The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-12-09
Detroit's Labor Problems And The
Part The Negro Must Play In 1t
BY REV. WIN. LYsLEs

There seems TO be divided opir-
ion as to whether the Negroes who
returned to work at the Dodge
plant we're justified. Men OF equal
intelligence on both sides have had
their views. My office has been
flooded with people seeking the
point OF view OF the National Asso-
citation OF American Workers.
Therefore out OF respect for the
public opinion our views are as fol-
lows:
For ages there has been a cues
ton OF right and wrong regarding
public acts. No one person or
group OF persons has answered this
much mooted question TO the sat
isfaction OF all. We do not hold
that We know more about Il than
anybody else. but here's one thing
we do know. One man has no right
not enjoyed by any other man. 1t
must not be understood that be-
cause a group OF men organize. that
the very fact that they are organ
lied gives them rights superior to
those who happen not to be organ
lied. For IL mass-force were right
the same argument would hold
good for a mob.
In other words. II group OF men
calling themselves a union Is right
because II Is organized. an organ
ICED mob would have the same ar
gument in defense OF hanging
Negro.
To Correct Evils
: The National Association OF
American Workers was organized
TO correct evils in labor. II has
failed TO meet with anybody who
denied the existence OF those evils.
II has failed to meet with anybody
who can truthfully say that the Ne
gro IL not a labor football" In
politics the Negro has been used
since the day he got suffrage, TO
put over the program OF candidates,
and then he was left out in the
cold. and so Il is In the realm OF
labor.
Labor uses the Negro TO pull .uc-
cessful strikes and accuses industry
or using Negroes 10 break strikes
and picket. We have 10 decide
whether we are 10 be used by in
dustry or used by labor. 1t seems
only a matter OF by whom we want
to be used. ! am sure the Negroes
should be the sole Judge OF whom
he wants TO work for.
Industry has not been fair with
the Negro laborer. We all know
mat. Labor has not been fair with
the Negro. We all know that. This
organization was horn To see that
both labor and industry deal fairly
with the Negroes and lot Of hand :
picked. paid leaders or misleaders
can't stop us.
This office will never tell Negroes
10 60 TO work as scabs. But N no
wants TO join a back-tO- work
movement sponsored by a union he
has right TO do so. Unions are
IN competition with each other. IL
Is deemed right for them to work
on opposite sides Of the fence.
Something For Sale
All labor unions have something
Tor sale. That IS labor. They must
sell IL at a profit to the laborer
and be smart enough TO outwit
their opponents. This onice bad
nothing 10 do with the back -to-work
movement at Dodge plant. As 10
whether It was a just movement or
not no two or three men have sense
enough 10 legislate right and wrong
IN this world. IL seems there has
beer some threat OF riot as bogey
10 frishten Negroes from work.
In East st. Louit labor started
riot for the same reason. The
same organization that precipl~
lated the riot did not admit Negroes
10 their ranks as a whole.
No sensible Negro wants a race