St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1942-02-27
THIS
WORLD
Twelve Ministers
Looks Timing
Japs VS.. Chinese
Historian

;
senting 200 church leaders called
at the White House last week to
leave with Stephen Early presi-
Dental press secretary a pledge of
six million Negro churchgOers' all
out war aid. The pledge contained
the pertinent paragraph, Lynch
ing and determinations do not unite
a people for war. Negro Americans
seek only the unhindered OppOr-
tunity to make their full cOntribu-
ton to the defense of America as
is their right as loyal citizens"
Excellent accidental timing, al
most uncanny was LOOK MAGA-
ZINES article on Paul Robson in
it's March 10, number which hit the
streets on almost the same day the
singer had blasted race segregation
in concert halls in the south. Paul's
blast was on the front pages of
many dailies.
Negroes who lived on the West
Coast tell us that the Japs in that
area have been usually very friend
ly to Negroes. In contrast they say
the Chinese were not and most of
the time they have practiced the
same type of race discrimination
against cOlOred people as southern
whites. Most of the folks we talked
to wanted the U. S. to lick the ma
ton Japan but were kindly dis
posed towards the American va
riety of Japs they have run across.
What they said about the Chin
csc reminded me that Nun Hing,
the Minneapolis chow mein "pal-
ace" has been accused a number
of times of sailing the food served
Negro patrons to make it unpalat-
agile. Just the other night the choir
from St. Peter African Methodist
Church sang for China Relief. Fun
ny world, isn't it?
Negroes in Kansas City are be-
ginning to get a break" in the de-
Tense plants in that city. Shortage
of labor and constant fighting by
the X. C. CALL plus the cOOrdi-
mated work of the Urban League
the NAACP and the Negro Cham
Der of Commerce there has been
getting results.
One lone man working for years
with scarcely any funds deserves a
debt of gratitude from the nation.
He is Carter G. Woodson, director
of the Association for the Study of
Negro History. Woodson has spent
the best part of his life securing
records and other sources of infor-
nation for the history of the Negro
which is not found in the history
books we read in the schools and
libraries. Many of my white
friends who seek to learn more
about the Negro and his contribu-
tons to Americas common culture
are always referred by US to Car
ter Woodson's organization. In the
number of books on the Negro by
Woodson you can find the factual
history of his people with little of
the over-claims which many Negro
writer's offer.
Among the valuable publications
which reach our crowded desk
monthly is THE FRIEND, edited
by Jenny Alivilde johnson with
N. N. Ronning, Gertrude Hanson
and our good friend Rev. Edwin
T. Randall as contributing editors.
1t is a comforting magazine de-
voted to the interests Of the Chris
tan family.
In Detroit the F. H. A. built a
housing project for exclusive Ne
gro occupancy. When the several
thousand homes were ready they
were so nice that some of the white
brethren wanted the project. Some
of their leaders got busy at Wash
ington and 10 and behold it was
announced that the project would
be turned over to the Caucasian
folks. The Negroes then got busy
with the aid of fairminded whites,
including R. ]. Thomas, president
of the powerful CLIO United Auto
Workers and the order was coun-
fernandez.
The white group, composed most
ly Of Americans of Polish descent,
were offered joint tenancy but they
wanted whole hog or none. Since
the project was originally planned
for the underhoused Negroes it will
probably go to them. Meanwhile
Negroes picketed the Detroit city
Hall.