The southern news., 1943-07-10
war DEPT. URGED TO ACT NOW
JEFFRIES WHITE PAEPR'
SCORED; NAACP PUSHES
FOR FEDERAL ACTION
AGAINST OUTBREAKS

DETROIT, Mich.-Coupled with
voicing condemnation of the De-
troit mayors white paper" alb
solving the police force, the NAA
CP this week renewed its efforts
to get federal action taken against
rioting.
In a memorandum to the White
House on June 29 concerning the
epidemic Of riots throughout the
nation the Association tersely out
lined the causes and reuslts of
these outbreaks and made 13 rec
concentrations for the alienation
OF racial strife in the II or more
fever spots in the United States
where rioting is likely to break
out at any moment.
The suggestions, which were
specific respect to the Detroit sit
uation, were also applicable to the
country at large, the NAACP said.
They included:
l. The urging by the NAACP
once again as it has repeatedly
urged for the past two years of a
f1reside chat to the people of the
country to refrain from rioting.
pointing out the global nature of
the problem of race and the utilt-
zation by our enemies of exports of
r1oting.
2. Retention of federal troops
in Detroit.
J. Investigation by federal
grand jury of the city police de-
partments.
4. and 5. Federal grand jury in
yestigations of the mayor of De-
troit and the Michigan state po-
lice.
8. An investigation of reports
that workers in certain Detroit
war plants several weeks ago be-
gan to make daggers and other
weapons out Of tool steel.
I. The introduction and passage
of legislation to make violence
against members of the armed
forces and violence to prevent mi
nority groups from performing war
work a federal offense.
8. 1t was asked too that NAVY
department orders regarding the
conduct of sailors at the Belle
Isle training station be enforced
and that an investigation of these
sailors participation in the riots
be made.
The release by the federal gov
ernment of building material for
the construction of houses for
workers in defense areas was also
urged.
Finally the NAACP charged that
the failure OF the war manpower
commission to prohibit recruit
ment of workers elsewhere before
all available local labor had been
utilized resulted in an enormous
and increasing strain on housing
facilities in Detroit and led to,
in part. the creation of conditions
eliminating in rioting.
The NAACP told the President
that it was gratified by the report
that the department of justice has
summoned all United States attor-
neys to meet in Philadelphia this
week TO discuss the obligation and
duty Of each of them to preserve
civil rights of American citizens.
The NAACP suggested that the
federal government through the
department of justice weed out
from federal, city and state police
forces all members of the Ku Klux
Klan, the Nazi bund and the Black
Legion or any other anti-minority
and anti-American organization.
Vigorous support of FEPC was
asked of the President and great
er use of the radio. press and NOV
ing pictures by the OWL in the
of information that
will create a better understanding
between whites and Negroes.
The NAACP expressed amaze
ment at the silence of the Presi-
dent who as far as printed stor-
les reveal did not mention the
riot during his press conference
this week. The most charitable
explanation of the Presidents be-
havior, the NAACP said, is that
he was waiting until he had got
ten his appropriation bill thru the
southern antt-new deal and re-
publican bloc in view of the
needs Of OWL. FSA. NYA and
other similar agencies.
Riot Pictures Answer Jefferies
The full answer to Mayor JEFF
ferries efforts to absolve com
pletel ythe Detroit police force in
a white paper" the NAACP de-
clared are to be found in the
more than 100 pictures it has on
file that were taken by newsmen
during the height of the riot.
Among these pictuers of white
manning helpless and hopelessly