Conscription Is Too High a Price to Pay for Prejudice [cover title]

Washington DC: National Council Against Conscription, 1948. Very good plus.. [16]pp. Original self wrappers, stapled. Minor wear and soiling to outer leaves. Subtitled, "A Report on Racial Segregation in the Armed Forces," the present pamphlet calls for an end to the practice through reasoned discussion presented in sections such as "Army Evaded Race Clause in War Draft," "Army Refuses to Use Skilled Negroes," "Army Plans to Continue Race Policy," "Army Wants Draft Principle," "Army Prejudice Endangers Foreign Policy," "Segregation Injures Reserves," "Civil Rights Commission Urges Change," and "'Super-Race' Army Proposed." The latter is particularly interesting, arguing that the Army's consideration of allowing white soldiers to form all-white units is "an essentially fascist idea. Army divisions composed entirely of those who believe they belong to a superior race would be dangerous to America." The seven authors of the pamphlet call for Congressional action and the sign their names in type at the end as members of the "Special committee on Race Relations of the National Council Against Conscription." Interestingly, a pencil note on the last page notes the publication date as June 1948; President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 a month later, desegregating the American Armed Forces. OCLC lists three institutional holdings, at NYPL, Swarthmore, and the Wisconsin Historical Society.