The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-08-21
PRESS PREXY
SENGSTACKE
LASHES plan
Conference To Weld Race
Unity Urged BY
Publishers
Defender Warrington Bureau,

stirred a veritable hornets
nest of nationwide protest
with his proposal to President
Roosevelt to prohibit Negro migra.
ton to the North. it was evident
this week.
With .rotests coming from every
quarter. Biddle beat a hasty re-
treat denying in letter TO the Ma
tional Urban League that he had
asked for ban on migration. How
ever. the newspaper PM ran ex-
cerpts from Biddle's letter to Roose-
welt which contradicted Biddle's
claim.
Heading the protesting groups
was the Negro Newspaper Publish
ers Association. President John II.
Sengstacke, general manager Of the
Chicago Defender. urged that "in.
stead of national unity being
strained further by such an unwisc
and impractical move. that the gov
eminent Immediately undertake 10
finance a sound program OF hous-
ing commensurate with the needs
now existing in large industrial
ccnters where Negro workers have
been called. like other Americans.
70 work in war plants"
Asks Farley
Sengstacke recommended that
the unfortunate wave OF rumors.
charges. and counter charges which
create tension be brought 10 an inn
mediate end. He suggested that
the Attorney General call a con-
ference OF those agencies o, the
federal government concerned and
involved in the problems creating
and resulting from war strain and
tension, as we'll as those organiza.
tons both white and Negro con-
cerned with Negro welfare. and the
governors. mayors, and law enforce
ment officials in critical areas
where racial tension is mounting
and racial disturbances may occur
Sengstackc said: I'VE must work
hastily on a coordinated basis 10
keep our war machine rolling
America is the only loser IN ra-
clsl strife"
Presidcn, Rooscvel: was urged
by the NAACP. to publicly re-
pud ate" the suggestion Of Biddlc
The telegram 70 the President
from the NAACP. characterized
the proposal as obviously Illegal.
unsound Ind destructive OF public
confidence" II declared: "lmpli-
cations that the solution 10 the
racial situation lies in imposing
special restrictions on Negroes
merely sggravates tensions"
Violates Law
Walter White, NAACP. secre-
tary, said Not even Rankint Rep,
John Rankin OF Mississippi has
made so disbolical proposal.
We are inexprcSsibly shocked
that the chief law enforcement Of
f!ccr Of the United States should
propose so patent violation OF tho
Constitutional guarantee that no
person shall be deprived OF
liberty . without due process 81
Law The movement Of The indi-
vidual within the confines OF his
own country is one Of the funda-
mental privileges and rights OF
The inequi.y and injustice Of
the proposal are appalling. Con-
ccding tho right o. whites 10 mi
crate freely. the Attorney General
would condemn Negroes TO stay
in the South. 10 work as now al
The lowest paying jobs because they
IRE denied in most instances skilled
md semi-skilled employment even
~ war industries. and TO put them
It'll further al the mercy Of plan
'a,ion owners and other explolters
81 Negro labor"
Asks Anti-Klan Action
Max Yergan. president OF tho
National Negro Congress. charged
hat Biddle's proposal would con-
inc Negroes 10 the miserable
arm conditions OF the South"
The recommendation implies
hat Negroes are responsible for
he riots that have broken out (
,vcr the country" he asserted
This is not true. In Detroit. IL
: clear that the Ku Klux Khan
md ft,h columnists and anti-war
orces we're largely responsible for
ne outbreak. Here the undcrly-
rg causes Of the disturbance
Which in no sense was racial
iot. were the Jim crow treatment
" Negro soldiers in the South. in
llfficient enforcement az price con-
gol. bad housing and juvenile de-
inouency.'
The American Civil Liberties
Union urged the Attorney General
o withdraw proposal in favor
" more constructive policies"
The union suggested vigorous
riminal action by the Department
u Justice against violators OF civil
lights. provisions FOR adequate
Iousing and removal Of discrimina-
ions to which the federal govern
ncnt is party"
No restrictions. the union said.
hould he placed upon the move
nent OF workers from one part
4 the country TO another based
lpon race" adding that it may be
rgued with equal force that the
nigation o. white workers from
he South 10 northern cities has
,nep nnuallv the cause Of race