The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-29

In ORGANIZED LABOR AND
THE NEGRO tby Herbert r. Nor
thrup; Harper and Brothers; 1914;
$3.50 the author gives chapter and
verse on the treatment of Negroes
by organized labor in this country
up 10 the present. Mr.. Northrup
presents the history of the union !
movement in the various trades in |
which Negroes are employed and
discusses the treatment Of the Me-
gro by these unions. There are
fourteen American unions which
exclude Negroes through provis-
ions in their constitutions or rit-
uals. eight which refuse Negroes
membership by tacit consent. and
nine others which allow Negroes to
join but set them aside in auxil.
larry unions.
The large majority Of unions
which discriminate against Negroes
are craft unions which by their
policy limit the number of sellers
Of a particular skill" These unions
are affiliated with the AT. of L. or
are independent unions: the CLIO.
has consistently followed the policy
of organizing "men and women OF
America without regard to race,
creed or nationality" Since the
| Clio. organizes on an industry
wide basis il cannot afford 10 deny
its membership 10 any group. In
addition, Dr. Northrup points out
| that the leadership Of the CLIO. is
more progressive and is for the
most part convinced OF the right
ness OF this policy. The greatest
problem which the CLIO. unions
face is that of upgrading and iii
must be solved il unions are 10 be
truly equalitarian." the author in
sists.
che chapter dealing with Auto
mobiles and Aircraft" was to have
been written by Dr. Lloyd Bailer.
according to the authors preface,
but the pressure of time prevented
it. However, DR.. Northrup has
used unpublished material by DR..
Baiier in his discussion OF the au-
tomobile industry. The author de-
votes considerable attention 10
Fords policy toward Negroes and
states There is no evidence that
Henry Ford originally decided TO
employ large numbers of Negroes
at River Rouge for other than al
truistic- reasons later-date,
the support Of Negroes proved TO
be a valuable ally for the propaga-
ton of Mr.. Ford's ideas on politics
and unionism. as he well realized"
| DR.. Northrup traces the tie-up OF
| Negro ministers with Ford before
the union period and the activity
| OF Donald Marshall and Willis Ward
in Republican politics. He points
out that during the Ford union
drive the Chronicle was pro UAW-
CLIO, as il had been for a number
OF years; the other Detroit news
paper avoided any opinion, as did
the Detroit Urban League. which
has sedulously refrained from taxi
ing the pro-union line OF its ma
tional office"
DR.. Northrup notes that there are
a number Of similari,ies between
the segregated Sun Shipyard and
the Ford River Rouge setup. DR..
Emmett Scott and Brud Holland
are personnel head and assistant
at the Sun Shipyard and like Ford,
Pew has opposed the Clio. In an
NRLB election at the Sun Ship
the Negroes al the Jim Crow yard
voted for the Sun Ship Employees
association and against the Go
union because they felt debt of
gratitude 10 the Pew family" Like
Ford, the Pews had strong support
for their labor policy in the Negro
community. The Pittsburgh Cour-
Ter. for example. while claiming to
be neutral, gave the Association
more space than the IUMSWA Cthe
CIO union). and after the election
editorialized 10 the effect that the
latter had lost the Negro vote be-
cause il did nothing for them. APP
parently, its editors assiduously
avoided any attempt 10 obtain the
facts but merely took the Associa-
tons propaganda at face value"
However, the CLIO. union has
strong support from Negroes in
other divisions OF Sun Ship but
the Negroes in the all-colored yard
have created serious cleavage
between white workers and them