The Omaha guide., 1933-09-30
THE NEGROES OPPORTUNITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY IN NATIONAL
RECOVERY
By DANIEL C. p

NC, do d SDI SOCIlIdt1N0 VI LIZ
Roosevelt Administration appeared be-
fore a large gathering in Convention
Hall, Friday evening September 22, as
the principal speaker at the 10th Ami
versary Celebration of Negro Progress.
Mr. Roper's appearance on the celebra-
ton program was the result of an invita-
ton extended by a committee, consisting
of Major R R Wright, chairman; the
Rev. j. H. Dwelle, the Rev. ]. E. Philpot,
t. H. Hill, ad others, who visited Wash
ington and extended the invitation to a
member of President Roosevelt's cabinet.
Mr.. Roper chose as the subject of his
address: "The Negroes Opportunity and
Responsibility in National Recovery a
very timely subject, as many Negroes
throughout the country are fairing poor
ly under some of the provisions of the
N. X. A. codes of fair competition and de-
cided i'll under many m~anipulations of the
same.
MIR. Roper took occasion to say:
The increasingly difficult economic
problems of our complex society require
cooperative thinking and sympathetic
support to bring about a solution of all
Government problems. 1t is in recognition
of this fact, and with particular apprecia-
ton Of your place in this program that l
initiated recently in the Department of
Commerce, a movement toward a closer
cooperation between this Department and
the Colored people. The Department of
Commerce was instituted to encourage,
foster and develop business, and, with
your interests and welfare in mind, | in
vited a committee of capable and exper-
fenced colored leaders to confer with me
on the best methods of solving problems
bearing upon Negro business conditions.
1t is my thought that this committee will
serve as a clearing house on matters re-
latlng to your problems, and | shall, with
the committees assistance, select a man
OF your race who will be located in the
Department of Commerce He will be
charged with the responsibility Of max
ing business and commercial studies con-
corning the Negroes economic problems
and their relationship to our national
economic program. Through this new set
up, we hope to develop plans to help the
cOlored business men to better under
stand and accept the highest American
standards and practices of business and
commerce. interpret it as my patriotic
duty to assist those groups Of business
people IN poorer circumstances to gain
the efficiency and advantages of those
who are in better circumstances. In this,
| am ~endeavoring to express the spirit of
the NEW DEAL"-the spirit of the
Square Deal as it is interpreted and
practiced by President Franklin D..
Roosevelt"
MANY people have been unable to con-
troll their greed and selfishness, thinking
more of material possessions than of the
infinitely more important welfare of hui
man beings. These exclusively selfish
motives and detectives have led us to
dangerous extremes; in fact, they have
brought upon us the greatest economic
cataclysm of all times. This unprecedent-
ed economic catastrophe swept millions
into unemployment, paralyzed our pro-
ductlon, our distribution and financial
processes, and carried us all into a dismal
swamp of despair. Most fortunately, we
found and put into the White House, du-
ring this disastrous crisis, a leader with
a char and a compass and possessed Of a
heart and mind devoted to humanity. His
chart shows a program in the interest of
all the people-and he quite naturally
lebels it - NATIONAL RECOVERY"
In this great struggle to attain a better
and happier condition for all our people,
everyone can find and should fulfill his
opportunity and responsibility to serve.
1.-THE loyalty and patriotism of your
people guarantee a sustained, cooperative
attitude on your part in meeting the chal-
lening task that faces us all.
ut is natural for you to ask what you
can do to assist in this battle for national
recovery. My answer is that you have two
opportunities for service; t h e first
prompts your help in making the emer-
gency N. R. A. program a success. Every
revolution brings with it certain hard
ShinS for some of the nennle Bit We