The Omaha guide., 1942-02-07
Failure to Let American Negroes Help In This "AH-Out'' Crisis.
NIGH BE u. S. BIGGEST BLUNDER- n MORRIS
= . .
FOUNDATION DAY ADDRESS
BY NEWBOLD MORRIS
At HAMPTON INSTITUTE
SUNDAY MORNING, FEB. 1

At HAMPTON INSTITUTE
SUNDAY MORNING, FEB. 1
Newbold Morris, President of
the Council of the City of New
York and a Trustee Of Hampton
Institute, delivered the Founders
Day address at the Hampton (Vir
ginia) College for Negro students
on Sunday morning, February 1st.
Mr.. Morris, in speaking to the
trustees, faculty and students at
the Founder Day exercise stated:
THE only hope of survival for
democracies subjected to surprise
attack under modern conditions of
total war is in total prepared
ness. When the lightning struck
at Pearl Harbor and then in the
PHILIPPINES, we found ourselves
only part of the way toward the
goal of total preparedness.
Being taken by surprise is not
peculiar to America" he continu-
ed. "Democracies are at a disad-
vantage, for the democratic pro-
cess does not develop in men 4 de-
sire to dominate the world by
force. They are not adequately
prepared even for effective defense.
I'm ordinary times of world
peace, we make mistakes, for we
follow a process of trial and err
ror. But, because of our recuper-
alive vitality we car ecove from
the effect of those mistakes. I
submit today that in this emerg-
ency of unprecedented seriousness
we cannot afford to err again. One
tenth of our American population
is of the Negro race. In my OPP
inion, that important cross sec
ton of our people must be mobil-
lied to the fullest extent of its
capacity. The potential earning
power and purchasing power of the
Negroes of America have been ov-
erlooked in peace time. Their &C
tual and potential industrial and
fighting power must not be left
out of our war effort. To over
look this factor in war time would
be a colossal blunder. Right now,
today, may be the last chance of
democracy for survival. Whether
the American Negro gets his
chance to contribute to the
strength of America today NAV
very well mean the difference be-
tween a lone war and a short war.
Let us hope that the projected
spring drives of the Axis powers
will not make the struggle so
close that the failure to enlist the
total strength of one-tenth of our
population would make the differ
ence between victory and defeat.
1.-THE American Negro has new
er been suspected of sabotage; his
LOYALTY to the United States has
never been questioned; his pass
ionate desire for service in peace
or in war;, are only some of the
reasons why the minority of white
people who are striving to secure
real opportunity for the Negro is
constantly growing. They arr the
reasons why the President Of the
United States, the Governor Of
New York State, the Mayor of n.
Y. City by words and official acts,
are attempting to broaden the
scope of Negro participation in our
economic life"
Mr.. Morris, in the course of his
remarks, praised the administer
ton of Hampton under the presid-
ency of DR.. Mclean:
In DR. MacLean we have one OF
the outstanding progressive educ
ators in the entire United States.
His farsighted leadership has plac
ed Hampton in the front line of
national defense. Hampton is now
graduating young men and won-
| en- fitted by training and charac-
ter to take their places in the war
! effort.
! Every graduate from Hampton
ought to be able to find his DR. her
place in the gigantic program for
the safety, health and welfare of
all of our people. America has G.
merged from adolescence. Pref
udice should not be allowed to