Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-11-17
By DAN GARDNER


White people are at odds on
many things among themselves.
They fight on a basis of race -
Jew against Irish, German against
Pole, Swede against Dane - but
they all are together when the
Negro is the topic of discussion or
the subject of action. There are
many subjects of dissension among
white people, political, economic
and social. Sometimes the di-
visions among the whites of diff
ferent political, economic and So
cial leanings exist for generations.
Many times wars have broken out
after all other peaceful attempts
to solve various problems have
failed. But in practically every
case, white people can quickly and
without much dissension form a
united front on the Negro, and l
think it high time that Negroes
get together on the white man.
Our main failing is the fact that
we aren't together on a unified atti-
tude toward the white man beyond
such national ailments which the
white man afflicts upon US, such
as lynching US, denying US admis-
sion to his best hotels, nightclubs,
restaurants, and the right to ride
the same train or trolley car with
him in the south. Of course, we
might add, as a source of irritation,
the separate toilets, washbasins,
and drinking fountains, about
which we make so much noise. But
the common unity of Negroes pro-
testing mistreatment by the white
man is missing in comparison with
the unity he exhibits when he takes
action against US.
How About Georgia Policy"
During the recent Presidential
campaign, much was said about
foreign policy" So much was this
issue stressed that thousands of
Negroes made foreign policy"
more important in their thinking
than the obvious fact that neither
candidate talked at all about a
Georgia Policy" or a mississippi
Policy" The fallacy of this way
of thinking is shown in the common
practice of the Negro in being told
that this or that is more important
to him right now because it is more
important to the rest of the world.
Such internationalism has found
ready roots in the minds of many
leading Negroes who are thereby
lured into the trap where they put
the ever-present problems of their
own people down on their agendas
while elevating that of what to do
about the Belgians or the Poles in
the No. l position. Such Negroes
are experts on the relationship
existing between the Turks and the
Armenians or the Greeks and the
Czechs. But they would be totally
at a loss to interpret in practical
understandable terms what the
Negro on Harlem's Lenox Avenue,
the Negro on Beale Street in
Memphis, the Negro on Cincinnati's
John Street, Philadelphia's South
Street, or Chicago's 47th Street,
wants as a price for what he has
given to make America what it is
today.
The reason, as / see it, for the
lack of unity of thought among Ne
groes on a common subject is that
the trend of thought among Negro
leaders has been to dissipate such
unity among Negroes. A common
purpose among Negroes to better
their condition generally in rela-
tionship to the white population has
been distorted and twisted to suit
the particular aims of whatever
smart person who has assumed the
mantle of leadership based on his
ability to wear a clean shirt, a tie,
have his own auto, telephone, call
ing card, and the ability to get into
the white mans inner office.
Grab Amy Demand
Such leaders" seldom analyze
correctly the actual wants Of the
common Negro and arrive at
common denomination. Instead, they
grab whatever demand is in the air
at that particular time and estab-
ish a personal kingdom and
dynasty of leadership" on that de-
mand. That is a reason, to be a bit
facetious, why we have the "Asso-
citation for the Advancement of
Me-" the UNITED Workers for Get
ting Negroes to Stop Embarrassing
Me-" and so forth. Each organiza-