The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-09-25
OFFICER SAYS
KEEP negro
IN HIS PEACE
Friends OF Negro In Navy
Department Branded
AS Outcasts

WASHINGTON. - tANP)-WhIie
fa5ac attention has been focused
on pr y7'c industry as the chief
'aendet against Negroes in the mat
.er Of employment. the government.
Itself, particularly the navy depart
meut, has been getting away with
murder in tho matter OF Negroes
working n tia: democratic" de-
par,mcD..
Always sore spo, and always
aloof and holding i;Se.t apart from
public criticism. the navy got its
first boost toward j.m-crowism I'M
DER Woodrow Wilson when Frank
In Delano Roosevelt was assistant
secretary % josephus Daniels, the
North Carolina politician who held
down the secre:agyship. The mus
ter roll division was then set I'd
under John R.shcr. This was an all
Negro unit. with colored men and
women employed as clerks. II still
exists and IS Stiu an all-Ncgro seq
resa;ed unit, according TO workers
reports.
Maximum S1.440 Salary
Over Is 900 whites are EMPLOYED.
Expanding 10 include 10 or IL
TEN porary buildings. many Negroes
have been employed, but few COM
posed 10 the white mostly as mes
SenserS. clerk-typists with a salary
OF 81 40 as the maximum for most
Negroes There are few who reach
the pay bracket OF $1,000. One
woman in division who has been
there since World War I now re-
ce.ves $3.50 per year.
In the Cafeteria, whites do not
permit Negroes to 81; beside them,
nor az the same tables. declare
girls who have worked in the de-
partment FOR almost two years.
Another statement by these girls
IS tina: Negro steno aphers do not
take dictation from white officers.
They work chiefly in pools and do
routine work. with the brass hats
from Dixie. who appear TO be in
he majority. bringing their tradi-
tons into the department with
them.
Keep Negroes In Place"
One officer, whose brother laugh
az noted Negro university in Penn
sylvanla, boosted that he knew Ne
sroes and they should be kept 1
their place" These complaints hav
| frequently been brought to high
r but no one can tell the navy d
partment where to head In.
, It was suggested nearly ~
years ago that the navy. in its e:
/, pansion program. employ a Neg
in the public relations division ar
set up a better relationship wit
the Negro press. The navy scorne
this idea and put IL matters relat
Ing 10 Negroes in the hands OF
white man. who later was trans
ferred out Of the Office to sea duty
Rumors had it he was too friendl.
20 the Negro problem.
Race Friends Branded
Only after near revolution il
the department did Negro enlisted
personnel get consideration. with
such persons as Comdr. Armstrong
and Assistant Secretary Ralph Bare
leading the fight. Any person whc
showed any signs OF friendship &c
the Negro cause was Immediately
branded by his associates and al
most became an outcast
This. however. was in the en-
listed division. The civilian per,
sonnet division is even worse anC
IN the quarter OF century since
World War I. the conditions have
grown worse until now when Frank
lin Denalo Roosevelt is President
and breaches about freedoms. the
navy department is the worst gov
'er n ment department employin Z
large numbers OF civilian personnel,
and IS ready for thorough house
cleaning in the matter OF d!scrimin-
atoms against Negroes.