Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-01-31
THE
MILE-POST
By Samuel A. Reed
Appeasement

Il
on the pages of history. He was
but one of many. His pO itiOn in
government, his personal prOmi-
nenee, and, more than. either Of
these, the inevitable trend of cir
eumstances only magnifed his
error until it now stands as one of
the most colossal blunders of this
modern age.
Today the United States, faced
with its own great crisis, is in
grave danger of making the same
mistakes of the Chamberlain gov
eminent, with even more disas-
trous consequences.
Our government vigorously de-
nOunees foreign appeasement and
appeasers, but at the same time,
with blissful inconsistency. it pur-
sues an identical policy of pacify-
ing its own internal mal-eOntents.
Successive administrations (the
present one not excluded) have
been committed to policy of ap-
peasement with reference to ex-
tending democracy to the Negro.
There are nearly II million Ne
grOes in the United States who,
theoretically, have been granted
full citizenship rights. Actually,
the only rights which Negroes now
have are those which have been
wrung from the tenacious clutches
of the powers that be through bit
ter strife.
And even when he won and was
granted new rights the Negro was
only being appeased-just as GER
tain people are trying to appease
him in this present crisis.
Take this national defense pro-
gram for instance.
The United States is now making
titanic effort to arm itself to de-
fend democracy from some foreign
foe. Cries of Unity" echo through
out the length and breadth of our
land. But apparently neither Uni
ty nor Democracy were intended to
apply to the Negro even in times
of crisis, without certain necessary
restrictions.
When the foreign situation be-
came critical and the United States
began to arm, Negroes were among
the first to rush to the cOlOrs. The
powers that be were puzzled. What
was to be done with the Negroes?
They solved the problem very
simply. In some defense units Ne
groes were barred. In others where
it was impossible to completely ex-
clude them because of previous
commitments, Negroes were placed
in Jim Crow detachments.
The large scale indignation which
resulted from this brutal rape of
justice was of such alarming pro-
portions that minor concessions
were quickly made to stem the ris-
ing tide of mass resentment.
A Negro Army officer who had
previously been Intentionally over
looked was promoted. Embarrassed
by threatening lawsuit charging
discrimination, the Army Air Corps
speedily responded with a Negro
Army Air Corps. And when the
fight for Negro seamen begins to
crystalline, the United States will
probably see its first all-Negro
feet!
All this and more to come q.
to keep the Negro from making a
last ditch stand for complete equal
ity.
But the policy of appeasement,
as the Chamberlain government
learned to its own undoing, works
both ways. The crumbs of democ-
racy which have been niggardly
dropped for the black man have
had tantalizing effect. His hun
ger for democracy has been whet-
ted by a diet of crumbs until now
only complete democracy and abso-
lutte equality will satisfy him.
America had better come to its
senses ON this issue before the
gathering clouds of discomfort
break in the full fury of an inter-
nal storm.
To put it more graphically, Ne
groes are determined that they will
have the whole live hog or America
will awake one day to find itself
with dead pig.
Consideration for the Negro
humanity and charity. It rests on
Il naoo II - a o,,a.k;o,, 80 IL. - 4