Weekly Report

OUTSTANDING EVENTS AND PROBLEMS

In the report of January 29, it was mentioned that Region X has pending and unadjustable cases involving the Sinclair, Humble, Shell, and Texas Oil Companies.¹ A report received from Dr. Carlos E. Castaneda, Special Assistant to the Chairman, states that the Humble and Sinclair cases are settled. This means that the companies are correcting wage discriminations and other complaints, principally involving Latin-Americans. The Shell Company case is still unadjusted, and the case has been referred to the Director of Field Operations. The Special Assistant to the Chairman feels that the cases involving the Texas Oil Company are too old for current handling. Dr. Castaneda indicates further that the Houston and Brown Shipbuilding Companies in Houston, Texas, apparently have ceased discriminating against Latin-Americans but still discriminate against Negroes.

Region VI has submitted a report on its settlement of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company strike, which occurred when a Negro was employed as an Engine Hostler Helper in a department in the plant which had not previously employed colored persons.

We are still awaiting a statement from Governor Paul V. McNutt, Chairman of the War Manpower Commission, in reply to a letter from the Chairman [Ross] concerning the refusal of the WMC’s Region IV Director [Henry Triede] to give ES 270 information and 510 Reports to FEPC’s Region IV.²

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

This week, Mr. E. Ray Ballinger, Director of Personnel for the General Accounting Office, informed the Associate Director of Field Operations [Mitchell] that the GAO has sent out a field instruction to its regional offices on citizens of Japanese ancestry. This is in conformity with our agreement at a previous conference with the General Accounting Office.³ 

The Director of Field Operations [Maslow] has requested the Deputy Chairman [Johnson] to rule on whether, “When an employer discriminates against a Jehovah’s Witness because of the latter’s refusal to buy War Bonds, is this discrimination based upon creed, which is forbidden by Executive Order 9346.”⁴

Regions II and III are considering a possible division of territory which will place the northern counties of New Jersey under the jurisdiction of New York. A proposed division has been worked out by the Associate Director of Field Operations.

We have not yet had a reply from Region III on the status of the Pennsylvania Bell Telephone Case. A reminder has been sent to the Regional Director [Fleming].

Region IV has been informed that the Capital Transit case should be transmitted to the Director of Field Operations for further handling.⁵ We have also requested Region IV to submit the latest report and recommendations on the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone case in Baltimore, Maryland.

Questions raised by Region VI in connection with the Pullman Company of Chicago, 6-BR-166 and 266, have been answered.

Region X’s question in connection with the General Alkali cases of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been answered. The cases are to be dismissed on merit.

For his information, we have transmitted to the Director of Region XII [Kingman] a report on the status of the Los Angeles Street Railway Company case.⁶

ASSIGNMENTS TO CENTRAL STAFF

Mr. Bloch:

Mr. Bloch has completed the following assignments:

1. Interview with Washington representative of Railroad Retirement Board.
2. Listing of Major Cases in Regional Offices.
3. Elimination of discriminatory information on application forms of Railway Mail Service.
4. Memorandum on Federal policy against discrimination by reason of race, color, creed, and national origin.⁷

New assignments:

1. Metcalfe-Hamilton Construction Company, 2-BR-544—DFO. 
2. Reviewing Weekly Reports—Regions I, II, III, and VII.
3. FDR’s assigned:
   Region II—10

Mr. Davidson:

1. The Assistant Director of Field Operations has agreed to handle questions raised by Region VI on national origin.
2. FDR’s assigned:
   Region VI—5 

Miss Kahn:

Miss Kahn is absent from the central office, but, before leaving, completed her assignment of reviewing Weekly Reports from Region XII for the Legal Division.

Mr. Metzger:

Mr. Metzger is absent on a field assignment in St. Louis and has sent in a report on the U.S. Cartridge Company, 9-BR-13, 62, 69, 87, and 97, located there.⁸

Mr. Mitchell:

Assignments completed:

1. Vivian B. Moreton vs. Navy Department, 7-GR-168.
2. Reviewing and acting upon Weekly Reports from Regions IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, XI, and XII.

New assignments:

1. Shell Oil Company, 10-BN-64, DFO.
2. Kasuo Yamashita vs. State Department, 2-GR-519, DFO.
3. Digest of agreements between FEPC and other Government agencies for the Deputy Chairman.