Weekly Report

OUTSTANDING EVENTS AND PROBLEMS

At the request of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Examiner Manly, of Region III, went to Pittsburgh to investigate problems connected with a strike at the company’s Hazelwood By-Products Plant. Negro employees left the job and charged that they were denied opportunities to be upgraded to jobs as pushers. Upon learning that Mr. Manly was en route to Pittsburgh, the Negro workers returned to the job. No report has as yet been received from the region as to the outcome of negotiations on the charge of discrimination based on race.

Region V reports that the strike at the Chevrolet Transmission Plant in Toledo, Ohio, mentioned in last week’s report, has been settled. Details on the settlement have not yet been received. Region V also has a strike in Detroit at the Palmer-Bee Company because a citizen of Japanese ancestry was hired. The company indicated that not many workers were involved in the walkout and, apparently, additional loyal citizens of Japanese ancestry will be hired by the company.¹

There is a report from Region IX (dated April 22) stating that discrimination against Mexicans in the recruitment of workers by the Olympic Commissary (Hanford Engineering Company) at Pasco, Washington, has been discontinued in Denver, Colorado. This verifies information previously obtained in a conference with the War Manpower Commission.²

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

A follow-up letter was sent to the Maritime Commission on April 27, concerning the Delta Shipbuilding Company of New Orleans, Louisiana. Serious problems involving Negro workers at the company await action by the Maritime Commission.³

A conference concerning complaints against the Brooklyn Navy Yard was held in the central office Saturday, April 29, with representatives of the Navy Department. The Director of Field Operations, Mr. Bloch of the central staff, and Mr. Lawson of Region II joined the Chairman in this conference.⁴

The Director of Field Operations and Mr. Metzger of the central staff met with Post Office officials on April 27 to discuss complaints against post offices in Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington.⁵

A new case, 10-BR-238, against the North American Aviation Company of Dallas, Texas, has been submitted to the Legal Division.

The War Department’s request to discontinue the preparation of employment statistics by the Elwood Ordnance Plant, Elwood, Indiana, has been granted.

At the request of Region VII, further action was taken by the central office concerning the Bell Aircraft Company, Marietta, Georgia. This consisted of advising Region II to contact Bell officials in Buffalo, New York, which contact was made by Mr. Lawson, Director of Region II. Mr. Vaughn Bell, Vice President of the company, informed Mr. Lawson that the company would cooperate in the handling of problems at the Marietta plant.

Region VII was informed via teletype that the War Department now has a report on the Anniston Ordnance Plant at Anniston, Alabama. In this case, the War Department official who previously interfered with the Regional Director’s efforts to obtain information now states that this information will be available. A full report is being sent by the War Department.⁶

Region X has been advised that we have requested follow-up action by Region XII on cases 10-BC-174 and 175, involving the North American Aviation Company at Dallas, Texas. Region XII is expected to contact the company’s headquarters at Inglewood, California.

The Guy F. Atkinson Company file, 12-BR-23 DFO, and the Fort Knight file, 12- GR-7 DFO, have been returned to Region XII as possible satisfactory adjustments.

DFO CASES

We began the week ending April 29 with 46 DFO cases. Of these, 34 were being handled by examiners and 12 by the Legal Division. During the week, we received two (2) new DFO cases, and we closed four (4). Of the closed cases, three (3) were handled by examiners and one (1) by the Legal Division. This makes a total of 44 DFO cases, with 31 being handled by examiners and 13 by the Legal Division. Our case load for all regions (excluding Region V’s Cleveland Office) for the week ending April 22 was 1,851. The previous week, excluding the Cleveland office in Region V, it was 1,871. No increase or decrease is given at this time because of the readjustment of figures sent in by regional offices.

ASSIGNMENTS TO CENTRAL STAFF

Mr. Bloch:

Completed Assignments:

1. Ruling on Jurisdiction of Undocketed Complaint of Walter Fisher (Region II).
2. Office of Postal Censorship, 2-GA-675 DFO.
3. The following FDR’s:
   Region I—2
   Region II—23
   Region III—24
   Region VII—0

New Assignments:

1. The following FDR’s:
   Region I—2
   Region II—10
   Region III—16

Mr. Metzger:

Completed Assignments:

1. Conference with Post Office officials; returned to Region XII the Los Angeles and Seattle cases.
2. Answered questions in Weekly Report of Region IX.
3. Memoranda to field re:
   a. Des Moines Report, Region VI.
   b. Hannon Machine Works, 12-BR-220.
   c. American Trading and Production Corporation, 2-BR-479.
   d. Boston Navy Yard, 1-GR-55.
   e. Muncie Sub-Office, Cincinnati Ordnance District, 6-GR-146.
   f. Koontz—Wagner Electric Company, 6-BR-56.
   g. St. Louis Post Office, 9-GR-48.
4. Letter to War Shipping Administration re. Wagner Electric Company, 9-BR-157.
5. Referred to Region X for investigation cases 12-UR-1006, 12-BR-1005 and 12-UR-1047, involving AFL Operators Union, American South African Lines and Tankers Association respectively.
6. Analysis of Region IV’s FDR’s and Weekly Reports for period January 1 to March 31, 1944.
7. The following FDR’s:
   Region VI—4
   Region XII—5

New Assignments:

1. The following FDR’s:
   Region VI—14
   Region VIII—2
   Region XII—2 

Mr. Mitchell:

Completed Assignments:

1. Fort Knight, War Department, 12-GR-7 DFO.
2. Guy F. Atkinson Company, 12-BR-23 DFO.
3. Memorandum on Railroad settlements by Regional Offices.⁷
4. Review of all regional Weekly Reports, with special action on IV, V, and X.
5. The following FDR’s:
   Region IV—5
   Region V—9
   Region X—8

New Assignments:

1. The following FDR’s:
   Region IV—5
   Region V—9
   Region X—8

Copies of other completed assignments for Mr. Bloch and Mr. Mitchell are attached.

Attachments