The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-09-09

wisdom of certain Negro newspapers
that are and have been for sometime
urging Southern Negroes to sell their
farms and desert the plantations for
the big cities and industrial centers
of the North. The folly of this move
has often been pointed out by the
writer of this column. If you want
to get picture of the probable eco
nomic condition of the American Ne
gro so years hence, take look at
the working man in England. There
are millions out of work and men
fight for jobs paying equivalent of
SIS per week. England's labor prob
lem grew out of the fact that much
of her industry is dependent upon
other countries for both raw mate
rial and market. When these two
millstones, grind, they grind hard.
Negro tenants are leaving the farms
of the South where they own land
and till farms and are flocking to the
cities, where they may own only
wages. However prosperous we
might seem, we are not safe unless
we own enough land to produce suf-
ficient wealth to keep and provide
sustenance and a margin of savings.
More of our leaders and some of
our young economists coming from
cur schools might give this problem
some thought, take action and urge
our people to stay on farms.
The Colored Citizens Council and
the Cclored Civic League under the
efficient direction of Rev. Thomas
F. Jones has just held a ''Negro In
Industry Week" that should interest
every city in the country. Attention
was directed to the need of more
business enterprises and the neces-
sity of group cooperation in the sup
port of business and professional men
and women of color. They did not
content themselves with a series of
meetings" and inspirational speech
es. They did some things. The Col
ored Citizens Council during the year
actually obtained 200 jobs for col
cred men and women. These Jobs
will mean more money flowing into
the group; it means more money to
be paid doctors, lawyers, churches,
and business enterprises. A similar
week is being planned by the local
Lincoln Fair and Industrial Associa-
ton. To get men and women good,
substantial jobs, to make it possible
for them to find employment is the
most fundamental way to solve what
we call the race problem. As long as
any community allows a condition
wherein colored men and women can
not get employment on account of
their color, their living condition and
the death rate of the community will
reflect it.
This week the greatest of all AM
erican institutions, the Public School
opened wide its doors for all who will
enter and learn. Negro parents owe
no greater duty to their children
than of preparing them to live wisely.
They should, therefore, give them an
opportunity to learn. The public
school is a great training camp where
thousands of children are made fit
to survive keen competition. Get
your children in school and keep them
there every day until school closes in
June.
There are certain important things
that parents should do if they hope
for their children to obtain the best
that school has to give. They should
visit the school frequently to inquire
about their children. Many Negro
parents fail to do this. Children
ought to study their lessons at regu-
lar periods at home. Make them OBJ
serve the study hour at home. In
the matter of cleanliness, there is no
excuse for sending children to school
dirty. Their bodies should be bathed
regularly and their faces washed and
their heads combed before sending
them to school. It is impossible for
many parents to dress their children
in fine raiment but there are none so
poor that they can not make clean
the clothes they do have. Above all
things make the home life as moral
and cultured as possible. Get your
children in school every day, get
them there on time and keep them
clean.
There are Just five million Jews
in America as against twelve colored
folk. BUT THOSE FIVE MILLION
JEWS, who have faced more persis.
tent prejudice and opposition in his
tory than even colored folk, are rep
resented in the Presidents Cabinet
on hundreds of the most powerful
boards in this country and in every
community where even handful Of
them are gathered. their organizing
ability has given them places of in
fluence and power.
THE SECRET is THAT THEY
STICK TOGETHER. THEY WONT
SELL OUT, THEIR LEADERS ARR
MADE FROM WITHIN.
But above all thew have develop
ed for themselves a cultural attain
ment of which they are proud an,
which they would not exchange foi
that of sny other race. They cult
wave trade relations with friends. bu'
they know how to make their dollari
count in fight. When a public of
fetal takes a stand against them
they know how to look up his finan
cial as well as his political connec
tions.
When the twelve million of our
group learn to do the same thing
public Officials as well as private
citizens will think more seriously be
for they act. ...--.-.