Weekly Report

IMPORTANT EVENTS AND PROBLEMS

The Navy Department this week informed me that the Mingledorff Shipbuilding Company, a Navy contractor in Savannah, Georgia, has been reminded of the necessity of complying with Executive Order 9346 as provided in its contract. I have relayed this information to Dr. Dodge with the request that he renew his negotiations with this company.

Our conference this week with the War Manpower Commission (Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Kingsley) seems to augur well for a more cooperative relationship between the Committee and the Commission.¹

The Maritime Commission reported its activities in connection with complaints against the Todd Houston Shipbuilding Company of Houston, Texas. The Commission states that its regional representatives are cooperating with Mr. Ellinger on this matter. I talked with the Commission and later wrote a letter on this matter at Mr. Ellinger’s request in order to insure full cooperation at the local level.

A representative of the Ordnance Branch of the War Department called this week to state that he would go to Los Angeles as we requested to aid in the settlement of the Norris Stamping case. Since he is not leaving until April 9, I asked him to meet with Messrs. Kingman and Brown while they are here for the regional directors’ meeting. He agreed to do this and I will arrange a meeting some time during this week.²

Miss Saito has prepared a digest of a telephone conversation with Mr. Ellinger on the Shell Oil case. Briefly the present plan is that all Mexicans and Negroes eligible for promotion are to be upgraded. This amounts to forty persons. The company proposes that no other upgrading take place from these groups for six months thereafter. Mr. Ellinger was not entirely satisfied with this plan and it remains to be seen whether it will be acceptable to the union membership when it is presented. Mr. Ellinger informed me that the Petroleum Administration for War had communicated with the Shell Oil Company concerning our case. I gave the latest information on the status of this case to PAW [Petroleum Administration for War] and it was agreed that that agency will send a representative to a planned meeting in April at Houston.³

We are taking up with the Surgeon General a very interesting case involving a Negro nurse in San Francisco. This individual sought employment at the Letterman General Hospital and was refused because of her race. The Civil Service Commission is taking the matter up with the Secretary of War and Mr. Ross is seeking appointment with the Surgeon General on this matter.⁴

ASSIGNMENTS

The following cases were received from the regions:

1. San Antonio Post Office, 10-GR-531.
2. Portsmouth Navy Yard, 1-GN-157 (Referral from Mr. Davidson)
3. National Lead Company, 9-BR-1159, 1394
4. Curtiss Wright Corporation, 9-BR-1086, 1153

The following cases were referred to the Legal Division:

Norris Stamping & Manufacturing Co., 12-BR-1350.
Union Pacific R. R., 9-BR-336.

The following cases were returned from the Legal Division: (Returned to regions)

1.  U.S. Cartridge, 9-BR-69
2. Bussman Manufacturing Co., 9-BR-172
3. Carter Carburetor, 9-BR-141
4. Amertorp Corporation, 9-BR-164
5. Wagner Electric, 9-BR-157
6. St. Louis Shipbuilding and Steel Co., 9-BR-85
7. McQuay Norris, 9-BR-79, 80, 81, 82, 83.

The following cases were returned to the regions:

1. (8) U.S. Naval Drydock, 12-GC-1101
2. (9) General Cable, 9-BR-1252, 1286, 1311, 1155

The following FDR’s were received and acted upon by me: