The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1943-09-04
By PEARL S. BUCK

lollu, Let no one lmdRlnt, hie
said clearly. that Il can make
any possible difference to us
whether IL IS the japanese or the
British who rule India"
Freedom supreme
An Englishman. a man Of good
viii and integrity, hearing this
was amazed Cautiously irreye-
lent he exclaimed. IN telling OF
The incident. migrating discord
with the prevailing mood,
He did not see the larger war
and he could not understand the
vastncss Of the dim shape loom
ing. No not irrevelant. and not in
discord with that. There comes a
moment to human beings, after
long endurance. when nothing is
worth having II II is not freedom
and nothing is more hateful than
the lack OF g. Then all the prac-
tical benefits Of benevolent rule
seem no better than the evils OF
tyranny because there IS not free
dom Can we who are white ana
free ever understand This?
II Was an Enelishman, Henry
" Neyinson. who said. you know
what freedom is when you have
not got IT,"
The Governor OF Alabama, pro-
testing against federal contract
which calls for no discrimination
in labor on the grounds on color
or erred. says The State OF Ala
hama is not willing 10 enter into
any contract in which this clause
appears l regard II as extreme
" unfortunate this issue should
be forced upon the southern peo-
PIE in time when the very life
CT the nation is at stake There
should be no attack on the long
established institutions Of any
section when our sons arc en-
gagged in a life and death strug-
Gle with the enemies % the dem
oeratic way OF life The Demo-
cratic party in Alabama has as
It's motto, white Supremacy
But the peoples who are waging
the large war cry out in answer.
How can democracy and white
supremacy be spoken OF in the
same breath For what do your
sons die when they die for de-
mocracy for ALP"
Who Decides worth
The Secretary Of state. cordeIl
liull, In his address 10 the Amer
lean people Of July. %. 1919 sais
'li has been our purpose in the
rast--and Will remain our pur-
pose in the future-to use the
itil measure q our influence 10
support attainment Of freedom hv
al peoples who. BY their acts
show themselves worthy OF It and
are ready for 81
And the peoples who are M,
free cry Who made YOU Who
are white the judges to decide
VINO are worthy Of freedom. who
IRE ready for freedom Is ffee-
dom something to be attained or
IS II mans natural right? Have
you not said yourselves that man
Is born free"
In spite OF any efforts 10 limit
~ the war is becoming a war for
human freedom everywhere. and
that is the greatest war that can
be waged by humankind. The IS
sue with Japan may be lost in II
End so may the issue with Ger
many Our limited war aims Of
maintaining our standards Of llv-
ing. OF preserving our sectional
prejudices. OF keeping the seas
open. II maintaining our centers
Of power in the Orient. OF getting
back to the status quo"-how-
ever We cling 70 these hopes OF a
limited war they are being swept
from us Peoples are taking this
war out Of the hands Of govern
mcnts and miliiarists They are
sweeping away the men OF small
minds
RIsking War
What then shall we do? We
may, il We like do nothing. ex-
ccpt TO deny The truth. 1t is al
ways possible 10 deny The in
tangible. to refuse IT'S Inevitable
ity, to cling 10 the limits OF what
is plain 20 he limited vision. In
that case the vast dim shape be-
yond the spotlight will loom larg-
er and blacker For when We in
America will admit no change In
our way OF thinking ana IN our
way Of life. it means among 9th
or things tina; white Americans
in the South will go on insist
ing on no change in the status
OF the colored Americans. n we
are pressed too hard by the yeast
OF freedom, we can put It down
by force. And England can go on
insisting that India Is not 10 have