The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-05-30
THE REASONING OF
MIR. REED,

inventor, who can be heard almost
any day around the noon hour Of
iering his idea of a solution TO the
so-called Race problem to small.
but loyal group of listeners who en-
joy Reeds discussions equally as
well as the food in the restaurant
where they hold these daily get
togethers.
Reeds inventive genius is not
solely responsible for his ability to
draw an audience. for aside from
explaining the possibilities of few
gadgets OF his own creation, none
OF which so far have become IA
nous for their financial returns, he
never fails to sail into Negro lead
ership in general, and ministers in
particular, and his verbal lam
hastings OF the leaders is something
to hear. even il you don't agree
with him.
Reed claims, and rightly so. that
the reason there are no Negro in
dustries 10 speak OF is because our
church leaders have been spending
most OF their time telling people
how to die, and getting well paid
for the advice. instead OF concen-
trating on those things that would
make living such an interesting ex-
perience that nobody would give
hang about whether they went
up or down when the time comes
for them to lay down their heavy
load on this earth. Reed reasons
that preachers have held the Ne
gro race back for all these years
and all the Negro has to show for
his religious loyalty to the brothers
of the CLOTH is millions of dollars
in church" debts, few wealthy
preachers and hundreds of poor
congregations who give all they
have that the preacher might live
like king and keep the church
in debt so the congregation will
always have something to pay for.
Preachers have never been respon-
Sible for even a move TO create, or
back, any industry that would
mean the possibility OF mass en-
ployment for the Negro people
without fear OF discrimination and
jim crow. and they are still holding
the Negro back"
This always goes over big with
Reeds listeners, but his card in
the hole, the one that has made
him so popular. is his assertion that
he has several inventions, has had
offers from big manufacturers for
the marketing OF same but is hold
ing out because he wants the Negro
to profit from his genius, and, by
cracky. he's going 70 keep them
until the Negro people have pooled
enough money for their develop
ment and the removal OF whatever
obstacles stand in the way Of get
ting them on the market.
Once in while someone will
oppose Reeds arguments. but the
is usually weak because
there is too much truth in what the
inventor says. What l know about
the inventing business could be
written in longhand across Gig
arctic paper and still leave room
enough for the Russian ambassa-
doris signature, but l think Reed
has worked up good case against
the majority OF our ministers, al
though | am Of the opinion that he
has done so because Of personal
reasons. Unless a lot OF experts
are screwy, Reed really has some
thing on the ball so far as his in
ventions go, which hasn't been very
far to date because Reed lacks
financial backing. For this backing
he has attempted TO enlist the aid
OF the Negro people, at first through
the leadership of the ministers and
other so-cslled leaders, but he
didn't even get to first base, and
it is his opinion that failure to do
so can be laid directly at the door
OF the leaders who were afraid
that il their followers put too much
into his inventions the pickings Of
said leaders would be reduced to
their least common denominators,
which may have left them walking
and living in less pretentious
homes.
BY now Reed Just "sin't got no
STUFF for preachers and the ma
jority OF other leaders. but brother,
he surely has the preachers flocks
in his corner, for they continue to
come out, hear him reduce the
broadcloth 10 a piece OF flimsy
cheesecloth. get worsed-up over
one invention after another, and
contribute their money in the hope
that some day one OF Reeds CAD
gets will bring returns. either for
them or their progeny. | might
say here that accusations that Reed
is dishonest would be hard to prove
because, so far as l can see, Reed
does not promise any immediate
returns for money invested in the
development of his inventions, but
will tell you in a minute you
might realize some return for your
investment in a few months or, on
the other hand, it may be twenty
years. His belief that Negroes can
put these things over has become
an obsession with him and either
he has educated his followers to the
possibilities OF what he has to offer.
or is such a good talker they will
listen TO his story and contribute
TO the worthy cause even though
they don't understand what it is all
about.
1t is my belief that Reeds attack
on the ministry is not wholly un-
justified but when he lashes out
at the NAAC.P., we'll, am on
the defensive. although 1 probably
shouldn't be because it may be that
after all these years he still doesn't
understand the functions Of the or