The Gary American

The Cincinnati Commission writes about State #4 or public hearings: After processing more than 650 complaints in its first years of enforcing the Fair Employment Practices law, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in August announced its first public hearings. What part do public hearings play in the FEP process?....Since state FEPCs began, in New York in 1945, these steps have become standard: (1) A complaint must be filed with, or sometimes may be initiated by, the commission, which (2) investigates and verifies the complaint before proceeding, being sure to get the story of the respondent. (3) Extensive conference and conciliation efforts, confidential at all points, are made to seek compliance. (4) If the efforts fail, a public hearing may be held and, depending on the testimony, a cease-and-desist order may be issued.

Note that 650 cases were handled by OCRC before any public hearings were called.

We are reminded of City Council's request to MFRC, nine years ago, to study and report on racial discrimination in employment in the Cincinnati area, and possible remedies. Regarding FEP, we then advised Council that up to 1952 ten state and local FEPCs had to resort to public hearings only five times, and to court only four times, in handling a total of 5000 complaints.

Now in 1961, OCRC is doing the bulk of its difficult job by confidential conciliation. But when the law's aim is seriously frustrated, stage #4 is called for.

Citizens are urged to look in on the local hearing, to form their own opinion of the cases being aired--and of the FEP mechanism itself. It's an American invention, a conservative tool in the basic meaning of that word; for it works to maintain and strengthen opportunity for all men to put forth their talents, to compete, to win or lose in a fair race. A public hearing is considered next to the last resort.