Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1919-07-05

AlNeflcdES 10 effect ldUOr OFSdLiLdGiOHS VI
their own, the most pretentious being the
National Brotherhood Workers of America,
with headquarters at Washington, of which
Louis j. Brown is president and Miss jean
nette Carter is secretary. Mr. Gompers and
his associates have taken, therefore, the
wiser and more polite course in seeking the
cooperation rather than the organized Oppo-
sition of Afro American labor.
at is of the greatest Importance not to
lose sight of the significant part the indus
trial educational policy of the late DR..
Booker r. Washington played in the pre-
paredness Of Afro-Americans to do the work
during the war, and which has convinced
the American Federation Of Labor that it
is the part Of wisdom and policy to give it
equal membership opportunity with white
wageworkers rather than bar it out and
make 'scab' working force Of it."
Mr.. John Mitchell, editor of The Planet,
a Negro paper published in Richmond, Va,
also comments on the farsi ghtedness'
manifested by the American Federation of
Labor For
''The greatest menace to organized labor
as opposed to organized capital is the black
multitude that entered the industrial plants
Of the country and demonstrated beyond
the shadow Of doubt that they could exc
cute and master the tasks assigned to re-
spective members thereof. 1t was organized
capital and not organized labor that gave
to black labor the position that it now occu-
pies. Will the colored man accept the invi-
tation and join the white labor unions or
will they stand out as independent units
under their own leaders and from their re-
spective platforms deal directly with the
moneyed interests of the country? On this
decision will depend the fate of the white
laboring interests Of America as represented
by the American Federation Of Labor.
1t is also an interesting question as to
whether the American Federation of Labor
can hold in leash it's own membership should
the invitation be generally accepted by the
colored men Of this country. We see, or
think we see, changed condition of affairs,
which must necessarily benefit the colored
laboring elements Of America
The federation s action "OPENS the gate
way to real American life for the first time
within the last half century," says the Bos-
ton Guardian (Negro) which continues:
''The decision may establish so great
hope within our youth that it may save even
greater exodus from this country, the land
Of colored peoples birth, to any other
country that might bid for them than any
other favor
In still another Negro paper, the Nash
vile Globe, we read:
In number of the Southern States the
Negro constitutes the greater factor in the
agricultural manufacturing, and mining in
dustries so to admit him into the trade
unions will not only vouchsafe to the Negro
better opportunity for promotion and adj
vancement along these industrial lines, but
it will give to the manufacturer a higher
degree of efficiency in labor. We hope that
his admission into the union will mean his
promotion he fits himself for the work.
Too long America has delayed justice to
the Negro along industrial lines, and the
step now taken is welcomed by thirteen
millions of real Americans -
A striking contrast between the atti-
tude of the American Federation of Labor
and that Of ''the alleged Christian Churches
of the United States" is dwelt upon by The
Appeal, a Negro paper published in St.
Paul, Mimi, which goes on to say:
Some Of these orthodox Christian