Memorandum from Malcolm Ross to President Harry S. Truman

FORVICTORY EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT top 8 BUY UNITED STATES OFFICE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WAR BONDS AND STAMPS PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 93-l leolumbin, Jenn. March 1, 1946 Tapa MEMORANDUM TO THE PRESIDENT FROM: Malcolm Ross Chairman The recent race riot at Columbia, Tennessee, is a source of deep concern to the members and staff of the Fair Employment Practice Committee. We are aware that racial tensions exist in many communities We also feel that the spark which sets off a riot. is of less importance. than the underlying causes of friction. Tens of thousands of minority group war workers are cur- rently crowded into industrial cities where living conditions are difficult and prospects of jobs are precarious. Should pub- lic disorder result from these basic situations, it would be of little value to discover and punish the provocators of violence unless at the same time an effort were made to find the hidden springs of violence which any incident might unloose. In discussions with Department of Justice officials on x10 the Columbia incident, I was informed of your interest in caus- x197 ing investigations to be made of all instances of violence and discrimination involving Japanese-Americans. May I respectfully suggest that you extend such investigations to all situations involving riots and deprivation of civil rights, looking specifi- cally toward the accumulation of information which will disclose fully the causes of tensions and riots between members of majority and minority groups. Wahab Pan x40 93-le