Appointment Worthy of the Job

President Bush has made a sound choice in naming Arthur Fletcher, an experienced Washington player who has demonstrated more than a measure of independence, to head the shaky U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

For 25 years this bipartisan commission had served as the civil-rights watchdog, providing Congress and the courts with pointed and highly detailed reports that helped to pass housing, education and voting rights laws. But the commission lost its stature, and much of its staff, during the Reagan Administration. Right-wing appointees like former chairman Clarence Pendleton bickered with liberal members left over from the previous Administration and paralyzed the panel. In response, Congress cut appropriations for the agency and closed most regional offices. The infighting continued as recently as last year under a new chairman, William Barclay Allen.

Bush’s choice brings considerable government experience to the post: Fletcher, a moderate, black Republican, held top jobs in the Nixon and Ford Administrations and perhaps can build a bridge between the GOP and the national civil-rights leadership. But while Fletcher is willing to steer the commission back on track, he cannot single-handedly reverse a decade of hostility. Fortunately, President Bush has set a new tone on civil rights with some excellent speeches. Now he has backed those strong words with an appointment that can help to restore a strong, independent Civil Rights Commission. That’s a solid first step in reviving the federal government’s fight to end discrimination.