The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-02
Navy Failing
.ToApproach
Negro Quota

WASHINGTON CAMP - Unless
the navy department makes a sub
stantial increase in its call for Ne
groes. it will not reach the level
promised during conversations with
War Manpower commission officials
last spring. in line with the policy
worked out with the approval OF
the White House whereby Negroes
would account for 10 per cent OF all
branches OF the armed forces.
The upward adjustment in total
personnel announced two weeks
ago by Rear Adm. Randall Jacobs.
chief Of navy personnel. testifyins
before the Senate Military commit
tee, makes even more unlikely the
attainment OF the goal.
From an unquestioned source 1t
was learned recently that the navy
had requested an additional year
in which to achieve what ii had
promised to do by the end OF l943
in the matter Of Negro inductions
Questioned shortly after during his
press conference. Sec. Knox de-
clared that the navy is adhering 10
the program agreed to-. and that i,
has been taking all eligible men
selective service had been sending
them. He pointed out however.
that reflections were rather high
owing to the higher physical re-
quirements for the navy.
Should Have e60.95S
There are now about 2.609 58i
men in the navy. Adm. Jacobs tcs-
tilted that in an adjustment OF fig
ures. the department has estimated
that it will need about 100000 BY
the year end. thus giving them
total personnel OF approximately
zoos. 58l men.
Based upon the 10 per cent agree
ment. the navy should have now
about c60.95s Negroes The addi-
tional requirements to which Adm,
Jacobs referred would mean that
some 10000 more Negroes would
be required giving the department
a total Negro personnel OF roughly
3009lS men.
There arc today about $4,000 Ne
groes in the navy department
which includes the coast guard and
the marines This represents a diff
ference OF about lS0.958 men which
i should have had il observed the
10 per cent formula from the out
set 1t was 10 make up this differ.
ence that the navy announced fol-
lowing the agreement with VINO
that Is per cent Of Its calls would
be for Negroes. With the changes
in personnel estimates advanced by
the admiral. this deficiency could
amount to 22o958 men unless there
is a pickup in induc,ions.
Less Than 10 Per Cent Called
In spite Of Sec. Knox's denial.
this accelerstion is not taking place
in any appreciable degree. Since
April. the nsvy's calls for Negroes
have been greater than 10 per cent.
but not nearly approaching Is per
cent il promised 10 make. Induc-
ton figures. which are invariably
less than those for calls. for the
first three months OF the year were
below 10 per cent. and for the mex;
six months, slightly above.
Calls for the Coast Guard and
the Marines have been much higher
than FOR the navy itself. but the
actual numbers Of men involved are
small. and therefore would make no
noticeable dent in the overall fig
ures
II becomes increasingly apparent
therefore that il the navy intends
10 accept Negroes 10 the extent OF
10 per cent OF total personnel. the
percentage OF calls agreed 10 will
have 10 be made. and il the rate Of
reflections cut too heavily into the
proportion available for induction.
then the percentage OF calls will
have 10 be increased above the Is
per cent level