In a move designed to underscore the Administration’s concern with the problem of checking discrimination in employment on work provided by government contracts, President Eisenhower this week-end appointed Vice President Richard M. Nixon chairman of the 15-member government committee to fight discrimination by government contractors. The order establishing such a committee was Issued last week.
James C. Hagerty, White House press secretary, announcing the membership of the committee–which the President increased from 14 to 15 to provide a place for Mr. Nixon–declared:
“We are deliberately designating as chairman the second highest official in the Government of the United States to do everything we can as an Administration to see that the policy of the Administration of equal employment opportunity for those employed, or seeking employment, on Government contracts, is carried out to the letter.
“This reflects the attitude of the President of the United States and the whole Administration that there mast be no discrimination in any phase of Government activity. The President has said that time and time again.”
The public members of the committee, most of whom will confer with the President next Wednesday, include: Fred Lasarus, Jr., a vice-president of the American Jewish Committee; J. Ernest Wilkins, a Negro and an attorney, who was designated by President Eisenhower as vice-chairman of the committee; George Meany, president of the American Federation of Labor; Walter P. Reuther, president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Also, John Roosevelt, youngest son of the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt; Mrs. Helen Rogers Reid, chairman of the board of the New York Herald Tribune; John L. McCaffrey, president of the International Harvester Co,; John M. Wisdom, Republican National Committeeman from Louisiana. Vice President Nixon was also listed as a public member of the committee.
The members representing the government on the committee, who have not yet been announced, will be named by the. following six government agencies which will each name one official to represent their departments: Atomic Energy Commission; Departments of Labor, Commerce, Defense and Justice; and the General Services Administration.
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