Weekly Report

OUTSTANDING EVENTS AND PROBLEMS

A listing of the DFO cases was completed this week. It showed a total of thirty cases being handled by the central office upon referral from regional offices. This was as of January 27.

Regions IX and X show an accumulation of problem cases which appear unadjustable unless a hearing is held. Mr. Stanley Metzger of the central staff will be in St. Louis on Monday, January 31, to review and take further action on outstanding cases in that area. A memorandum prepared by me shows that in Region X cases involving the Shell, Humble, Sinclair, and Texas Oil Companies seem to have reached the point where further action from the Committee is imperative. These cases involve Latin-Americans, primarily, but there are some Negro complainants, also. Cases involving the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, the Delta Shipyard, and the Todd Johnson Dry Docks concern Negro complainants exclusively. In these cases, unwillingness on the part of the companies to adjust grievances of long standing seem to indicate the necessity of Committee action.¹

On January 12, 1944, the Deputy Chairman was informed of a plan formulated by the Texas Oil Company to use all-Negro deck crews. It is my understanding that this matter has been discussed with Mr. Edward Lawson, Director of Region II. The Deputy Chairman indicates that, on the basis of information submitted, “it is apparent that the plan is discriminatory.”²

IMPORTANT CONTACTS WITH REGIONAL OFFICES, OTHER DIVISIONS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

The Deputy Chairman has been requested to make a ruling on whether a complaint involving the R. R. Donnelly and Sons Company (8-BR-1) is within the jurisdiction of the Committee. The company is one of the large printing concerns of the country.³

The Deputy Chairman has also been requested to consider the possibility of working out an agreed statement of facts on the Los Angeles Street Railway case (12-BR-11503).

A complaint from Mr. Neal McGillicuddy, of the United Electrical Workers, CIO, has been sent to Region II for further action. Mr. McGillicuddy charges that Negro employees of the Remington Arms Company are being laid off in a discriminatory manner.

Region II indicated in its Weekly Report of January 22 that WMC would be asked to discontinue 510 Reports under certain circumstances. We have requested that Mr. Lawson, the Director, continue receiving 510’s under all circumstances.

We have forwarded to Region IV a digest of telephone conversations between myself and officials of the Bethlehem Steel Company and Baltimore Urban League concerning alleged dismissals of Negro workers.⁴

No reply has been received in connection with the letter to Governor Paul V. McNutt, Chairman of the War Manpower Commission, regarding the Region IV WMC Director’s refusal to supply ES 270 information and 510 Reports.⁵

Regions X’s request of January 12 for information concerning the handling of cases involving Sabbatarians has been answered.⁶

In Region IV questions have arisen concerning additional office space and additional personnel. It appears that these matters have been settled. If any further action is needed on them, it will be taken up at the time of the regional directors’ meeting.

Regional Director Brin states that 510 Reports are now coming in from Louisiana. I believe that this may be attributed to field trips by Mr. L. Virgil Williams and other action on the part of our office in Dallas. This is an encouraging sign.

ASSIGNMENTS TO CENTRAL STAFF

Mr. Bloch:

No new assignments have been made to Mr. Bloch, aside from the review of FDR’s and Weekly Reports from Regions I, II, III, and VII. Previous assignments are held up because of a lack of stenographic service. It is hoped that this will be remedied during the coming week.

FDR’s assigned:

Region II—4
Region III—25

Mr. Davidson:

Action of the Assistant Director of Field Operations is, of course, reported on his own initiative. However, he has agreed to share with me the additional work load created by the field trip of Mr. Stanley D. Metzger. In keeping with this, the U.S. Department of Health, IX-GR-20, DFO, has been transmitted to Mr. Davidson for handling.

Miss Kahn:

1. The following FDR’s have been handled by Miss Kahn under my supervision:
   Region V—25
2. Also, under my supervision, Miss Kahn has reviewed and made recommendations on undocketed complaints against U. S. Insular Bases.
   New assignments given to Miss Kahn:
   At the request of the Hearings Division, Miss Kahn is reviewing Weekly Reports from Region XII under my supervision.

Mr. Metzger:

Assignments completed by Mr. Metzger include:

1. Summary of St. Louis cases for Committee.
2. Review of and recommendations on correspondence concerning nondiscrimination clause in the lease between the Board of State Harbor Commission, San Francisco, California, and the Food Distribution Administration.
3. Recommendations on Los Angeles Street Railway Company, 12-BR-1150.
4. Recommendations on St. Louis Aircraft Company (9-BR-52) and Strickland Aircraft Company (9-BR-51).
5. Recommendations to the field on General Chemical Company (6-BR-20).

New assignments to Mr. Metzger are:

1. Review of Weekly Reports from Regions VI, IX, XI, and XII.
2. FDR’s assigned:
   Region VI—2
   Region XII—6

Mr. Mitchell:

The following assignments were completed by me:

1. DFO case on Ronald I. Shiosaki.⁷
2. General Accounting Office (6-GR-248)
3. Treasury Department (3-GC-179) returned to the region for appraisal of report by Treasury Department.  
4. Memorandum on important cases in Region X.⁸
5. Status of DFO cases.⁹

Important assignments not yet completed:

1. Agendum for regional directors’ meeting.

New assignments:

1. Guy F. Atkinson Company (12-BR-23 DFO).
2. Reviewing and taking action on matters raised in Weekly Reports from Regions IV, V, and X.
3. FDR’s reviewed and acted upon:
   Region VI—6