The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1940-03-23
TOO MUCH MusH

Associate Press dispatches OF recent date have
It that lad. son OF widow on relief, hanged MIN
self In his suicide note he explained his rash act py
saying that he was tired OF mush." His mother had
other children and her relief allowance would not
permit much besides mush II Is too bad that the lad
lost hope for little reflection might have conync-
ed him that mush eating is quite often the prelude
TO cake-eating The cakeeaters OF this generation 10
quite often the daughters OF mush-eaters OF former
generations
In the Bible it is written Weeping may endure
for a night but Joy cometh in the morning. rms
suggests that mush- eating may endure through TO-
dav hut cake-eating cometh tomorrow. Illustrating
often proves but the initial OF human develop
nent which brings cake In the end. we Smpatnize
With the lad whose appetite was tuned for cake ana
had 10 wind up on mush But II was ever thus
One OF the great dangers that this nation faces
ia this selfsame problem OF whetting the appeitcs
u the younger generations for cake and feeding them
On mush. Mush hath its virtues but TOO much mueh
is a positive menace TO civilization The underlying
explanation OF the French revolution is TO be found
n too much mush' The same Is true OF Russian
revolution and II revolution In this country is TO De
indefinitely postponed there must he more equita-
Bile distribution OF the mGsh and cake Too few have
cake at present and too many have mush.
One OF the great compliments that may be paid
the Roosevelt administration Is its determination at
east TO guarantee mush, for had he not stood so
heroicaly for the forgotten man. there Is evidence
that certain powers would have left said forgotten
nan even without hope of mush when little Willie
was told by his mother who declined him a further
slice OF cake that little Johnny the way be-
fick from eating two slices OF cake ne repli-
ed brskly that at was rot matter OF TOO much put
not enough boy.
SO we are not in position TO say whether our
trouble in this country is one OF not having enough
cake or just too much mush. In either case we
should bestir ourselves lest great evils overtake u.s.
The educational program OF the country emphasizes
the arts and sciences and makes little OF vocational
possibility yet these possibilities be realized
II we are TO remain economically solvent In other
words our program is geared to the production OF
cake-eaters whereas our masses are doomed %
mush- eating Herein lies our greatest danger.
To stimulate in the youth ambitions and sppetes
for which there is visible hope OF satisfaction
borders the criminal. For Negro leadership to
emphasize Negro greatness without affording pro-
gram TO achieve this further greatness is shorsight-
ed indeed II should be made clear to our people that
the cake that comes from protest is strictly limited
and that such cake plans this country offers are Of
the white man and for the white man and by the
white man. II Negroes would have cake they must
make their own arrangements therefor themselves:
for this matter cannot be left to the white man
who is himself pressed for cake-producton oppor-
.unities.
In the last analysis then. the question OF wheth-
shall have cake or mush Is one for the Negro
and not the white man. II appears 10 this minor
prophet that chiefest hopes for cake and sub
from mush lie in the direction OF vocational
emphasis But against this the has been set for
80 years Just whether the be converted
in time TO the situation remains to be seen II
should be observed here that the question raised Is
for those who would laugh It off with the
"eat-drnk and be-mery philosophy" Some OF are
utterly incapable OF Laughing Il on" We seri
about future but the future OF the
coming generations. Attention to their problems is
seriously demanded.
To the credit OF the old Negro be II said. he was
undegreed but he ARRANGED that might have some
cake along with our mush Will We do as much for
the oncoming generations OF Negroes! II We would
had better take vocational education more seri-
ously. Otherwise we doom coming generations TO
mush-too much mufh,