The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-04-27
RADIO ADDRESS BY ATTY. BOURNE
ON NATIONAL RACE CONGRESS

Saturday, and Sunday-to which al
persons Of every racial group, creed
and political utilization, who low
liberty and advocate the FRATERNITY
and equality Just described, are IN
vited TO attend, with courtesy, AM
without price, and be welcome.
At this Washington gathering wt
/ propose 70 discuss and take action OF
various issues; 10 use whatever influ
ence We can, with the help OF friend:
everywhere, 70 enact into the law Of
l the land the Anticipating Bill which
/ Is soon TO come up in Congress in the
/ Senate, and thus 10 remove the fou
blot Of lynching from the fair escut.
cheon of the United States of Amer.
I lea.
VIII you not do your part by writ
ing TO the Senators from your State
10 bring pressure 70 bear upon Sena-
tor Alben Barley, the Senate leader.
70 place the anti-lynching bill on the
calendar, and bring the bill before the
Senate? There Is need for you TO act
10 prevent the forces Of reaction from
again shelving this measure. Among
the other subjects the Congress viii
consider next week are: States, needs
Of youth, unemployment, SUM clear
ance and housing, health, education,
war hysteria. racial discrimination,
and present-day high-handed IN
American inguisitorial procedure in
some quarters, and domestic service
conditions and labor unions.
Locally, the work OF the National
Race Congress is carried on through
the Councils OF the organization
throughout the Nation. These coun-
ellis seek in their own localities TO
build up understanding, which Is q
great solvent; and 70 develop a clear
vision OF problems; 10 expose falla-
cies; 70 examine proposed laws.
schemes, and propaganda TO ascertain
what truth or falsity lies in them and
in current issues, and TO reject and
combat the false. Also 70 plan and
strive for the removal Of glazing in
justices and wrongs, and inhuman dis
elimination. Meantime, we remind
the nation that We are Afro-Ameri-
cans are not wards, as some would
seem 70 think; but we have earned
our places as citizens by our labor
and other material and cultural con-
tributions TO the making and develop
ment Of this republic Of ours. And
re-srate the fact, unknown 10 or IN
thought Of by millions Of people in
the country, that, in spite Of the OBJ
jectionable epithets Negroes, "Col-
Ored" and so on, commonly applied 70
our group, our ancestral origins are
in the continent Of Africa, whose his
tory and traditions give the lie to the
modern misnomers Ozark Continent
and Darkest Africa, applied TO this
same Africa whose riches the might
est powers Of the world are contend
ing for.
We say 70 the world that we ask
not for mere favors, but for a fair
field. We insist upon even-handed
justice as men and women. We pro-
claim our fealty to American princi-
pies, and our purpose to support and
defend them, now as always in the
past; and We challenge anyone 10
show that the Afro-American group
ever produced a traitor. We insist
upon Peace; and that America keep
out of war, with its ghastliness and
wreckage of human life and resources.
So, then, since We seek TO build for
the future, in which future we are
all inextricably bound together
willy nilly-we invite your co-opera-
ton locally as well as nationally
Then followed invitations to 'Iocal
get-together Of members, friends, and
well-wishers, all friends Of Liberty, OF
Freedom, and OF America" to the
Repertory meeting, April 21.)
This Congress is a non-partisan
organization. 1t is not dominated OF
controlled by any political group, and
it is not intended to duplicate the
| efforts Of other groups. The field is
wide. Do you know that in hundreds
I Of counties in the South. there are nc
/ hospitals, no Fairgrounds, no high
/ schools. no clinics for the Colored
population? Do you know that the
| lynching mob have changed their tao.
[ tics and have gone underground since
| public opinion is turning toward q
cure for this evil? Lynching used tt
be characterized by the mob, the fag-
I got, and the rope. Hundreds and
sometimes thousands participated OF
witnessed the lynching of a man OF
woman. But Of late, as revealed By
recent investigation, countless Col.
ored people are lynched yearly, but
their disappearance is shrouded II
mystery" Recently, near Atlanta, g
white barber was beaten to death by
the XXX. and 80 or 40 other white
and colored persons were also beaten
It IS righteous causes such as these
that claim our attention. VIII yoI
join in this crusade? Remember thai
our America IS now the hope of al
the earth. Let US be worthy of tn,
/ task
God bless America; and make hel
] - L. LII