The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-09-25
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1913
THE FACTS
I'm OUR NE VS.
Bv HORACE A. WHITE

The gains nave Deeh mucn "vfo
tremendous than one would super
ficiaiIy notice. II, one takes the
time TO examine the facts he will
find very substantial yains In the
following fields: Negroes have
gained tremendously In the steel
industry. the gains have been on
all fronts In this industry; Negroes
have certainly moved up long
way In the automobile industry.
Negroes are working at almost
every kind OF job done In plants
that were formerly manufacturing
automobiles, and will return TO the
manufacture Of automobiles after
the war; the aircraft industry,
which has been q closed door TO
Negroes before the war. Is now
opening to thou'ands OF Negroes
all over the country.
The Negro is making tremendous
gains in the white collar field.
Up until this war the white collar
field was almost entirely without
noticeable Negro personnel. To-
day we find Negroes in the white
collar field all over the country.
doing all kinds OF Jobs. The army
has shown its ability 10 include
the Negro in something more than
Just Labor battalons. Albeit. this
has come after much pressure and
agitation on the part OF those peo-
pie who believe in democracy. This
agitation has borne fruit.
Agriculture is another field in
which the Negro has made gains
The Negro has learned more abou
marketing and planning his CROP
during this war period than ne
learned in the last twenty-five
years before the war.
The problem OF how TO keep
these gains and increase them, Is
one that will take our best minds
After the war there VIII be an
effort on the part OF industry all e.
over the country, 10 push the Ne
gro out Of the picture. II our so-
cial agencies, and national leaders
can map program that can b
used on the local level by local
leadership 10 secure some OF these
cams then il can be said that this
war has produced some new gains
for the Negro population OF Amer
Ca.
ewxsA
things to keep In mind in the plan
ming for the crisis when peace In
declared. First. we must know that
any planning I'm the industrial field
TO keep the Negro worker on the
upward march. must be done In
conjunction with labor. both ALL
and Go. On this point Negro
leadership cannot be half hearted.
It must sense ~ IL has never senses
before, that labor b golng - de-
termine the employment pslicies
applied 10 itself. with IN increas-
ing degree Of influence. Therefore
any plan 70 promulgate the idea
OF Negro advancement after the
war. will have TO entail the factor
that the working whites must be
educated to understand the fact
that their security rests with the
Negroes security also. The top
leadership in labor. recognizes this
fact, but to date they have not been
able to evolve . program sufficient
lv meaningful. to influence the
: thinking and feeling Of the masses
Of workers In this direction. Negro
leadership must take some Of this
responsibility. always Of course In
conjunction with labor.
Second. Negroes must organize
;heir economy. along lines laid
down by the cooperative movement.
Housing. for example. could be fur
,hered FIVE hundred per cent, in a
period OF FIVE years after the war.
IL the Negro masses could receive
some leadership in cooperative ac-
tivity. This same idea could be
applied and must be applied 10
most Of the consumption goods used
( Nv ANtSl OVS III NAlAs NNhAihA 70
Will be the hardes. hurdle for Ne
gro leadership 10 make. Negroes
are the victims OF an individualistic
approach 10 economy. as we'll as the
white people OF America are vic
Tins. Every business man with
any brains, is apt 10 feel that he
can make his millions by flinging
out at the general public some
scheme) The Negro insurance
companies throughout America.
have shown beyond a reasonable
doubt that cooperative effort on
the part OF the people. can secure
great wealth for the people. and
positions OF influence for the lead
ership that produces the wealth for
the people.
Third, post war planning will
mean a much more diligent effort
toward the correct education Of the
Negro masses. There must be .
special education for . minority
group that struggles for It's very
existence, in the midst Of . hostile
majority. Education must be point
ed inward at the problems inner
ent In group life Of that minority
. group. II disease, poverty. crime,
and bad manners are evident fac
tors effecting the upward march
; OF a minority group. that minority
group itself must dedicate its peo-
/ pie to q program Of betterment--
: not = program OF ridicule.
Certainly our national leaders are
| thinking in terms of post war plan
: ming. but it seems high time tina,
r they begin TO announce some OF
4 these plans. so that some OF these
, plans. could be debated and dis
, cussed by the people for whom
s they are intended. Negro leaders
OF national importance, will no,
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