The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1931-03-12

OF the manifold problems con-
fronting the Negro in America, that
which deals directly with his econom-
ic well-being is giving him the most
serious concern. He is just as easily
moved to righteous indignation over
lynchings and has become no less re-
sentful against segregation, disfran-
chisement, peonage and other forms
of social and political injustice. New
ertheless, his chief and immediate in
terest is bread and meat cares.
This struggle for existence is not
wholly a creature of the present. 1t
was born before the historic stock
market crash in 1929, with subse-
quent economic ills, such as unem-
ployment. Some years previous race
leaders had intently gazed on the
troubled vistas of northern industrial
unrest, observed with grave appre-
hension the gradual displacement of
man power with machinery and labor
saving devices, and sounded a note
of alarm that the Negro worker oc-
cupied the unenviable status of the
marginal man-the last hired and
the first fired.
These and other disturbing factors
were responsible for the launching
of movements designed to improve
greatly the Negroes economic status.
The National Negro Business League
took up the organization of chain
stores, so that the colored merchant
might enjoy the advantages of coop
erative buying, become better trained
and thus materially increase his trade
volume so as to provide additional
openings behind the counter.
Saved Industry During War
The National Negro Urban League,
protesting against the color bar in
the American Federation of Labor
agitated larger recognition of the
black worker in the ranks of trade
unions. The seriousness of the out
look was stressed by the Negro press
and The Chicago Whip, a race week.
ly, inaugurated an intensive and
successful campaign for the employ
ment of colored clerks in all retail
stores on the South Side enjoying a
large Negro patronage. Papers in
other cities followed suit.
The Negro church, with its great
hold on the masses, became econom-
ically mindedl prepare to Live" is
now as important a text as prepare
to Die 1t is highly significant that
two of New York's most important
drives among Negroes are headed by
ministers of the gospel. One is chair
man of committee on more and bet
ter jobs; another is chairman of the
Harlem cooperative committee on re-
lief and unemployment. "Our sons
and daughters either must work steal
or starve; they are not going to
starve-shall they work? ?" is the eco
nomic refrain of the committee on
more and better jobs. after high
school and college-what? ?" has been
an effective phrase used in organized
efforts to divert to the Negroes own
pocket millions of dollars expended
yearly by him for food, clothing and
other necessities of life.
In treatise, "The Negro in Chi
cago," the Rev. Harold M. Kingsley,
director of the department of Negro
work of the Congregational Church
Extension Board, gives what he terms
a spiritual Interpretation of the eco
monte problem. which can be applied
to the situation as it affects the race
in general.
"An insistent, exacting. Unsuitable
demand for plentiful, cheap labor
occurred in the first years of the
World War" cites the Rev. Mr..
Kingsley. Hundreds of thousands of
foreigners We're called to the colors.
A labor vacuum was created in the
industrial centers of the north and
east. The southern Negro was the
only capable, dependable American
source of raw labor supply. 1t is not
too much to say that the black man
in the south saved the industries of
the north during the days of war. He
made this tremendously difficult eco
ionic and industrial reimbursement
without major catastrophe.
Negro Excluded From Labor Unions
The immediate cause of migration