The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1942-03-28
Tim. Mnnrup Trnttrr
EDITOR and PUBLISHER
1901 - 1884
THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM


The increasing cooperation of white felow-citizens
the crusade for fuller democracy at home of the
heartening developments in the crisis During
the past week or so there have noteworthy
instances in which responsible leaders bore witness to
spreading conviction in order preserve democracy
it has to be made expand to include on equal
terms all persons wherever it is adopted national
way of life Americas demand for freedom throughout
the world was assailed by Mr. Wendell Wkie "phari-
saica and presumptuous since freedom is denied mil
lions of Americans for other than that they
happened to black Part of his address in New
York last week is printed another page. Our own
Governor Saltonstal stirring appeal for fair play said:
"Our effort demands the employment of all
loyal and qualified workers the basis of their abi-
ity, without regard to race, COLOR creed national
origin. Acceptance of this principle depends alike
on the attitude of employers workers and people
generally 1t is manifest that discrimination
against any classes of workers will deprive our home
front of skilled hands and willing hearts. The
enemy seeks to divide by stirring up prejudice and
unrest To win fight in defense of democracy
must practise it sincerely and effectively. This
practise must have the full support of every COM
munity Therefore l urge employers, workers.
churches, defense councils schools civic organiza-
tons and others to reafirm this principle at every
opportunity"
In his sermon last Sunday at the Second Church in
Boston the Rev. Walton E. Cole declared:
"Too long have been drawing the narrow
circles which exclude others because they differ from
in some doctrine theory in the color of their
skin We who believe in religious freedom will re-
sist to the death the God-defynG and man-denyng
doctrine of racism with its terrorisc persecution
The chairman of the National Education Associa-
tons Commission democracy through education Dr.
Aonzo F Myers in New York urged the Army to organ
ize League of Nations combat divisions of mixed Of
fcers and mixed enlisted men-men of all colors creeds
and national orgnsas the best to the Axis prop
aganda which being spread among the black and brown
and yellow peoples of South America and the Far East
Now these are expressions of genuine democracy
and they have received wide hearing With other
instances which could be selected they indicate that lead
ers Of public thought beginning to understand that
democracy needs help to attain complete reality. The
help comes late but history records that many movements
Tor Justice and right stimulated by great social up
heavas revolutions and wars. It as if the human
spirit receives light struck off from hard necessity
Democracy foes inside and outside the country can be
expected to redoube their efforts sabotage the new
impetus which has been given to the fight for freedom on
the home front The brun of that fight has been borne
in recent almost entirely by colored Americans
The hardness of white requirements gives the cync
plausible basis for the sneerng remark that the new in
teres in freedom stirred less by love of justice than by
fear of Hitler triumph But what matters most is
not the motives but that democracy progresses.