Memorandum on Conference with War Department on St. Louis

On Thursday, February 15, there was a conference between the Committee on Fair Employment Practice and Brigadier General E. S. Greenbaum, Executive Officer in the Office of the Under Secretary of War. Those present from the War Department in addition to General Greenbaum were: Colonel Reed, Major Keck, Major Goulard, and Major Hubbell of Army Ordnance; Colonel Gow, Director of the Industrial Personnel Division, Truman Gibson, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of War; and Lemuel Foster, Race Relations Analyst in the Industrial Personnel Division. Those from FEPC in addition to yourself were: Will Maslow, Theodore Jones, Emanuel Bloch, and myself.

The following represents the understandings reached in the conference:

1. General Greenbaum stated that the U. S. Cartridge Company needs 5600 workers. The War Department stated that roughly 30% of all hires would be Negroes and that both Negroes and whites would work together on an integrated basis in new but not old departments. This would amount to approximately 1,600 new Negro workers. Since it is possible that the limitation of 1,600 would result in some discrimination against Negro applicants, the War Department intimated that referrals to U. S. Cartridge might be limited to some extent by the USES. FEPC made no agreement to countenance the limiting of the referral of Negro applicants. We pointed out that not only would this violate the Executive Order but would also disrupt our working relationships with the War Manpower Commission. We made the counter proposal that the army give assistance in clearing up discriminatory practices in other St. Louis plants which would thereby result in a more even distribution of Negroes throughout the city. General Greenbaum agreed to our proposal and we are to furnish him with the names of the companies needing the War Department’s attention.
2. The situation at the McQuay Norris plant was discussed and the War Department stated that the company proposed an educational campaign which it hoped would finally result in better utilization of Negro workers. These plans were contained in a confidential letter sent to the War Department. The number of persons needed at the McQuay Norris Company is considerably less than the number needed at the U. S. Cartridge Company. However, the War Department agreed to cooperate in adjusting this problem also. Cooperation was also promised on the Bussman, Carter Carburator, and Wagner Electric Companies.
3. It was agreed that FEPC would submit statements on the discriminatory policies of the following companies:
   

   a. Emerson Electric	c. General Cable Company
   b. National Carbon Company1	d. Curtis Wright Company.

   Although no directives have been issued against these companies, the War Department agreed to consider the problems they present since it would insure a better working out of the U. S. Cartridge company’s new hiring plan. We agreed to send information on these companies to General Greenbaum immediately.

4. We discussed the Western Cartridge case briefly. The War Department stated that the company needs 2,100 additional workers but wants all of them to be white. We reached no agreement on any joint FEPC-War Department attack on the Western Cartridge problem. However, it was mentioned that a hearing involving this company will be resumed shortly.²