The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1942-04-10
Alnt. anttrnp Trntter
EDITOR and PUBLISHER
1901 - 1884
THE MAVY,s DECISION

Further easing of color barriers in the Navy was re-
corded this week by Secretary Knoxs that
hereafter coored will be recruited for service in the
Navy the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard and that
they to receive the pay and the ratings
white recruits Up to the time of the Civil War and for
years since then coored sailors had served rather
freely American men-o'-war. They had fought with
distinction alongside of white shpmates in the Revolution
airy War and in the of 1872 The policy restricting
colored enstees messboys stewards be
comparatively recent adoption The step taken by Sec
rotary knox, while is commendable naugurates moth
ing novel; marks the beginning of return to the
nearly democratic practice which obtained in the earlier
years of our naval history.
The announced change in Navy policy comes closely
upon the lifting of color bans from civilian employment
in the Navy Department The number of colored civilian
employees in that branch of service has than dou
bled since last October 1t in September that the
President requested all Department heads ito facilitate
and put into effect policy of non-dscriminaton 'to
the end that in the Federal service the doors of employ
ment shall be open to all loyal and qualified workers"
Secretary Knoxs action this week extends the non-ds
crminatve practve the Nations naval fighting forces
The two noteworthy improvements, one in the Navy De-
parment the other in the Navy ITSELF register gains for
which antntolerance individuals and organizations have
determinedy contended during long period. The de-
cision at this time making the gains possible doubt
takes "heavy load" from somebody's shoulders. But
among the first questions to arise is why did it take
long to perform acts which, from any angle viewed
only be guaged toward what is right and just
1t will be great mistake however, if there is any
general expectation that the Nays decision to recruit
colored for other service besides will
special iubilaton among coored people We have said
above that the Nays action is to be commended but it
is so only because it affords colored Americans wider
chance to help repellng the destructive forces which
threaten to overwhem the country They clearly the
unprecedented crisis; they clearly the bondage and
the debasement that will descend upon all Americans,
white and colored from Axis riumph and they are
anxious to do all their power to avert the menacng
tasrophe On the other hand they their Goernment
approving and extending the pattern of segregation the
new decision colored enisments in the Navy They
know better than others the evils that flow from skin
color separation Segregation is hostile to freedom 1t
breeds suspicion and intolerance because perpetrates
the "srangeness' of individuals who only realize their
common humanity by association with another There
FORE it is impossible democracy to and flourish
where skin-color segregation is practiced Since the
nation is continually proclamng that is committed to
freedom and democracy, what and exasperates
coored Americans in the fight for freedom at home IS
why in the of is it that so many peo-
pie who say they want freedom and democracy utterly
fail to take positive stand and do the things which
anesty necessary bring the democratic concept to
reality To repeat patitude let say that democracy
must be an inner growth before it can be outer
growth and that its outer expression exactly measures the
strength of its growth within But the same idea might
be applied to civilization in general The civilized world
did wait until all had attained advanced notions of
civilization. The few naturally civilized individuals had
to take the lead in the setting up civilized state and
the few who intensely democratic must take the lead
in the establishment of democracy It will require cour
age but if democracy is right and what wanted
cordng Declaration of Independence and the Con-
stituon then no honest action in its behalf be wasted
effort