The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1941-07-05
MASS IMPROVEMENT

~rOLORED Americans must want
" more and be willing to Hcff
hard 10 get it, That statement Vai
made a few days ago by man via
is sincerely interested m colorsi
people.
He Is not a maudlin sentimental
list who talks TO get applause Hen
a man who wants colQred people
have real place IN America.
This Is the real problem Wild
colored Americans face !, i msa
complex because Of discrimnaloA
segregation. and injustice In olnei
words. how can the masses o. cor
ored people be made 70 want moH
and he willing TO work for ~
Colored leadership Is conscious
OF the millions OF ambitious colo''a
citizens who want educalion- sN'
homes. comfortable clothing raalos
automobiles, and recreation
They know that hundreds
thousands OF colored Amers'H'
have wanted and secured laOH
things despite the handicaps.
This leadership understands 'aaI
Job opportunities are osn"I
trained colored people Tor one '~
son only, the color Of their sAli.
And from early morning unn
late at night they condemn ana WI
test against the forces whlen ."
them from jobs.
But few colored leaders appaTsl,
lv understand that there are nn.
lions Of colored Americans wup'I
wants are meager and ihey 'n''.
fore. do little to supply "'"
wants.
WE risk 'fs assertion lha' WI
orei Leadership has h'en 50 y.
trying TO explain why the mas,
of colored people are IN ihen p'.s
ent predicament that they nave ~
had time to do anything 70 ln're'"|
the wants of the masses
Then, too. there Is another I"
con for this condition. since y.
lions OF colored Americans ~
everything else any other Au', !.
can wants and they are WHEY NJ VI
work 10 supply those VAIN IN.
leadership assumes that every ,s S',.
or person Of color wants the Iu -,
teal things and is wiling 70 w.
TO get them. This is inaccurS''
II is no answer TO say iha' 20.
white people do not Wan' NV ,.,r
and therefore. perform lne a,l,
possible amount OF work 70 su'f I,
their desires. Neither IS y
answer to explain that mill'Ss. \
colored people have been W.. IN
adequate education TO "ahs 40
While both those Statements In
accurate. the fact still is l,o,,i
that there are too many 49, -,r,
people who expect little anu nj
little and give as an excuse w. ~
working the inability 10 iuu .,,rs,l,
There are perfectly les'', ssri.
reasons for failures but ,u,s '. y" .s,.
boiled world only appre'la',,,, ,oo,.
cess. The reasons may pe M
faint 10 those who fail nu' ,i
world rolls merrily on It's VIZ
annlauds those who succeed
Il requires tremendous c0u s,s,
for colored Americans VINO ,s 4.
had advantages to face souare rnol,b
proposition that there are r,ri
iudes OF their people VINO ,,.r, .
little. II is a difficult proO', r,sy
tackle because there are ~. ~ suts
neople who like to pass ~ s.,,us,
ana will feel OUTRAGED ?, ,hsf
there are those who point o us. o..
weaknessee rather than
cuses for them. .,.- ~
Despite that possis'''c1,o loni
prohlem must be solved. n hss.
Americans who are deslFo", ! ,oa
ing full American cIiIa'n'" Nv, y
Al, The things which go "u' -. A
me Ss', multitude ~I when people -, "a
,hInr1 strong enough. my ~
work hard and plan nv, .'..,,s,i
enough to secure thsm-a'%S'1D D.
from the June IS i''u'
Phiisdslphia Tribune.