The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1941-07-19
Training For Defense Jobs

COR SOME TIME past many of Derots large industrial
plants have been building and equipment units
fer the production of defense materials and the work of
expansion is fast nearing completion 1t reliably re-
ported that by late August early September these
units will be ready for operation, and will require thou
sands of additional workers. but naturally the workers
employed must be efficient
There will be many jobs for unskilled workers. but
those who skilled semi-sked will have great adj
vantage as they will be most in demand and the paw will
be correspondence high.
We therefore urging Detroits unemployed men
Of group prepare themselves for of these Jobs
BY entering the defense training classes that being
conducted by the Detroit Board of Education. Since
anlng Will be required is better to secure this train
ing IN advance II may he necessary to fight for place
lnent when the plants begin hiring but this will be much
better than neglect securing training and be unpre-
pared to accept Jobs when the opportunity is offered
The fact that some colored men have taken courses
in defense training classes and have been denied employ
ment by certain local factories should deter others
of the race from enrolling in heSs classes President
Roosevelt has issued executive order prohibiting race
discrimination the hiring workers on defense Jobs
and pressure will continue be excred to prevent such
discrimination, only by officials Of the Office of Pro-
duction management but also by social and poit-
zeal organizations.
In this connection, the local branch of the National
Association for thu Advancement Coored People re-
ouesting all local coorcd citizens completed the
courses offered in defense training classes have been
denied employment factories filling war contracts to
get in touch with the NAACP office Immediately. Gloster
B. Cprrent executive secretary OF the Detroit oroaniza
workers in plants is necessary to have specific data of
individual cases who have been refused employment All
workers who have had experience training the fol-
owing lines Of work are urged to file with the office of
the NAACP to wit
Machine tool operation metal fitting. drafting, weld
ing sheet metal Diesel engines electricity aero mechan-
les, foundry arplanc sheet metal aircraft layout ava-
ton welding aviation engines and machine tool inspec-
ton
The Detroit Board Of Education is doing a good Job
IN training defense workers but the number of Negroes
assisting in this defense training work pully small in
comparison to the white citizens employed. There much
room for improvement in this direction
OF the total 776 persons employed by the Board Of
Education IN defense training work. only twenty Ne
proes There are two inervicwers of whom color
cd There arc FIVE supervisors but coored The TWEEN
tv-hve partmc supervisors also white On the cler-
ca staff only two out Of oryone Negroes. Only four
ceored feathers employed against 275 white
efs IN defense training work There only ten Negro
>o crib boys. against 255 white. On the maintenance
s.af. there TWENTY-FIVE futimc ianitors, none of
whom arc colorcd. Out Of 100 part-time anitor only
three colored.
II is The 1ribuncs earnest hope that the Detroit
Board Of Education viii increase the number Of coored
citizens employed the important work of defense train
ing and thereby set precedent for local defense plants
TO follow. AS loyal American citizens, Negroes are en-
titled to share equally with other citizens in the distrbu-
ton of Jobs and opportunities for service in this national
emergency.