The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-11-20
THE CRUZ OF OUR DILEMMA

At luncheon meeting last week called by the
Press committee of the Detroit Victory Council
which has been established to iron out our manpower
problems in Detroit, Charles Kettering, research d.
rector Of General Motors pointed out the necessity
for all groups in Detroit to seek some o m m n
ground and establish base from which all OF our
group problems could be thrashed out in democratic
manner without recourse to violence There should be
belt line, he suggested, and all groups should agree
that none of them would strike below the belt. He
opined that confusion and conflict were inevitable
in this period but since all groups have so much in
common in Detroit it should be possible to resolve
our differences by coming together and setting up
rules which would apply to all alike and place the
area of controversy on high ground.
Detroit has been declared critical area" by
Washington, and the government will hesitate to
give local industries additional war contracts as long
as our manpower problems and related problems
such as housing, transportation, etc., are IN bad
way This situation is serious and it affects all OF
us directly 1t goes without saying that the racial
tensions and sociological problems of Detroit have
influenced the government to declare Detroit "crl-
cal area" All groups in the city should be aware
of their responsibility in assuring the future OF De-
troit as great industrial city, capable of doing its
part as the arsenal of the Allies.
The Detroit Victory Council proposes to mobilize
all groups labor and industry, racial and national,
ito obtain community action and support for pro-
grams that will assist in overcoming Detroits man.
power problems" Our own group must play sig
nfcant part in this community effort if for no other
reason than to secure for the future the economic
opportunities which local industry has made avail
able. The special problems which confront us be-
cause of color prejudices still be thrashed out
Mr. lettering points out, on high ground and with
out recourse to tactics which eopardze the position
of Detroit as the key industrial center of the United
Nations.
No group in the city welcomes this new approach
to our common problems with more enthusiasm than
the Negro people. Our leaders and our press have
warned day in and day out that the profascist ten
dency to drive new wedges between our citizens
along racial and religious lines is bound to disrupt
war production and provoke hatreds that mitigate
against the common welfare. The upsurge of racism
which has expressed itself in ha estrikes such as
parayzed production at the Packard Motor Car
company and in countless instances Of intolerance
in the housing field must be halted in our city for
the common good.
In many respects the Detroit Victory Council
will become COMMUNICATIVE educational agency
which can bring into new focus the manifold prob
lens which are stranglng Detroit today. 1t should
stress the full utilization of local manpower and rally
public opinion behind its plans for better housing and
general community facilities If such program
is supported by all groups in our population we
sure that Detroit will be able to redeem itself in the
eyes Of Washington and the nation The day may
come also when Detroit can be called democratic as
well as dynamic