The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-10-14

DESPITE THE MANY obstacles
placed in our path by ignorance, pre-
JUDGE and tradition, colored labor IS
steadily vending its way forward and
upward through organization. In prac-
tically every industrial center Of the
Nation where our people have entered
onto the higher tiers of the Nations in
dustrial processes, they have accepted
the sound philosophy of organized ac-
ton with their white fellow workers
and became a part of the trade union
movement. This is as it should be.
White labor will never be able to exer-
else its maximum amount of influence
upon American life nor realize its full
measure of gain until the colored work
er is accepted by organized labor, not
with reservations, but accepted as an
equal sharing with his white fellow
worker all of the advantages and disad-
vantages that are inseparable from the
organized labor movement.
IT IS ENCOURAGING to note the
increase of colored workers being
chosen to fill official and important
posts in the labor organizations. But
of far more importance to our future
is the rising sentiment among our peo-
pie in favor of organized labor. This is
indeed encouraging when it is recalled
that within the last three or four years,
plans were under consideration by the
foes of organized labor, to promote a
campaign of anti-unionism among our
people by encouraging so-called Race
unions. Such a course can have no
other result than to advance the inter
est of labor's eXploiters and increase
the antagOnism between black and
white workers. In later issue we will
cite specific instances where Race I'M
ions have inflicted great harm upon the
colored worker and at the same time
contributed much to the employers of
both white and coIored labor
THROUGHOUT T H + YEARS
since emancipation, we have been rails
ing our voices for equality and in OPP
position to segregation based upon col
or We must not at this late day re-
verse ourselves, for the little amount to
be gained through Race unions will not
be adequate compensation for the loss
to be incurred. In certain fields of
labor where for generations we have
been the only workers employed, it is
unavoidable that the membership and
Officials Of any organization formed
will be colOred; as for example the
Pullman Porters and the Red Caps.
These are Race unions not because thew
want to be such but because they had
no other alternative. Their existence
and their activities, however, have con
tmbuted much toward the economic
awakening Of colored workingmen and
women. Also by their existence and
constructive attitude they can cooper
ate with the progressive and enlight-
ened sections Of organized labor in OPP
posing discriminatory practices within
the ranks Of labor with a view toward
destroying those practices. In this re-
gard the voice of A. Philip Randolph
raised in the councils of the A. F. of L.
is steadily affecting the attitude of the
Federation toward colored workers.
WITH BOTH THE organization of
the Red Caps and the Pullman Porters
this writer has had the privilege of
playing very small and insignificant
part Because of that fact, we are al
WAYS happy to note their progress. The
Pullman Porters Union under the bril-
liant and constructive leadership of A.
Philip Randolph and his colleagues has
already written into the pages of his
tory chapters that are bound to serve
as beacon lights TO colored workers in
used to kick, as our left shin once