The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-07-06
THE N.A.A.c.P. CONVENTION
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preservation of democratic rights in the
United States, efforts to preserve and
gain equal opportunities for all, ire
spective of nationality, race, color, OF
religion, in our armed forces and in
domestic activities; and above all MAX
ing democracy real and important to
every inhabitant of our land by guar
anteeing to all a decent standard of
living, are as necessary a part of our
preparedness program against totali-
tartan relationships as are additional
ornaments.
eve will do our part and more to de-
fend our country and its principles. We
are equally determined to make our
country and its practices worth defend
ing. We are alarmed that even at a
time of national peril, the forces of
blgotry In our army, navy, and other
defense units continue racial discrim-
ination against Americans who seek to
serve their country"
In line with this spirit the NAACP
demanded an end TO discrimination in
the armed forces and in all govern
mental appointments and in the WPA
An excellent resolution was adopted
on labor unions, declaring the NAACP
In favor of trade union organization
as a necessary and valuable method by
which workers of any race and color
could protect themselves against ex-
ploitation by the owners of industry,
and could gain higher standard of liv-
ing and greater leisure in keeping with
the increased output made possible by
modern machine and power production.
AT the same time the Convention de-
nounced the color bar in those unions,
such as the railroad brotherhoods where
it exists and called upon Congress to
deny to unions which habitually prac-
tice discrimination the benefits of the
National Labor Relations Act
In line with their purpose of achiev-
ing and defending democracy, the Con-
vention backed up the campaign Of the
NAACP throughout the South to gain
the right to vote for colored people,
and demanded that Congress pass the
Geyer anti-pol1 tax bill which would
help the exploited groups, whether
white or colored, throughout the entire
country especially in the South.
Another resolution demanded pas
! sage of the Anti-Lynching Bill, pointed
forcefully to the contrast between the
way in which Congress leaped to pro-
tect the wealthy and their children by
passing Federal anti-kidnapping law
while it steadfastly refuses to pass the
: Federal Anti-Lynching Law, for the
obvious reason that most of the victims
of lynching, the few whites as well as
the many colored, are almost invariably
men In overalls.
Representatives Of the Youth Coun-
ellis sought to have the Convention go
, on record against sending American
troops abroad and against CONSUMPTION.
When it was pointed out to them that
their opposition to sending American
troops abroad would prevent our Civ
ing any protection to the French or
British West Indies from seizure by
Hitler, the young peoples representa-
tives on the Resolutions Committee
stated that they had not looked at the
matter in that light and did not oppose
: eliminating that part of the resolution.
On the floor Of the Convention the
I matter Of conscription was argued. The
Convention finally decided to take no
stand either for or against the matter.
1t was argued that mere peaceful in
= tentions would not be sufficient to keep
! the United States safe from attack, as
the experience of Denmark, Norway,
Belgium, Holland, Latvia, Estonia,
Finland, Czechoslovalia and Ethiopia
amply prove. Since whether or not we
would have to fight would depend large
ly upon Messrs. Hitler or Mussolini
rather than upon us, the majority of
; the delegates apparently felt that we
ought to know how to fight by modern
methods ahead of time.
The emotional climax of the Conven-
ton was the story of the Rev. Buster
Walker of Brownsville, Tennessee, of
how he and several other members Of
the NAACP in that town had been
driven out of their homes by armed
e mobs seeking to lynch them for no other
reason than because they had courage
} ously attempted to carry out the pro-
gram of the NAACP for getting col
! ored citizens to register and vote. When
: Mr.. Walker got through talking there
] was not dry eye in the audience, and
the delegates spontaneously contributed
substantial sum to carry on the fight.
! The NAACP Immediately got in
touch with Attornty General Jackson
in Washington who has promised to
make thorough investigation Of the
matter.
: One of the interesting facts about the
Convention from my point of view was
that so few of the delegates, even those
who were editors of papers, apparently
were aware Of Hitlers denunciation Of
colored people as half apes and his
proposal to deny to them all opportuni-
ties Of higher education as plainly set
forth in Mein Kampf.
This fact about the attitude and in
tention Of Adolph Hitler, the most dan
gerous enemy of peace and democracy
that the world has had for 100 wears.