The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1940-11-01
WILLARD URGES
tcsatsnaeA from page j.

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not do that, to Norman Thomas
hAve never before voted for !.
Republican candidate for President
and have Away. been a supporter
Of tho New Deal. Yet feet tha.
II 10 of the utmost Importance to
eolored and white alike tha. Pres;-
dent be defeated, for if he is elected
see nothing ahead but war, bank
ruptey. and economic misery for
Ea all.
II war comes the colored peop' e
will suffer more than anybody else.
] have recently set forth in my
autobiography, Fighting Years, .
the terrible maltreatment Of the
celored people which followed our
participation in the first World War.
You know as well as I that plenty
of men 10 uniforms were murdered
on their return from France and
that nobody was punished for these
crimes. You know that lynching
fourtshed. that there was every kind
Of Discrimination against the Negro
IN the army end that after the war
was over determined efforts were
made TO portray the Negro troops
as towards who would not fight.
It is true that Mr. Roosevelt has
given orders thai in this new army
Negroes shall not be Disseminated
against except that there shall be
separate regiments, batteries, etc.
He has insisted that the proper pro-
portion OF enlisted men shall be
rolored. This IS rraiseworthy, and
| have no doubt that the colored
people are grateful for it, but that
i only what the colored people are
Of right entitled to.
II does not follow because the
Preaident has done his sworn duty
giving }NaSASe 10 ehe iNcE1oGA 10
shs manner. he shouid therefore be
gwen their votes.
II this country goes into war
there viii be al end 20 aur de
moclacy.
II this meant that the colored
people would get a sauare1 deal
thsn they have had under the Am
ericsn flag that might be reason
for taking the chance Actually
eyery war breeds reaction and in
c:eases raes prejudices. We shall
become dictatorship the day we
enter the war. and the minute W
"a the Jews and Negroes and the
German Americans and other for.
elgn born people will bear the brun,
oi tie bitterness and racial hatred
that will b. engendered.
The 'ot Of the Negro 10 not )
hapsy sao IA sar csuntry: he il .
s.ctim Of xross injustices. but the
enc thing that war promr,iissa e A.a
H. the Increase and MOT the decrease
sf those injastiees. IL Wa permaR.
sntly lese our democracy there il
every reason TO believe that shs
Hitler daefriass sf rase saperiori.,
will appear with great ssrength ,r
this country.
More than that, Mr. Roosevelt ha.
had it in his power TO put through
the Anti Lynching Bills and he ha'
not done 20. | know that he l'a'
done some work behind tho scene
for the Bill, and | know that he ha
had great difficulties to face in con
neetion with it, but it is the task Q
a statesman TO overcome .lifficultie
and not to surrender before them.
The simp's fact ~ that although
Mrs. Reossvett has endoraed tn
Anti Lyaehias Bill, the Pres'den
kss said nothiHg cut loud about u
deliberate refusai of the Southsr
Democratic leaders in Congress
a'le,v the bill which Congress desire
to Nass ss come 10 vote IN IN
Senate. He haA act asne what wa
r,sh, and ju.t; he has played IN
wslitieal aame here ss IN 80 man