The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-05-22
Housing

housed in local war projects put
the commission on the spot Al
though the commission agreed that
some sort OF housing should be
provided for all war workers" it
was the concensus, with the cxcep-
ton Of Rev. White. that they should
not be put in projects with white
people Commissioner Harriet D
Kelly said. the policy we adopted
definitely decided against mixed
occupancy"
What are we going TO tell our
Allies. the Mexicans and Chinese?"
Rev. White asked.
There was q long silence which
was broken when Rev White again
asked. What about the constitution
which guarantees all citizens the
right TO work and live where they
please? Surely we cannot expect
the Mexican people 10 come to our
cities to work and then tell them
there is no housing for them be.
cause they are not white"
1--WE have decided not to mix the
races and that decision should be
carried out" Commissioner Kelly
said.
Then I suppose we will have TO
build separate project for every
body that isn't member OF the
white race" Rev: White answered.
Here we are telling the people OF
the world about our grand and won-
derful constitution. while on the
other hand, we are sesresating and
discriminating against dark people,
many Of whom belong TO our Allied
nations. Maybe we should just call
our boys home from the war and
let some guy like Hitler take the
country over and run It."
Lets Not xld'-Thal Y
I'VE do q lot Of talking about the
constitution" Commissioner Ed
Thai said. But let's not kid our
selves. When this war Is over we
will 60 back 10 our old hatreds and
prejudices and the war emergency
won't change things now. Well
continue to evade the constitution
just as we are evading II now. The
constitution is a fine thing but it
isn't settling the problems we now
face"
II think we can work out a So
luton to this problem" Edgecomb
interposed. I'VE are investigating
the possibility Of building an inter-
racial project where we can give
mixed occupancy a trial"
There is only one solution to
this problem. and that Is the DEM
ocratic solution" Rev. White said.
III we intend 10 continue to evade
the constitution we have no busi-
ness on this commission. for we
don't believe in the things we talk
about"
Loaded With Dynamite"
This situation is loaded with
dynamite" Thai said. Il know we
have got to face il sooner or later.
but ! am not so sure that this is
the time TO try TO solve such a
dangerous problem. We must re-
member that human facts and hui
man elements that have to be dealt
with. The ideals some OF US hold
are good, but they just won't work
when ii comes to dealing with the
real facts Mixing the races now
just won't work"
Rev. White pointed out that no
attempt had been made 70 solve
the housing problem as such. He
said that the commission has been
primarily concerned with neigh
oorhood characteristics. He referred
10 the policy adopted by the COM
mission which definitely forbids
housing colored ard white in the
same projects or the same neigh
borhoods.
do you know" White asked.
that one of your most outstand-
ng physicians is japanese and
one Of the most prominent psychi.
artists is japanese? Both live in
decidedly white communities and
there have been no objections from
their white neighbors?"
Il think" Commissioner Kelly
said we had better table this mat
Ter until a later date. There is no
Use discussing il now"
Edgecomb Raps Nicholas
Turning 20 the stenographer.
Eogecomb sad, a don't want this
L. 60 into the record: just want
- tell these people how the CIO