St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-06-20
Industry's Failure to Use
Negroes Held Serious Defect
In i. S. Defense Program
Council for Democracy Assails Dangerous and Stupid
Discrimination Policy in Industry
and Armed Forces

Tense industries and the armed
forces because of race discrimina-
ton is a serious defect in the de-
tense program and one of the
greatest tests facing American de-
mocracy, the Council For De-
mocracy charges in a memoran-
dunn, "The Negro and Defense" is
sued today.
To-day America needs all it's
manpower," the Council declares.
ct needs the skill and talent and
the democratic faith of all it's peo-
pie. The Negro population is cap
able of making a tremendous con-
tribution, and we cannot afford to
turn that contribution down be-
cause of senseless prejudice and
discrimination"
The memorandum was based on
information supplied by national
panel of consultants, including Will
w. Alexander, consultant on minor
ity groups, Office of Production
Management; Jonathan Daniels,
editor, Raleigh IN. CO. News and
Observer; Walter White, secre-
tary, National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People;
Professor Otto Klineberg, Co.
lumbia University; Aubrey Will
liams, administrator, National
Youth Administration; DR.. Joseph
S. Roccek, Hofstra College; and
Herbert J. Seligmann, author.
Citing specific glaring examples
of discrimination against Negroes
in defense industries, particularly
aviation, in labor unions, and in the
armed forces, the memorandum
warns: "Today we are struggling
to preserve our democracy. Ger
tainly it is a dangerous and stupid
policy which compels one-tenth of
our population to fight simply for
an opportunity to participate in
that struggle"
Assailing the lack of training IA
cilities for Negroes, the Council
notes that the Negro has become
part of a vicious circle Gin which
manufacturers refuse to hire Ne
groes on the ground that they are
not trained and schools refuse them
on the ground that there will be no
jobs for those trained"
The Councils memorandum re-
flutes mon misconceptions
about Negroes, pointing out that
the Negro is readily adaptable to
work in skilled trades and that his
bravery on the battlefield is I'M
questioned.
"The facts are clear enough" the
Council states. "The blanket as
sertion that Negroes are inefficient
workers has no foundation in
truth. Nor is there any validity to
the belief that colored employees
and white employees cannot sue
cessfully work together"
Pointing out that Negroes have
fought gallantly in every war in
which the nation has been engaged,
the Council adds: "The testimony
of officers who commanded Negro
soldiers in the First World War is
a decisive addition to the irrefut-
able evidence of their loyalty, cour-
age, discipline and soldierly quail
tiles"
Of all the armed forces, the
worst offenders in discrimination
are the Navy and Marine Corps,
where "the exclusion and humilia-
ton of the Negro are complete"
the Council charges. ''This atti-
tude of the Navy and Marine Corps
led to their being characterized by
the Hampton Institute Conference
on the Negro in National Defense,
as representing the most undemo-
cratic and un-American aspect of
our Government"
The memorandum objects vigor-
ously to the present, traditional
policy of the U. s. Army "that Ne
groes shall be enrolled and trained
in segregated Negro units" but
admits that this system can be
changed only very slowly. It con-
tends however, that segregation
should not be used, as it has in the
past, to degrade Negro soldiers to
work battalions, officers servants,
and mental labor.
Application of Negroes for Army
air training has been consistently
denied, according to the memoran-
dunn, although it notes that
segregated air field is to be built at
Tuskegee Institute, Alabama. The
situation is little better in the Ma
tional Guard, where "late in 1910
there were fewer colored units
than there had been prior to the