Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1943-08-07
Religious And
Civic Leaders
Sign Document
Chief Executive :
Is Urged To Speak
Out On Question

Jew YORK CITY-(S N 81
Eight hundred labor, religious, and
civic leaders, from 43 states, join
ed Friday in sending an open letter
to President Roosevelt, expressing
appreciation of his position against
discrimination and attacks upon
Negroes and other racial minOrities,
and urging him to further action
to prevent outbreaks of anti-racial
violence.
This was announced Saturday by
Congressman Vito MarcantOnio,
president of the International Labor
Defense, which circulated the let
ter.
The signers included internation-
al presidents Of Is labor unions.
and leaders in the fields of religion,
education, social service, and the
arts. OF the signers 2O3 were in
the religious field, 265 labor, 81
educators. &c artists, writer's, edi-
tors, SO social workers, and scores
of national figures in various fields.
MANY SIGN
Prominent signers includ d
Charles Chaplin, Grace Moore,
Jean Muir, William Rose Benet
Dudley Nichols, film writer and
director; Frank futile, movie direc-
tor; George S. Schuyler, associate
editor of the Pittsburgh Courier:
Frank Marshall Davis, executive
editor of the Associated Negro
Press; Emil Lengyel Emil Ludwig,
Donald Ogden Stewart;
Representative Adolph j. SABBATH
of Chicago, chairman of the House
Rules Committee; New York As
semblymen Daniel G. Burrows and
Hullan Jack; William Jay Schieffe-
lin Of New York; Judge James S.
Watson of New York; Dr. Max Yer
gan, president of the National Ne
, gros Congress-; James Kelly, grand
secretary, Negro Elks, Birmingham.
Alabama; jeanette Testu; state
representative and Washington
State member of the Democratic
National Committee.
In transmitting the signatures to
President Roosevelt, Congressman
Marcantonio acknowledged letter
to him in which the President said:
81 share your feeling that recent
outbreaks of violence in widely
scattered parts of the country en-
danger our national unity and
comfort our enemies. am sure
that every American regrets it.
81 have asked the heads of
Isseveral agencies, including the At
torney General, to give special at
tention to the problem"
PLEDGES SUPPORT
Congressman Marcantonio, in
connection with the 800 signatures
said:
II give you assurance of my
personal support, and of the sup
port of the International Labor
Defense and of the signers of this
letter, who represent millions of
Americans, to your leadership and
policies and to the various agencies
of our government to strengthen
the forces throughout the country
| which are combating, in their COM
munities. the Axis evil of attacks
upon racial and other minorities."
The original letter, which the 800
signed. reviewed the recent out
breaks of violence against Negroes
and other minorities in the country,
expressed appreciation of the Presi-
dents opposition to these practices,
and concluded:
1.-THE time has come, Mr.. Presi-
dent, when you and only you can
strike a blow against those Nazi
influenced forces within our bord-
ers who strike at the very heart of
our democracy at time when it
fights for it's very existence. Only
your voice, Mr.. President, as the
Nations Communicating Chief has
the authority necessary to rally
every decent force in American life
against these influences that seek
to undermine our national unity.
ut is with high seriousness of
purpose that we urge you to. GO
before the people of America and
the people of the world and speak
out against those forces attempt
ing to tear the fabric of national
unity. We urge you to mage a.
historic fireside chat dealing speci-
fically with the events mentioned in
this letter.