The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1941-08-08
"A Magma Charta for Negroes?

President Roosevelts admontion to
industry to end discrimination against
workers Of different color, race or reli
gion will, If translated into appropriate
action, be recognized years hence as the
economic Magma Charta Of the Negro
people IN America ......
No sore on the body OF America is
more corrupt and corrupting than TINS
sore that we have deprived tenth of
our people OF the opportunity to gain
decent livelihood, simply because they
are different color We have hated
Hitler because he has brutally persecut-
ed Jews Hitlers propagandists have
sneered back at us, saying that we do
exactly the same thing to our Negroes
that Germany does to her Jews. The
sneers hurt: how should we explain the
difference between a sign III Berlin, Ju-
den verboten, and sign IN Birmingham.
White Only? How argue that il was
shameful that no Jew could be doctor
in Munich, but perfectly all right that no
Negro could be an aircraft worker n
Los Angeles?
When the defense emergency came
upon us, the problem became too acute
any longer TO be ignored IT Was so pain
fully obvious that the Negro people were
being asked To fight for democracy but
given no democracy; taxed to build war
machines but give no chance to share IN
the prosperity Incidental To the building
of these machines. Especially Mas this
true in the most dramatic Of ail defense
industries aircraft, Where 4 strict policy
Of excluding Negroes from tie assembly
line was universally followed though
there was shortage of aircraft workers,
and numbers OF trained Negroes were
applying for jobs.
Now the President has acted He has
told the nation that it was a matter Of
grave national Importance to end such
Northumberland not only Ne
groes, but any minority groups barred
from Jobs The presidents memoran-
dunn to Mr. Knudsen and Mr. Hillman Of
OMP cannot be praised too highly.
But it must be translated into action
Many times in the past, a vigorous state
ment of national policy has come from
the White House, only to be ignored by
those individuals and corporations whose
prejudices it did not suit Mr. Roose-
Velt puts it squarely up to the OPM to get
action. If OPM directors proceed mil
itantly to enforce the Presidents stated
desires, the color bar in American indus
try can be broken down for all time
Inc Negro people Will take their rlghtful
place as economic equals; and with econ
omic equality will come political equal
ity When the Negro people become a
functioning part of economic and polti-
cal democracy, the Negro problem will
have disappeared.
II the directors Of the OPM should
now fail in their task, if defense indus
tries should be permitted to continue to
bar Negroes-or to obtain the appear
ance of virtue without its substance by
hiring a few Negroes in menial Jobs
then tenth of Americas population
will be more than ever persuaded they
have no stake in defending the American
way of life.
The Negro people have heard prom
ises before. No one can blame them if
they can now be convinced by nothing
but results. 1t would be tragic blow to
national unity and morale if President
Roosevelt's wholly admirable action did
not quickly bear fruit in terms of jobs
for Negroes.-Tom O'Connor.
(Reprinted from the June II, 1941
issue Of PMl