The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-06-19
DETROIT MERRY-GO-ROUND
By TONY VANCE

GERS ana Negroes leu W VIC SiOsAhS
Of several establishments and great
er indignation OF Negro officers into
the neighborhood. Then We come
home TO the powder keg OF Ameri-
ca, Detroit, where all Of the anti
semitic, ant-Negro and anti
American forces have centered and
we find conflicts between youth
gangs. work StoppageS. and in the
Packard dispute a careleSsly di-
rected word or missile thrown
by either white or Negro would
have possibly subjected this town
to witnessing bloody massacre
in which death could only have
been the victor.
The possible answer 20 this prob
lem is education, recreational facil-
tiles and propaganda directed by
newspapers on the theme OF racial
harmony. The daily press through
front page editorials, could serve
TO educate one faction and the Ne
gro press the other. A greater out
lay OF community centers in the
cities would lower the total OF
roaming boys in the street looking
for something to do. And finally,
the draft boards on turning some
down for minor physical defects,
could send them to farms which
not only would relieve a work
shortage but rehabilitate the boys
both mentally and physically. The
immediate demand Of the Common
Council to appropriate money 70
increase the recreational facilities
throughout the city. especially in
the congested areas. should be the
plan Of the citizens OF Detroit A
supplementary budget 10 the Lam
ham Act for Child Care should also
be granted. Detroit is no longer
a small town. II has become OF age
and il would be we'll IL our city
fathers recognized this fact
X X X
NEWBOLD MORRIS. president
Of the New York City Council
cast the lone dissenting vote az a
meeting OF the Board OF Estimate
10 decide whether or not the city
OF New York would allow the Met
ropolitan Life Insurance company
10 build a segregated project Mr.
| Morris stated in substance ''The
question Of race was raised by the
company and its president, Mr.
Ecker (who was present at the
meeting) could extract that ele-
ment IL he desired. The desir-
ability OF a tenant does not hinge
on racial origin. That IL was for
the taxpayers TO reap the benefit
OF any acts Of the elected officials
and that Negroes were taxpayers
The principle Of democracy for
which men Of all races have died
in every war we have fought is
challenged here today in the city
that is held before the world al
large as being the most democratic
We cannot honestly uphold the
] principle on some occasions and
discard IL for matters Of conven.
= fence on others, and because I care
more for the principle than I dc
To- the fifty-five million dollar
project. cast my three votes in
he negative"
1t would be interesting to have
ord Mayor Jefferies' reaction &c
stand OF this kind Mr., Morris
when questioned by reporters a,
% his stand. stated. 81 am not q
flag waver. only hope in my
IL, 10 be a good American and
uphold the doctrines for which
'ome others pretend"
X * X
MONDAY, JUNE Z in New York
saw the biggest Negro mass meet.
ng ever held. Twenty-Five thou.
sand gathered inside Madison
Square Garden and ten thousand
stood outside in drilling rain
listening TO the words OF courage
10 NNROhlAhCO W VI III
groups, both labor and the church
in the fight for freedom. Comine
on the heels OF the NAACP meet.
ing il is noteworthy. The battle
cry OF the nation among both lib.
eral whites and Negroes is not dem.
ocracy alone but freedom, crys.
;allized in the words OF Max Yer.
gan when he said TO the thousand.
Of listeners. This world today like
the United States Of America dur.
ing the Civil War, cannot Ions
exist half free and half slave. W,
demand for the peoples OF tn,
world the right to be free"
A PROPOSED COUNCIL, 70,
justice or organization similar il
name 10 be formed from the officer
and board OF directors OF all mill
tant labor, civic. social and church
organizations throughout the coun
TRY fell on fertile ground here las