Draft of Executive Order 9981

DRAFT 7-23-48 EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE ARMED SERVICES WHEREAS it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of the United States the highest standards of democracy, with full equality of opportunity for all those who serve in our country's defense; and WHEREAS any action with respect to altering the established rules and procedures of the arned services should be taken an the basis of complete information as to the problems confronting those services and the needs of their personnel; NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Pres- ident of the United States, by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, and as Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows: to by the President, and 1. There is hereby created a committee to be known as the Pres- ident's Committes on Equality of Opportunity in the Armed Services, which shall be composed of the following-named members, who shall TROMAN serve without compensation: and RECEROS TAKE IN NAMES 2. The Committee is authorized on behalf of the President to examine and to inquire into the rules and procedures of the arned services to determine whether and in what resgect such rules and pro- cedures may be altered or improved with a view to bringing about equal- ity of opportunity and treatment for all those who serve in the armed acrvices, without discrinination based on race, color, or creed.