Atlanta Daily World

Fair Employment Works Both Ways

President Truman is again to be commended for his sincerity in charting the course for a full and free America, devoid of the irritating problems of discrimination based upon the artificial principles of race, color or national origin. He has thus gone ahead with his plans and has set up a Fair Employment Practice system to prevent race or religious discrimination in Federal employment, where it properly should begin, and at the same time issued an executive order establishing a committee on "equality of treatment and opportunity" in the armed services.

Under the order from Mr. Truman, there will be a "Fair Employment Board". in the Civil Service Commission which would have authority to review decisions made by the head of departments and in case where its recommendations are not carried out, the Board would be empowered to report such cases to the President. The order also directs appointing officers in the executive departments to take steps to insure that all personal actions are taken on basis of merit and without distinction as to race or religion. And the head of each agency is personally responsible for an effective program to insure that fair employment policies are fully observed under him.

The second recommendation by Mr. Truman which calls for "equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, religion or national origin. is of equal significance. It is intended to lift the dignity and heighten the morale and efficiency of minority groups in the service of their country. "This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regards to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale."

As to Fair employment, there can be no reasonable objection since the order carries with it the selection of personnel solely on the basis of "merit and without distinction" as to race or religion. It would appear that such a law would be to the greatest advantage to white citizens, certainly in the more technical fields, since Negroes have been denied the privilege of training in those areas. In fact, man for man and job for job, the Negro worker, under the sole merit system, would always be at a greater disadvantage than whites, thus working a hardship on the Negro workers.

Mr. Truman in making it an order to accord to minorities equal treatment and opportunities in the armed services. has nothing to lose. Negroes and all other minorities will back him in this to the limit. And we hope that it will be speedily carried into effect. For the American Jim Crow Army is one of the Nation's worst advertising cards in the eyes of foreign lands. It ought to be abolished.