The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-06-10
THE FACTS
m OUR NEWS
ey HORACE A. WHITE

DO NOW TO PREVENT RACE
FLARE-UPS. =. Labor groups,
church groups. our public schools
and business groups are working
very hard TO prevent any very seri.
Gus race conflict In Detroit II is
amazing 10 look al the list OF groups
that are active In the field of racial
understanding. II all does ones
heart good. II reaffairms ones faith
In his city when he discovers the
amount Of intelligent activity on
the part Of these varied groups to
bring about racial GOODWILL In the
city Of Detroit. However. there are
some things TO be done now that
must be carried out by public Of
ficisIs. Unless these things are done,
the great amount of education now
being carried on will be wasted As
far as the prevention Of race flare
ups Is concerned.
One OF the first things, and the
most pressing at this time, Is q re-
adjustment Of the public carrier
prOgra m serving over-crowded
areas. The street cars and buses
serving the over-crowded areas In
our city are very inadequate. This
Is especially true in mid-week and
on week-ends. The lines serving
Brush, Beaubien. Hastings, Mack,
Chene and Milwaukee are always
Over-crowded 10 the danger point
on week-ends. These lines not only
have to serve the people living in
these areas. but they also have to
serve the war plants In these areas.
There are some forty-twO plants I'm
or adjoining these areas. This all
means that when the people In these
areas have to use the street cars
and buses they are passed up and
left standing on the corners. and
when they are picked up. the street
car or bus Is filled 10 more than
Its normal capacity. Add TO this
fact that the people who are picked
up have been passed up by two or
three buses or street cars. When
these people finally get on, their
tempers are short and their feelings
are on edge. II does not take much
Imagination and more than casual
understanding OF human nature TO
see that here we have the material
out Of which race conflicts are
made.
1t appears reasonable 10 suggest
that the DSR Commission immed-
lately take steps TO increase the
public carrier service in the above
named areas. A careful survey Of
these areas will reveal that there
are certain times Of the day and
week when increased service is
needed. The DSR Commission has
the equipment. The argument has
been that this equipment cannot be
used to serve these Over-crow ded
areas because Of a manpower short
age. II Is the belief Of many people
In the city Of Detroit that II an ap-
peal Is made. the present operating
force Of the DSR Commission could
be augmented greatly. There are
hundreds of people who would vol
unteer to take the training neces-
sary to operate . bus or street car
safely for . few hours . day in |
order to help enhance the prestige
and civic spirit Of our great city. |
There is no doubt in the minds Of |
these people that such an appeal |
would bring 10 the service of the
DSR Commission some very fine |
workers. These people
could be paid on an hourly basis .
for this emergency service without I
with the civil service ,
regulations governing permanent |
At any rate this transportation
problem as ii affects these over
crowded areas must be dealt with |
II we are 10 get through this sum-
mer without another race flare-up. ,
The DSR Commission has done one
of the best jobs in the country un-
der very adverse circumstances. |
This we all want to recognize. but !
The immediate problems of serving !
these over-croWded areas must be /
recognized by the city of Detroit |
and corrected by the city OF Detroit, |
even though the correction may call |
for some unusual procedure and |
planning.
The next thing that we can do in
the city of Detroit Is to re-vamp our
garbage and trash collection pro-
gram for over-crowded areas. The
area from Vernon Highway to the
from Beaubien to Chene
streets, needs more careful atten-
ton given to the streets and alleys
than has been given heretofore. 1
Some Of these streets have not been
cared for in over . period Of two
m Snths. This Is too long for areas
containing as many people In such
little space as Is true Of these streets.
The blunt facts are that these
streets are not swept often enough.
The argument to this will be. and Is