Twin-City herald., 1933-10-14
This W World
PROGRAM
r. "ALONG THIS WAY"
By Cecil E. Newman

Glancing through the columns Of
100 or more Negro periodicals, we
are struck with the pessimism which
runs through them. With this pes
simism is a startling lack of both
local and national programs by which
the Negro might remedy the depress-
ing evils of the American case sys-
TEN which so thoroughly handicaps
the Negro. Much of the matter
which the Negro press brings to it's
readers is denunciatory and perfectly
useless attacks on the white mans
callous Indifference to the rights of
Negroes. The plea for cooperation"
is read so often that it has become
trite word, for seldom do those
pleaders for cooperation offer tenable
programs.
OF all the writer's who bring their
thoughts and theories to the reading
public, George S. Schuyler alone
seems to have brought the logical
program. In last weeks PITTS
BURGH COURIER he wrote:
"We need (a) 100 per cent con-
sumers' organization in every Negro
community; (b) a nationwide union
of all Negro workers, professional
and otherwise; (c) at least million
members for the N. A. A. C. P; (d)
a permanent National Negro Congress
elected by Negroes in the various
states; (e) "Black House" in Wash
ington with an efficient corps of
legislative representatives or lobby
lists, -(f) and a first rate educational
bureau, supported by Negroes, for the
betterment of race relations. White
people are not stopping us from hav-
ing either or all"
Who has suggested a better pro-
gram?
James Weldon Johnson has penned
his autobiography. Book reviewers
the land over are praising it. The
most understanding review we have
read to date was the one by Carl Van
Doren in the NEW YORK HERALD
TRIBUNE of Oct. 1. OF "Along This
Way" which is the title of Mr.. John
sons book, Mr.. Doren said: "It is a
book any man might be proud to have
written about life any man might
be proud to have lived" An idea of
Johnson's real worth and the regard
with which the literati hold him
is limited in Doren's further remarks:
'The United States has not de.
served James Weldon Johnson. Fitted
to be a statesman of high rank any
where, he has been confined by race
prejudice to action within minority
There can be no question that this
has limited him. His life deals with
black America, or with black Ameri.
ca in it's relations to white, not with
all America during the past half cen
tury. A white man of affairs of hall
Mr.. Johnson's gifts might have come
into contact with twice as many peo
pie of fir t-rate Importance. What il
must have cost James Weldon John
son to realize this, as he must havt
realized it, he does not say or hint
He seems early to have accepted th,
unmistakable bounds within which h.
would have to work, to have made tn;
best of them, and to have saved fOl
clear-sighted action the force whicl
another Negro might have spent il
blind rebellion. To be teacher, law
yer, poet, consul, journalist was neve
enough for him.
Something had to be done abou
the plight of his race in America, AM
he has done as much as any man alive
His book is almost the whole histor,
of the New Negro in the Unite,
States.
"'Along This Way is civilized il
temper, ironical, urbane, deft and re
fective. Mr.. Johnson speaks plainl!
when plain speech is demanded by hi
theme, but he knows that the fact.
are louder than any outcry abou
them. And if fate has made him sci
dom able to forget that he is Negro
nature has made him always able {,
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