The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1941-02-28
EDIT Q R IALS
By ERNEST JOHNSON
for ANPo

NEW IJRk----F lgnliHB "
.three-front war" was urged by
Dr.. Charming II. Tobias, lone
Negro member Of the National
Advisory Committee on Selective
Service, speaking before the 3Otn
annual meeting Of the National
Urban league which met Wednes-
day evening at the Russell Sage
foundation. Dr.. Tobias is also
senior secretary for colored
work, National Council YMCA.
Eugene Kinckle Jones, cxecu-
tive secretary Of the league, IN
submitting his annual report, also
made scathing comment upon the
present attitude of government
and industry toward the Negro
in the preparations now being
made for war
For year now DR.. Tobias
said, 80 per cent Of America has
been moving forward on the be-
ginning Of mammoth defense
program, while the other 10 per
cent ia million Ncgroes) IN ut
ter bewilderment and discourage
ment have been almost as COM
pletely excluded from paiticipa-
ton in this program as if they
were not. American citizens.
Caustically he mentioned that
while the rest of the country
prepares to fight, the black man
is forced to fight to prepare. This
condition was attributed to Amer
ica's failure to abolish double
standards Of citizenship" in its
defense considerations How
strangely stupid and short-sight-
ed, !" the speaker continued, lit is
for nation to think that it can
wage successful warfare against
undemocratic ideologies and prac-
tees in Europe and the Far East
without doing anything about
similar ideologies and practices at
| home. The cold fact is, however,
| that there is no indicated inten-
/ tion on the part Of government
or industry to consider the Negro
| as an important factor in the de-
Tense program. He is still re-
garded as an appendage rather
than participant"
As remedy DR.. Tobias pro.
| posed that battle be waged
along three fronts; the first. citi-
I zenship rights, by rallying around
the NAACP and the Negro press
the second, conservation Of race
morale, by supporting the church
and the welfare movements, like
the YMCA, the YWCA, the Cath
| olic Welfare movement, the Sal
vation army, and others; and the
third, Industrial opportunity. Thi:
last he characterized as the hot
test at the present moment ane
for which we must look to tht
Urban league for leadership. II
| this connection, a special Wash
ington conference was suggested
in which the Negroes use in de
fense industries would be discus
sed.
Mr.. Jones, taking up the CT.
for increased opportunities, won
dered whether "our leaders o
public thought ever pause to pon
der over the question as to whc
ther we have in reality that wa,
| Of life which we think we are t,
| defend" Reducing the race
claim to its barest essentials, TIL
| executive secretary said: "W
only ask for the Negro an oppor
tunity to share in our nationa
life in keeping with his trainin,
and ability, and demand onl
that he have chance to trai
himself SO that his real capacit
may be developed
"The Negro population" h
continued, "has been put to til
test by every new formula TO
human adjustment which ha
been developed in other parts Q
the world. The Negro has ar
praised thoughtfully the Who'll
| situation and quite contrary t
the thoughts Of many has no
dumbly accepted his lot in Amer
ca without examining the cha,
Is it sound economics to continu
to expand our war industrie