The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-04-24

upon the present struggle az Ne
Groes for Advancement Chronicle
readers are urged q comment on
this article by dr L.ndahl which is
printed below.
EXTENDED DEMOCRACY AT,
HOME.
By James Lindahl. Rec. Sec.
Packard Local 100, UAW-CIO
The elimination Of discrimination
against Negroes in industry il pri-
marily the Job Of the Labor Move
ment II is the task Of the white
workers above all
The inferior position az the Negro
A. industry is remnant OF the
open shop conditions we fought
when we were seeking TO establish
The CIO. back in 1869 The treat
meat melted out 20 this broad Sec
ton OF the workirT class is a rem
nant OF the ecoroT tcudalism that
characterized the auto industry as
O whole
The ClO. from the very date CT
iis inception, made equality OF OPP
por;unity ard the limitation Of ra-
Gal, religious and political discr MI
nation, one OF its basic aims. That
objective is as yet unrealized. So
long as any section Of the working
class is deprived q fun economic
freedom, no worker is secure.
In accomplishing the advance
ment of the Negro the Labor
movement Is realizing the full
ideals and program OF the CIO.
IL Is, in this period Of globaI war.
the achievement Of democracy at
home, the full application Of the
-Four Freedoms 70 = nerica.
responsibilities Of White
Leadership
The solution OF this problem Is
not the concern only OF the white
workers. but Of the Negro workers
as well. No one section can solve
n. but al progressive forces In
the Labor Movement working to-
gether can eliminate the evil OF dis
crimination once and for all
However. II is clear that the ini-
tiative must be taken by the white
workers, and particularly by their
duly elected leadership. In this re-
spect, the leadership OF the JAW
and the Clio has made a consider
able contribution.
White labor leaders must wage
uncompromising war against such
advocates Of white Superiority" as
expounded by the Ku Klux Khan
They must expose and eradicate
such fascist doctrines as so-called
scientific theories Of special racial
susceptibility TO venerial diseases.
These so-called Scientific facts"
have been exploded by every
reputable medical authority in the
country. Racial theories OF disease
belong only in Nezi Germany. The
facts are that social disease, like
every other form OF infection. is
impartial as 10 what race il afflicts.
Today. these false theories are be-
ing used to prevent the advance
ulCnL OF COlO4 CO WI ..
Essentially, the white workers
resistance 10 the Advancement OF
Negroes TO better jobs is reflec-
ton Of unihinking prejudice and
false education. Ia practice 1t
means q white monopoly Of skilled
Jobs and an immoblization OF vast
resources OF man-power that Is
needed in the war effort.
The average white worker is not
o creature of prejudice. He has a
fine sense OF decency and fair play.
Those shameful demonstrations OF
racial prejudice that We have re-
Gently witnessed merely indicate
that hate-peddlers have gotten TO
these workers and inflsmed them
over false issues. !. is the duty OF
responsible leadership 10 Offset
these influences by firm and
clear-cut position in Inc With CIO
policy Where this has been done
It has been effective.
Responsibility Of Negro Leadership
While the history Of the Negro in
America has brilliant pages on the
role that white men have played,
men like John Brown Lloyd Gar
rison and other Abol!tionists. there
are more numerous pages OF the
deeds Of Negro leaders. men Like
Frederick Douglass, Denmark Yes
sey. and women Like Sojourner
Truth and Harriet Tlbman.
Without such leadership, the
emancipation II the Negro would
not have been possible.
Today the task OF Negro leader
snip is difficult ard ex3c,ing
Il is clear tha; the vas; majority
OF Negro workers feel that they
have a stake in America. tAs: this is
THEIR war. Their sons by the
hundreds Of thousands have helped
write the heroic pages Of TINS war
on the bsitieGelSs OF North Ais!es7
New Guinea. and Bataan These Ne
gro workers arc cismor.hg for the
tight 20 contribute their skill and
,ntelligence in producing the i'm
plementS 90 Mar. Fortunately. they
ere immune 20 any divissive move
ments which would steer them away
from these goals
However. and we speak here only
as a white worker who desires 10
be Of assistance. II appears 70 Us
that there are unhealthy influences
at work. trying 10 divert the Ne
gro movement 10 keep Il from
realizing its goal. These are trends
which can only be defeated by he
JOINT EFFORT Of Negro and