Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1941-03-14

anyLnlng nave SAID IN our monLnS
of fellowship. Therefore want
not only your careful attention but
your prayers, and l want US to say
our great verse together: Nov
are we the sons Of God" That's
what am going to talk about this
morning and the one word that I
am going to emphasize is the
"we." Not just you and l, but all
of Gods people-all humanity.
Believe me, my friends, my de-
votion to democracy is a very part
of my religion. / once offered my
life for the defense of democracy
and l am more willing now than
ever to give everything l have for
its preservation. 1t is more terribly
imperiled today than it has ever
been before, perhaps just because
we didn't find a better way to de-
fend it twenty-three years ago.
The present situation brings en-
enlargement and encouragement.
We find that we have made prog
ress, but we also find that there is
a long road still ahead, much of it
hidden in fog of uncertainty. One
of the facts that brings our present
need into sharp realization is the
growth of the military spirit. Now
an army is about the least demo-
cratic organization in the world,
even an army in a democracy. So
the army itself shows up at once
our growth in democracy and de-
mocracy's perils. Take for ex-
ample, the situation of the Negro.
We are all of us acutely conscious
of the discrimination against the
Negro on the part of the army and
the navy. Military authorities are
amazed because there has never
been any complaint before. There
were no Negro f1iers in 1918 when
l was in the air service, and no one
thought anything about it. Be-
lieve me, that's progress in de-
mocracy for we are increasingly
conscious of a terribly undemo-
cratic situation.
Let's take look at it. Last De-
cember, fifteen men were dis
charged from the U. S. Navy as
undesirable" because they had
written a letter of complaint to a
newspaper. What they complained
about was racial discrimination.
They were Negroes. They had been
led to suppose, when they enlisted,
that they could choose any branch
of naval service, but they dis
covered no work was open to Ne
groes except in the mess depart
ment, kitchen and dining room.
There were other aggravated in
justices of which they complained.
Of course no naval officer is a Ne
gro. No Negro ever graduated
from Annapolis, or from West
Point.
Right here in Minnesota Negroes
are fighting for the right to enlist
in the Home Guard, which takes the
place of the National Guard, a
right up to now not accorded them
Of course, this isn't all an army
problem. The army difficulties
simply high-hght the total prob
lem, at the same time that they dc
show some progress with which
the army hasn't yet caught up
For example, in Connecticut the
army refused to accept the enlist
ment of a Negro because their ad.
bitrarily set quota for Negroes was
filled. But the draft director, with
a governor who was willing to e
to bat on the subject, held hi!
ground until the army was willing
to obey the draft law and accep
Connecticut men with no racial dis
elimination. This event was full!
reported in the New York Dali!
PM for Thursday of this week.
The Lieutenant Governor o
New York has acknowledged tina
certain airplane factories, which h
named, had refused to accep
Negro workers, even when the,
were clearly qualified. The fac
that there is an important news
paper in the United States willin
to report such things is a mos
hopeful sign, but these events ar
simply bringing to a focus condi
tons which have long existed.
Perhaps you are beginning t
say to yourself, But what in tn
world does this have to do wit
the Country Church of the Air
I'll tell you.
When l salute the flag of m
country, of which / was once
soldier, and repeat the words
the pledge, zone nation, indivisibl
with justice and liberty for all"