t who would represent
the Department of Defense in the group. The
department's initial choice seems to have been
Evans, but Wofford rejected this selection on the
grounds that Evans's position did not place him in
the department's power structure. He preferred to
have Yarmolinsky or Assistant Secretary Carlisle P.
Runge. Yarmolinsky insisted that Runge be included
so that it would not appear that racial reform in
the Department of Defense was a duty only for the
administration's men.]

[Footnote 20-21: See Memo, ASD (M) for Under SA et
al., 7 Nov 61, sub: Minority Representation in
Officer Procurement and Training, ASD (M) 291.2.
See also Memos, Wofford for Civil Rights Subcabinet
Group, 15 Sep, 20 Oct, and 10 Nov 61, copies in
CMH.]

There is evidence that the subcabinet group was responsible for
considerable cross-fertilization of civil rights programs among the
departments. For example, it appears to have used the experience of
black servicemen in interstate travel to move the Department of
Justice and, with the assistance of Attorney General Kennedy,
the Interstate Commerce Commission toward eliminating such
discrimination.[20-22] And it was through the subcabinet group that
the Attorney General's interest in minority voting rights was
translated into a voting registration campaign among servicemen.[20-23]

[Footnote 20-22: Memo for Rcd, James C. Evans, 21 Jul
61, sub: Meeting, Subcabinet Group on Civil Rights,
Friday, July 21, 1961 (Judge Jackson represented
Mr. Runge); Ltr, SecDef to Atty Gen, 23 Jun 61;
both in ASD (M) 291.2.]

[Footnote 20-23: Civil Rights Subcabinet Group, Notes
on Meeting of 16 Jun 61; Ltr, Spec Asst to
Postmaster Gen to James C. Evans, 26 Jan 62; Memo,
Evans for Spec Asst to ASD (M), James W. Platt, 20
Mar 62; Memo, Harris Wofford for Subcabinet Group,
30 Jan 62. Copies of all in CMH.]

The existence of this group, with its surveys, questions, and (p. 507)
investigations, put co