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Story
February 6, 1945
The Daily Bulletin
Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio
What is this article about?
In Washington on Feb. 5, U.S. Congressmen Adam Clayton Powell and William L. Dawson opposed a Republican-proposed FEPC rider to a labor draft bill, calling it a partisan trick. The amendment, aimed at banning workplace discrimination, was defeated 148-113, as they pushed for a permanent FEPC instead.
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TWO NEGRO CONGRESSMEN
AGAINST FEPC RIDER
WASHINGTON, Feb.5 (ANP)-
Both Congressman Adam Clayton
Powell and William L.
Dawson,
America's two Negro congressmen,
turned thumbs down on a FEPC
rider to labor draft legislation in-
troduced by Republican Charles R.
Clasen of Massachusetts.
The amendment forced Powell,
New York's first Negro congress-
man, to make his maiden speech in
which he said Negroes do not want
a "trick clause" in the bill which
would be a temporary political ex-
pedient. He charged GOP sponsors
of the rider with committing
a
"cheap partisan trick" designed to
defeat the bill.
Powell's speech, which virtually
assured defeat for the rider, reveal-
ed that the objectionable amend-
ment was intended to antagonize
southern congressmen so as to as-
sure their votes against the labor
draft measure. By a vote of 148 to
113, the clause, which would have
forbidden discrimination because of
race, creed or color, by employers of
workers assigned to war plants, was
killed.
Negroes would not be satisfied
with a temporary measure inserted
in a war bill but wanted a perma-
nent FEPC set up under a separate
bill. Rep. Clason, who introduced the
FEPC rider, charged that pending
legislation for a permanent FEPC
would be pigeonholed by the house
rules committee.
Final passage of the labor draft
bill seemed assured by defeat of the
FEPC rider and an anti-closed shop
amendment and many of the con-
gressmen who voted against Rep.
Clason's rider have already pledged
support to a permanent FEPC bill.
Rep. William L. Dawson, repre-
senting Chicago's first congression-
al district, backed Congressman
Powell in his stand against Cla-
son's rider.
AGAINST FEPC RIDER
WASHINGTON, Feb.5 (ANP)-
Both Congressman Adam Clayton
Powell and William L.
Dawson,
America's two Negro congressmen,
turned thumbs down on a FEPC
rider to labor draft legislation in-
troduced by Republican Charles R.
Clasen of Massachusetts.
The amendment forced Powell,
New York's first Negro congress-
man, to make his maiden speech in
which he said Negroes do not want
a "trick clause" in the bill which
would be a temporary political ex-
pedient. He charged GOP sponsors
of the rider with committing
a
"cheap partisan trick" designed to
defeat the bill.
Powell's speech, which virtually
assured defeat for the rider, reveal-
ed that the objectionable amend-
ment was intended to antagonize
southern congressmen so as to as-
sure their votes against the labor
draft measure. By a vote of 148 to
113, the clause, which would have
forbidden discrimination because of
race, creed or color, by employers of
workers assigned to war plants, was
killed.
Negroes would not be satisfied
with a temporary measure inserted
in a war bill but wanted a perma-
nent FEPC set up under a separate
bill. Rep. Clason, who introduced the
FEPC rider, charged that pending
legislation for a permanent FEPC
would be pigeonholed by the house
rules committee.
Final passage of the labor draft
bill seemed assured by defeat of the
FEPC rider and an anti-closed shop
amendment and many of the con-
gressmen who voted against Rep.
Clason's rider have already pledged
support to a permanent FEPC bill.
Rep. William L. Dawson, repre-
senting Chicago's first congression-
al district, backed Congressman
Powell in his stand against Cla-
son's rider.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Justice
What keywords are associated?
Fepc Rider
Negro Congressmen
Labor Draft Bill
Discrimination Clause
Partisan Trick
Permanent Fepc
What entities or persons were involved?
Adam Clayton Powell
William L. Dawson
Charles R. Clasen
Where did it happen?
Washington
Story Details
Key Persons
Adam Clayton Powell
William L. Dawson
Charles R. Clasen
Location
Washington
Event Date
Feb.5
Story Details
Congressmen Powell and Dawson opposed the FEPC rider to the labor draft bill, arguing it was a temporary trick to defeat the bill by antagonizing southerners. Powell's speech led to its defeat by vote of 148-113; they favored a permanent FEPC. Clasen claimed the permanent bill would be stalled.