Evening star., 1943-06-30
Conference Launches
Move for Southern
Racial Collaboration
Committee of White
And Colored Leaders
To Work Out Program
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. June 3O.-A Collab-
grafton Committee of 80 white and
SO colored leaders from Southern
States meeting here for a searching
analysis Of the principal issues in
volved in race relations, has agreed
that some affirmative action is
needed and has named a Continuing
Committee to work out methods
and practical means of approach.
The Continuing Committee, COM
posed of II to IA members from
each race, will meet at Atlanta
August and S, and in turn will
name subcommittee to consider
the various phases of such broad
problems as political and civil
rights, industry and labor, service
occupations. education, agriculture,
military service, social welfare and
health.
We urge especially that efforts
be begun to prepare the postwar
world for a wise and successful re-
ception of our returning soldiers and
to prepare both our soldiers and the
people for attitudes and procedures
adequate to carry the great load of
postwar needs" the Collaboration
Committee said in a statement,
unanimously approved, which was
made public today.
Sees Readjustment Problem.
I'm all of these, we urge the pub
lie to new sense of the meaning of
these needs as they accord with our
professed principles of Christianity
and democracy" it said
The statement referred to the
problem of readjustments to meet
the demands of present and post
war conditions with reference to the
Negro and future development of
the South, as the great crisis, eX-
elusive of the war, faced by the
South and the Nation.
The war has sharpened the issue
of Negro white relations in the
United States and particularly in
the South" it added. "A result has
been increased racial tensions. fear
and aggressions, and an opening up
of the basic relations of racial
segregation and discrimination,
Negro minority rights and demo-
cratic freedom.
These are acute and threaten to
become even more serious as they
increasingly block common
sense consideration for even ele-
mentary improvements in Negro
status and the welfare of the country
as a whole.
Challenge to Leadership.
This is rare challenge to the
leadership of the South. "''
las evidence of the promise of
this leadership, two recent Southern
conferences on race relations, one
at Durham, N. c., under the aus
pices of Negro leadership, and one
in Atlanta under the auspices of
white leadership. have blazed new
trails. AS follow-up = we urge
the general adaptation of the Dur
ham statement entitled "A Basis for
Interracial Cooperation and Devel-
opment in the South" which has
had extraordinary Nation wide in
dorsement."
The Durham conference put up
to Southern white leadership the
question of cooperation on improve
ments in the Negro's status, and the
Atlanta conference expressed a de-
sire to work with the Negro leader
ship. The meeting here was pre-
sided over by P. B. Young, editor
and publisher of the Norfolk Journal
and Guide, Negro weekly.
The statement made public today
was drawn up by Resolutions Com
mittee headed by DR.. Howard w.
Odum, head of the institute for
research in the social sciences at
the University Of North Carolina.