Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-04-18
On The Employment Of Negroes At The
Flora Ordnance Plant

JODS FTOTa
Mississippi brought to end in of the largest
Negro meetings to be held in Jackson in many years.
III spite of the fact that rain and high winds made the
weather condition most unfavorabe for such OCCASION
thus evidencng the great need of better employment oppo
tunities in defense work for the Negro of the city
Speaking with respect to the policy of the Flora
Ordnance Plant officials with regards the employment
Negro labor Mr. Cy W. Record white, the War Prodlc
ton Board Division of Negro Employment Office of Pro-
duction Management said that the company plans
Negro workers only maids the cafe departments
janitorS, and as truck drivers
The mass meeting having been called for the purpose
OF calling the attention of the Jackson Negro the employ
ment opportunities available at the Flora Plant Mr. Records
speech sets all previous rumors and information at rest but
at the time furhers the feeling of Illustration and be-
wderment and brings lower yet the morale the Negro
workers OF the city and state.
Recalling the announcement when was first learned
that the Plant would be located Flora that hundreds of
Negro would be given jobs basic departments
of the plant there is also brought to mind the editorial
ment in the daily opposing such pa the grounds
that to create such employment opportunities for Negro
women would affect the supply of Negro women domestic
servants which suggests the possible origin reason
the present plans and policy of the plant officials with
spects to Negro workers. pointed out by Mr.. Record
Among the many suggested for reconsidera-
ton of such plan and policy towards the employment of
Negro workers at Flora, we mention the following:
On June 25 l94l, as the world crisis deepened Presi-
dent Roosevelt by Executive Order 1902 asked that dis
crnnation in defense industries because race creed
color Or national origin be discontinued and established
committee fair employment practice to investigate and
redress grievances growing violation of that order At
the same time inserting nondscrimination clauses in all
defense contracts For any person group of persons to
insist upon such policy but mockery of the
words and wishes of the President the United States and
Weakens the respects of all peoples Negro white alike
Tor the power and sincerity of Presidential utterances
On the question of the resultant shortage of Negro do
mesc servants that would arise should the plan and policy
as first announced be adopted granting onv for the
sake OF what follows that such would the case we would
mere point out that unlike the time when the editorial
opinions, above referred to expressed the nation
now at and already have forced to give p
Injuries, and daily the indications that many more will
is tha Inv
ury of domestic servants against Negro morale and
spirit as admitted by aaready gravey affected bv lack
OF defense employment the wholesome effect of change
OF policy at Flora Negro morale and spirit Jackson
In the State and throughout the nation will far OUTWEIGH
the luxury of Negro domestic servants.
In viewing the plan and policy of the plant as
pointed out by Mr. Record appreciation of the traditional
principle of the separation of the races existing in the
State the possibility suggested itself that such noic NAV
have also been considerably influenced by the Social EQUALITY
problem supposedly involved when workers of both races
are working IN the same place and working together On
the social equality problem involved quote from recent
release of the War Production Board:
The task of the Labor Division in expanding employ
ment opportunities for Negro workers anxious contribute
to the War Program has been less difficult of
time employers of Negro labor The previous expert
of these employers had proved value of the npo
tant segment of total labor supply reuted
widespread argument that coored white EMPLOYEES
would not work together without friction"
1t is altogether probable that somewhere adj
vanced the idea of the difficulties involved in reaching
equitable basis for the distribution of the employment OPP
portites between the groups In locating defense
industries the Government has adopted the policy of ocat
ing such industries in manner to distribute the in
creased employment according to the amount of labor and
unemployment in each state and section of the country and
as the operation of the Draft Law the basis for dstrbu
ton of the employment opportunities between Negro
and white people has been the proportion of each group
to the whole population in the community and state where
such industries are located.
Typical of the operation of such proportional basis
also pointed out by the WPP is the Newport News Virgina)
Shpbuding and Dry Dock Company which maintains the
proportion of Negro employees its plant the pro-
portion of Negro residents in the community This
now employs some 1000 Negro skilled and semskled work
ers The operation of such proportional plan at the Flora
Plant would satisfy every principle of equity right and JUS
tice involved reconsideration of its present policy
Taking another view of the policy of the company as
pointed out by Mr. Record and its policy at first
nounced Negroes forced to ask themselves there
lists such spirit of wi unparotism and injustice
the part of the officials whether they have
been forced to change of policy because of the OF
our circumstance brought to bear by outside forces because
of the political economic and social power they represent
In times like these and in such the desire for
honest work on the part the Negroes Of the city here