMENT OF HON. WALTER A. LYNCH, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the courtesy of the chairman and the members of the committee in permitting me to file this statement of my views relative to the bill now under consideration, H. R. 4453, commonly known as the Fair Employment Practice Act. I would, of course, have preferred to appear before the committee personally and I regret that the fact that the Ways and Means Committee, of which I am a member, is simultaneously in session in connection with a new social security bill, and thus prevents me from doing so. I am pleased to point out the apparent unanimity of the New York delegation on the necessity of getting behind this bill and I congratulate my colleague from the Bronx, Hon. Isidore Dollinger, of the Twenty-fourth Congressional District, who has relegated to the background the natural desire to press his own bill, H. R. 1348, and, despite pride of authorship, is vigorous in his stand in favor of the present bill before you. I feel that this bill which is now under consideration and which has been introduced by my colleague from New York, Mr. Powell, is a forward piece of legislation which is justified in good morals and for economic reasons. I say that it is justified in good morals for the reason that it is my firm beilef that we, as a great Christian country, should not discriminate against persons because of their race, color, or creed. It is likewise my firm belief, grounded in me by my parochial school education, that all men are created equal in the sight of God and that all men possess the right—as was indestructibly recited in the Constitution of our country-to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To my mind that means equality of opportunity to live; equality of opportunity for liberty; and equality of opportunity for the pursuit of happiness-all having their correspondent responsibilities. We do not excuse, in this country, people of their responsibilities because of race, color, and creed, and properly so. Neither should we, in my judgment, exclude people from the opportunities of a better life, full liberty, and the real pursuit of happiness because of race, color, or creed. I thing all Americans recognize that fact. The second point I make is for economic reasons we should have this legislation. Our country cannot be a happy and prosperous country if any segment of our population is denied the opportunity to work on the same basis as others of a different color, or a different creed. It is bad policy when people, because of their color and not because of their lack of ability, are paid a lower wage than their neighbor of a different color or of a different religion. It is sound public policy to raise the standards of living of the American people-and when I say American people I mean the great cosmopolitan populace of our country that has been drawn from every nation of the earth and is composed of members of every religious faith and of all the races. It is poor public policy and worse national economics that the pay of people should be kept lower on account of their color or because of their national origin. No matter what their state of life, they are members of the consuming public and unless we build up a great consuming public, regardless of race, color or creed, we are not going to be able to maintain the high standard of living throughout the whole country. I trust that this legislation will receive the favorable consideration of this committee and if reported out, I can assure the committee that I shall do everything that I properly do to assist in obtaining its final passage. HOTEL AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES AND BARTENDERS Hon. ADAM C. POWELL, Jr., INTERNATIONAL UNION, Washington 11, D. C., May 12, 1949. Chairman, Subcommittee, Committee on Education and Labor, Washington 25, D. C. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: I am the international representative for the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union. We are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and with the Railway Labor Executive Association. We have more than 425,000 members in the States and Territories in our 800 local unions. Please be advised that our international convention which concluded their deliberations in Chicago, Ill., April 30, 1949, debated at great length the subject of discrimination in employment and the convention by unanimous vote went on record in favor of the enactment of legislation to abolish discrimination in employment. Please be further advised that our international union in our 58 years of existence have always practiced no discrimination and have always admitted into membership all worthy applicants regardless of color, creed, or sex, and have practiced the theory that an injury to one is the concern of all. We number nearly 100,000 Negroes among our members, and in all these years we have lived and worked harmoniously together to improve the working conditions of all our members. All of our members regardless of color, creed, or sex, enjoy full membership, full voting privileges, just as a democratic organization should. We urge for the enactment of suitable legislation that will abolish at once and for all time, discrimination in employment. This is our conception of true Americanism. Very truly yours, CHAS. E. SANDS, International Representative. NATIONAL WOMEN'S TRADE UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA, Hon. ADAM C. POWELL, Jr. Chairman of Subcommittee, Committee on Education and Labor, House Office Building, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR MR. POWELL: The National Women's Trade Union League has long been on record in favor of fair-employment practices, and now wishes to record its support of H. R. 4453, a bill to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, or national origin. The wartime Federal Employment Practices Commission demonstrated the effectiveness of this kind of legislation, and showed that it is possible to more nearly equalize job opportunity by law. Also, in the four States that have State laws forbidding discrimination in employment it is certainly true that many members of minorities are now employed in places from which they were formerly excluded, and that conditions are much better than in the States without such laws. We need both State and Federal laws to cover both intrastate and interstate employment. It is high time that the rights guaranteed in our Constitution were enjoyed by all, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin, and the Nationa) 90748-49-12 Women's Trade Union League believes that the enactment of H. R. 4453 will help materially in guaranteeing the fundamental right of equal job opportunities. We hope that this legislation will be reported promptly and we ask that this letter be included in the record of the hearings. Yours sincerely, Mrs. MARGARET F. STONE, Secretary-Treasurer. RESOLUTION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT FEPC UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED AT THE THIRTEENTH CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S TRADE UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA, MAY 19-22, 1947 Whereas there has been an upsurge of prejudice and intolerance in this country against racial, religious, and national minorities in spite of the fact that the world has witnessed a war in which millions perished in the struggle to rid the world of Hitler and all that he stood for; and Whereas a continued spread of propaganda of hate and intolerance not only renders vain the sacrifice of our war dead, but serves to defeat efforts that are now being made to unite the peoples of the world in a closer relationship of international cooperation and peace; and Whereas racial and religious bigotry is a potent weapon in the hands of the enemies of organized labor which is used to divide Negro and white, Jew and Christian, Catholic and Protestant, and native-born against foreign-born, with the aim of destroying the solidarity upon which the labor movement depends for its economic strength; and Whereas it is inconceivable that a great democracy such as ours should permit the welfare of millions of its citizens to be injured by the evil efforts of a few and that the United States should jeopard z its moral prestige throughout the world through failure to put into practice in our country the principles of tolerance and equality of opportunity which we preach to others; Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the National Women's Trade Union League convention goes on record in favor of the immediate enactment of a permanent Federal Fair Employment Practice law providing for an effective means of coping with the problem of discrimination in employment against racial, religious, and other minority groups. WILSHIRE CHAPTER, AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE, Hon. ADAM CLAYTON POWELL, Jr., Chairman, Subcommittee on FEPC Legislation, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR SIR: The Wilshire Chapter of the American Veterans Committee, at its regular membership meeting on May 10, 1949, has unanimously passed the following resolution: (1) It favors enactment of Federal FEPC legislation as a major step toward establishing true democracy in our country, emphasizing particularly the need for including enforcement powers in such legislation. (2) It voices its wholehearted support of H. R. 4453 introduced by you. (3) It strongly recommends that after being considered favorably by your subcommittee, this bill should be considered by the full Committee on Education and Labor and the full House of Representatives at this session of Congress. Respectfully yours, RUDOLPH R. GUTTMANN, Chairman pro tempore, Wilshire Chapter, AVC. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CHAPTER, AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE, Hon. ADAM CLAYTON POWELL, Jr., Chairman, Subcommittee on FEPC Legislation, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN POWELL: As chairman of this chapter I wish to indicate to you the support of the planning committee and membership of the chapter for speedy enactment in this session of Congress of H. R. 4453, the bill dealing with fair-employment practices. We also urge that this bill, which will surely aid in strengthening our form of life and government, include strong provisions of enforcement. Respectfully, MELVIN MANDELL, Chairman, Columbia University Chapter. Mr. POWELL. Our last witness for the morning is Mr. Clovis F. McSoud. STATEMENT OF CLOVIS FRED McSOUD, BRISTOW, OKLA. Mr. McSOUD. Mr. Chairman and honorable members, I welcome the opportunity to testify before this committee on a bill which I consider of great significance to every American. Its implementation will not only affect the economic standards of most Americans but the very nature of Americanism as a way of life and a civilization. Once any racial or religious group is at a disadvanage in comparison to the rest of the community, it differs not only from inferior economic opportunity but also what is often worse, the deterioration of all its cultural contacts involved in its economic relationship. No doubt minority groups are also to be held responsible. They in many instances have adopted a policy of self-segregation and did not seriously contribute to integrate their cultural patterns into the over-all set-up of the American life. But this cannot be taken for granted as the minorities in the very nature of their status acquired a psychological inferiority complex which made them an accepting group. This situation, coupled with a policy of discrimination adopted by many interested groups, nourished this un-American trend by cultivating the prejudices of many against certain racial and religious sections of the population. Prejudice which begets discrimination is a human disposition which must be treated with patience and understanding. As I understand this bill it is an effort in that direction. It sets forth a national policy. This policy constitutes a framework for more harmonious race relations and lays opportunities to mobilize the vitalities of all Americans for more production and extension of domestic markets. As a policy, I do not think the bill H. R. 4453 will be seriously opposed except by those whose political stakes depend upon the entrenchment of prejudices and bigotry. These men exist in many parts of the United States. They are outspoken and in some of their utterances even those who practice discrimination avoid their association. But I seriously doubt that some phases of the bill will be acceptable to certain sections of the population. I do not want to imply that opposition to the bill means necessarily that inaction on the bill should be the procedure. No, but it is important to understand that in a bill where a human situation is involved it will be beneficial to appreciate the nature of the opposition. Many of those who oppose FEPC and the civil-rights program are men who have adopted a paternalistic attitude. They point to the gradual progress that the South has achieved. They go further and say that they believe in the progressive ends of the civil-rights program, but are opposed to the means of reaching these ends. They admit that many of their practices, attitudes and policies are not justified but they beg a more tolerant understanding of the peculiar |