Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1934-08-24
HERE and
. THERE
BY ". NJ. Smith

economic inter as are b"st served
by . union of action and puEhose
With the white worker. Bespis the
fact that he has BEEN often kept
from union ranks, and when ad-
mitted. has many times been
double crossed and denied the pro-
may rest assured that he is doing
lection and the opportunity organ
ization should bring, it is still the
conviction of many serious leaders
in the field of labor that the Negro
will be best served at the present
at least in joining forces with the
major group as he is given oppor-
unity. and from within widen the
entrance for his fellows; acquiring
as the chief rewards for the effort
a working knowledge of the man.
ner and methods of successful or
ganization and a larger market for
his labor. s
4
More slowly. but just az surely
he white worker within the ranks
of union labor In coming to know
that as long as 2,0OO. 900. Negro
| workers are without the pale of or
gained leadership, available as
scab labor for every emergency,
just that long will the pathway Of
white labor be beset with danger
and economic safety denied,
So there is developing a new
understanding that promises much
to the advantage Of each. The
Negro will forget past affronts if
he be accorded equal status and
given the right to add his strength
and intelligence to the contest for
fairer distribution of the rewards
of labor. The white worker, i'm
PEELED by the necessities of the
case, is trying to forego his long
held prejudices and is seeking in
large Measure the assistance Of the
brother in black.
That such assistance once OBJ
tanned win develop far greater
force than il usually believed IL
easily shown by the records of the
convention Of the international Ho.
tel. Dining Car Employees and
Beverage Dispensers held in Min.
neapOlis last week.
Eight Negro delegates with
earnest, intelligent direction com.
PEELED attention to and induced leg
islation favorable to the men they
represented. Their insistence met
with no encouragement, instead
they were commended andsvarious
factions sought the aid of the col.
ored men in behalf of their own
pet projects. =.
In q lengthy interview with MIR
Clarence r. Johnson, a i Pacific
coast leader, l discussed the future
Of the Negro worker. Mr.. johnson
has the respect of the entire con
ventiOR, black and white and is rec,
Ognized as 4 thoughtful and capa
bic leader In labor circles. Briefly
summarized Mr.. JOhnson's views
are: that the Negro should wOrI
for the complete elimination of the
color lire in unions the country
over. Then he may become an in.
tegral part Of the union movement
He would learn by contact and ex.
perienee the methods and manner
Of union procedure. Because of the
obvious fact IL every Negro in the
railway and hotel service were
uniOnized he would still be but .
small factor among the many thou
sand of white members of unione
and have but q weak voice in decid-
ing his own destiny, Mr.. Johnson
would work for a Withdrawals from
the present set up and the forma-
ton Of a selid Negro union, under
Trained and tried leadership, such
as A. Philip Randolph has shown
composed Of pOrters, maids, hotel
and dining car employees, miners
and other craftsmen, affiliated
with the A. F. of L. but autonomous
In the direction of its own affairs.
Such union, he believes, would by
reason Of the trained personnel il
had developed and the respect won
for Negro initiative not only secure
the maximum of benefit for it's
members. It would find itself q
powerful force in the political and
economic life of its people able to
completely reorganize and coordi-
nate the affairs of the race.