The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-11-27
THE FACTS
N OUR NEWS

~ - -
) 0y HORACE A. WHITE
Editors Note: The views Of Mr..
White DO not necessarily reflect the
views OF The Michigan Chronicle.
CLIO AND POLITICS This u
another one Of those controversial
subjects. More controversial than
the N.AA.C.P. and politics. because
on the Clio and politics one will
get more meaninsful disagreement.
II il more difficult to get the Of.
Hcials Of the N.A.A.C.P. to meet O
situation with facts and some OBJ
jectivity. The reason for this is OBJ
vious. We are still "babes" when Il
comes to hard.boiled strategy. When
facts hit US too hard we start So
Geological thumb sucking a. q
defense. We will get past this In
time.
The CLIO has announced . definite
program Of political action. No one
who II aware Of the present politi-
cal situation In the United States
can disagree with the political in
terest Of organized labor. Labor has
to be concerned with politics II II
Is TO survive and grow. The ques-
ton Is how shall labor make itself
felt in politics.
All Of the thinking that I have
seen done about labor and politics
has been done on the European pat
tern OF political action. America is
different from Europe In this re-
gard-radically different. European
workers have a long history of
labor mindedness. Most European
workers have accepted for them
selves and their children the status
Of workers. A workers family II
. workers family forever in
Europe. Old cultures settle and
crystsllse. Labor leaders in Europe
work with . crystslised mass Of
people. Therefore, when . Euro
pesn labor leader speaks Of the
workers In European countries, he
10 talking about the jobs they per.
form and the psychology that gives
the performance Of the Jobs UNI
f0rmity Of expression.
None Of this 10 true Of American
labor. The American worker II not
worker conscious. He looks upon
his job, a. . worker. ~ something
temporary even though he may
work ut Il the rest Of bis life. The
newness Of our culture and modes
OF living make rs more hopeful and
dynamic. II you are . careful lis
tener talk to ten white factory
workers and ten Negro factory
workers and you will see pretty
clearly that oil Of them are hopeful
about getting out Of the category Of
lust workers. They will tell you
about the little business they want
to own. They will tell you with
a great deal Of eagerness about
the ambitions they have for their
children. The ambition never Is to
die with 4 steady job in the factory
and, which IL more important, the
fathers ambition for his son Is never
that the son should Just And q place
In the factory on . steady Job. Yeu
and I may know that that n their
lot, but you and may see that their
thinking Is not set that way. This
makes the difference between
settled culture and dynamic cui-
ture.
In our dynamic culture workers
do not dress like factory workers
when they go to church. clubs.
dances and parties. American work.
ers, when they 60 oyt dress like
professional men, business and high
paid executives, Psychologically,
American workers are so1ething
different than workerzxbey are
American Methodists, OEpiscoos-
iians, Congregationalists. Catholics
and Spiritualists. All Of the facets OF
social and economic life In Ameri-
CO play upon the American worker
to keep him from crystallizing into
dead pan workers"
The above is not meant TO say
Nthat American workers do not give
devotion to their labor organization.
They do, but as labor organizations
only. The work that man performs
in America does not extend to his
lodge, club and politics. Organized
labor will make the blunder OF its
life II at THIS TINE it tries to
chuck" all devoted union members
into a political labor bag. The an
thropolosical and psychological ma
trio Of American culture il antag.
onistic (againsO TO cstegories. 1t Is
a deep subconscious antagonism.
This antagonism has to be reckoned
with II labor Is not going to break
It's political neck in the very near
future.
Labor has not the time nor money
70 attempt, ut this time. . control
Of political forces In America. Any
effort 70 do % will b half born
ana therefore will die In the pro-
cess Of birth. Organized labor Will
get further and Its gains Will be
more lasting II Il seeks 70 acquire
better skills and .echniques In In
fluencing political action In America
in terms Of the American psychoIe-
Eical pattern and seek 70 change
the psychological pattern II need be:
rather than -isk confusion and
pickering among the tanks Of labor
by an emotional response 70 polia-
cal power By It, sincere leaders.
A good politician under any demo-
cratic system his 70 balance pres
sures II will Se q sad day for or.
ganized labor n America when II
has to give away TO pressure bal
ancing. II labor II 70 be hesrc win
favorable response Il must keep In