The Omaha guide., 1943-08-07
Randolph makes
Statement On
Disorders
In Harlem
5 NEGROES DEAD; SAB IN
JURED; 500 ARRESTED;
ESTIMATE PROPERTY
DAMAGE AT 5 MILLION

/ view the outburst Of violence
in Harlem Sunday night with great
sorrow and distress. As a resident
Of this community for some 80
years and the head Of two import
ant movements, n a trade union,
the Brotherhood Of Sleeping Car
Porters. affiliated with the AL,
and the other a civic organization,
the March On Washington Move
ment: 1 am graveIy concerned a.
bout the people in the Harlem
Community demonstrating their
capacity ia cooperation with Mayor
LaGuardia's law enforcement ag-
encies in maintaining law and or
der. No minority group can sur
vive and go progressively forward
where there is no law and order.
Violence and bIoodshed is not the
road to racial peace and cooper
alton and community racial adv
ancement Violence begets viol--
ence. bloodshed begets bloodshed
and always the minority groups
are the chief victims.
Negroes must stand up and fight
for their constitutional and econ
omic rights with the ballot, con
s~tructive agitation. education thru
moral, religious. labor organiza-
tions and all means lawful and or
DERBY, Of social protest I know I
can speak for SO percent ii the
great mass Of Negroes Of Harlem
that we are definitely and unquaIi-
fcsdly opposed q all forms of hood
lumism. the destruction of prop
erty. the attack upon shopkeepers
and any disregard for law enforce
ments.
Now, as the representative Of
the aforementioned organizations.
I wan to urge upon the Mayor the
immediate appointment Of a Com
mission on Race TO study the caus.
IS Of this social and racial explos-
ion in the Harlem community and
the basic causes Of racial riots that
are sweeping the country and
threatening various Communities.
We need q thorough and uncom-
promising investigation Of the ques
ton Of housing, recerationaI facil-
tiles. educational opportunities.
employment problems. and the
whole question Of the participation
or lack Of participation on the part
CT the Negro in our economic, pol
itieaI and social life as equals with
other citizens.
Although this is a period of rae
ial tension, it is wei for US frankly
and fearlessly TO face the fact that
this outbreak Of disorder il Har.
lem is merely a symptom Of a deep
cronic disease Of racial segregat-
ion, discrimination and injustices
TO the Negro people. The remedy
for this problem is not looting stor-
es and abusing and attacking white
Citizens or condemning Negroes as
vicious and reckless vandaIs. but
il lies in sound and constructivs
racial cooperation.
1t IS unfortunate that the police
man shot a Negro soldier which
served as a fuse to light an already
existing racial magazine VIII n WIS
ready for explosion If it had nat
been the shooting Of the Negro sol
der, it might have been something
else. The important thing is that
the racial magazine OF economic
and social dynamite j. here ana il
Is a result of a long series Of soc
ial, economic and political injusr-
ices heaped upon the Negro peo-
b pie All Negroes Of Harlem are
grateful for the prompt action of
the Mayor in modifying the police
Of the city to handle this serious
situation and We Commend the DO
lice for their obvious restraint and
sense and fine Cooperation in help-
ing to keep the peace.
Guhc0pih0 Todov-T