The Omaha guide., 1933-09-23
The Negro and the NRA.
CLIFFORD C. MITCHELL

Inc ItrBFO anu Tile NINA.
There has been so much controver-
sy on just where the Negro fits into
the Presidents NRA movement that
| have taken considerable pains to
ascertain some correct and reliable
data on things national, even to the
point Of contracting our Congressman
Oscar DePriest and his secretary Mr..
Morris Lewis, and just when |
thought | had enough facts to make
a complete digest" of same along
comes a clash, to use a newspaper
term, with information and from
such a direct source that | am pro-
missing my readers that next week
I'll have a complete "digest" prepar-
ed, devoid of emotionalism, preju-
dicial or biased thinking
The day before this is written a few
of the successful men of the colored
a were summoned post haste to
Washington to confer on just what
the problems of the Negro are and
how the NRA can best solve them
This information is known to me for
happened to be in tn. office of Mr.
Harry Fl Pace, president of the Su-
preme Liberty Life Insurance Com
pany, discussing some matters to be
attended 70 during the week, when
the notice from Washington arrived
and after handing It to me to read
he Immediately shelved all of his
w business affairs and arranged for
immediate transportation to WASH
ington, promising me that imme-
diately on his return that | can have
a resume Of the Washington confer
nee for the purpose Of making a
''digest" for my readers
One thing is certain and that is
that Negroes are facing a critical
point in their career and when all the
various codes affiliated with the N.
R A are put in force, making many
changes and in some instances COM
pletely revolutionizing certain CON-
mercial and economic methods, the
Negro must be on his toes if he is
not to be ruled out Of the game ven
before the start For it is a sad con-
dition, but a true one, that very few
of our own commercial concerns, as
now administered, will be able to
operate successfully within the intent
CT certain codes now being formulat-
ed
Even many of the socalled success
full white concerns are very much ex-
cited and apprehensive over the eff
feet that the new codes will have on
their mode of operation. Eventually
in behalf of the small but
all these changes are going to react
in the meantime the small independ-
ent merchant as well as the middle
class type are wondering whether
their business will be squeezed out in
favor of the larger concerns whose
capital and methods enable them to
more readily accept all of the con-
ditions of the several new codes now
being suggested
And no saddler reflection on the
state of the race, economically, need
be cited than by the letters constant
ly being received from readers,
strangers, friends and relatives, from
all over the country, not to even
mention the personal talks with
visitors from everywhere Hardly a
letter do I open from any point in
the country but what my heart be-
comes saddened and l ever hate to
reply to the many letters in a truth
ful manner for fear of upsetting an
already harrassed mind
At least. until certain adjustments
nave been made which will be square
ly made dur fwet xete nhnig hr shsc
ly made during the next few months,
l can advise all my correspondents
to be extremely thankful if thev are
already holding a job Not only to
be thankful but be willing and glad
to stick to the job and not become
\ enamored over a rainbow that looks
good in some other direction. esne
clally is this true in the case of those
correspondent who after reading a
recent newspaper item that Chicaoo
contained more colored business than
any city in the country, etc decided
Immediately they should come here
and have written to me to help them
get located here With few excep
tions most of the celored business
places are now thriving on the horde
of visitors that have been invading
the city and in just a few more weeks
even this condition will change So,