Negroes Suggested For Overseas Jobs

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 17

Negroes Suggested For Overseas Jobs

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter — Copyright) HONG KONG, September 8. An official of the Committee of Racial Equality of New York said today his organisation planned to organise demonstrations to promote the employment of American Negroes instead of aliens at American establishments in the Far East.

He is Mr Herbert Thom, who suggested that the United States Con-sulate-General in Hong Kong should replace 250 members of its Chinese staff by American Negroes, of whom only four are employed. Such a step would help to alleviate unemployment of Negroes in America, he said. The South China “Morning Post” reported Mr Thom said he found United States Government establishments in Japan and Hong Kong overstaffed.

The American, naval base outside Yokohama could get along with 4000 Japanese instead of 24,000 and threequarters of the Chinese staff in the Consulate-General in Hong Kong were dispensable, he said. An American ConsulateGeneral spokesman said the whole idea was too ridiculous to merit comment. He said he did not believe there were many Negroes in America who knew the Chinese language, which was necessary for work in the consulate at Hong Kong.