St. Paul recorder., 1943-04-16
Encouraging News from the South

ENCOURAGING News from the South
The most encouraging South in
ea decades from white leaders appeared Press
Monday.
by white religious educational labor and
business leaders from eleven southern states meeting Atlanta
indicated that important portion of the white South admits
that the Negro being treated fairly and that they plan with the
cooperation Of the Durham conference outher Negro eaders TO
do something about il"
Expressive spirit portions the
Atlanta meetings. statement of policy which included such fortnight
declarations either deny ignore the increased
would gesture of nce
AS evidence Of its intention the Atlanta group offered OF
ou desire cooperate in sound program aimed at the improve
of relations"
full meaning such declarations coming from southern whites
be ascened when the specific Of the southern Negro
leaders understood The conference of outstanding Negroes with
which the southern whites offering cooperate met in October 1872
and Of hat the Negro wants and expecting of
the postwar South and nation"
Surprising suspicious Northern contemporaries Durham
asked for slightly polite but the less firm
the things the Negro which the Northern Negro leaders and
demanding increasing years.
things quote u political civil rights for the Negro,
equal rights in labor industry education agriculture military service,
social welfare and health and in the service occupations
domes including social benefits occupations
The conclusions of Atlanta conference Of whites calling the Negro
$50 frank and free Of suggestion Of threat
that gladly to cooperate" unprecedented and
pected, however welcome.
only agree cooperate
certain statements in its of policy which revealing
Of the trend in constructive southern thought Parts which
worth quoting here included such statements as:
"These Negro leaders rghtfuy placed emphasis in their
ment discrimination in the administration of laws purely
racial grounds We sensitive this charge and admit that it
laws recognized that Negroes little making
enforcement Of the laws under which they must live This
is violation of the spirit of democracy
No Southerner logically that the Negro
as an American citizen is entitled to his civil rights and
nomic opportunities"
for correcting the discrimination be-
tween the the ALLEGATION of school funds in the
and quality of schools and the salaries teachers
distribution of public utilities public benefits as sewers
water housing, and sidewalk paving fairgrounds public
health and hospital facilities"
The conference also recognized practical
by officers and the
en of Negro prisoners and the abrogaon of
held that "false arrests brutal beatings evils
must be stopped"
questions conference ndorsed "the right to
receive equal for equal work. and called erand
weempOyed and Negro population"
"the economic future of the South s hopeless"
In the field of agriculture the Negroes should
be provided a the facilities for improving agricultural practices
through schools county agents. and supervision"
air longer tenures of leases
opportunities for farm ownership"
Those of who live in the North with the Atlanta
conference its attitude that the
Close scrutiny the Negro show that they
set forth what the Negro wanted both and nation"
However, the South is anxious problem without
outside pressure it will certainly be alright with of
providing really intends to do something progressive the
entire country of the worldwide which its archaic
ding of the problems has United States
Those Northern whites Negroes recognize as do the honest
Souherners of both that there oude
there would have been emancipation; been
pressure the form Northern dollars Negro
the South would have Even today there was not
"outside section of the commonwealth
which has been pracng the oppression
countries there would be no need for either tho
Durham or Atlanta conferences.
The people Of the North graed white leaders
nave ase and unlike the reaconay demagogc politicians from
that area who have claimed that conditions right South
are that not right and have the
80 and attempt to do something about them.
We pray that the be successful
Tor the good OF our common country.
Has the National blood bank heard about the
California scientists Of TRANSMISSION Of hOrsebOOd into human