The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-09-30
Housing
Continued From Page II

Continued from rage ~
grounds that the Housing Commits
SION has nothing 10 do with schools.
Conant Negroes Named
Various spokesman from the
group testified that Negroes from
Conant Gardens we're opposed 10
the proposed plan and that some
OF them had been around 10 the
whites with petitions for them TO
sign IN opposition 10 II.
One irate professor said, II
thought that this was democratic
country. don't our restrictions mean
anything To which Rev. Horace
White answered. Il thought so too"
Race Trouble Predicted
Virgil Chandler and Joseph Buffa
insisted that there was no need for
Negro housing in that area IN that
most Negroes work or the west side.
They predicted race trouble II the
plan was allowed 10 go through.
James Oden. housing director for
local 600. UAW-CIO. speaking for
the proposal said. Il am sure that
you people would not be fighting
this war II you believed as you are
talking now"
Obvious Race Prejudice
William Nicholas. housing d.
rector OF the UAW-ClO, chastised
the group for Directing 10 the pro-
poSal on such obvious racial preju-
dice.
In casting a dissenting vote, Rev.
Horace. White said. so long as the
city OF Detroit continues TO do this
type of thing to its Negro citizens
neither the city or this commission
Is helping TO avert race trouble. My
people just cannot continue TO live
under the conditions they are forced
10 face in Detroit. I think that this
proposal should not be voted down
but given back to the Victory Coun-
Gil for investigation"
Playing Ostrich
Raymond Hatcher of the Detroit
Urban League and member of the
Detroit Victory Council, told the
Michigan Chronicle in an exclusive
statement: LAS of June ! Detroit
has supplied about POO units OF
war housing for the $4,000 Negro
families which have come here
since 1910 When the plight OF these
$4,000 families is added to that of
the $1,000 Negro families who were
already living under sub-standard
conditions in 1910. we face con-
dition which reflects no credit on
the city and which, in the best in
terest of the total community calls
for immediate positive action on
this whole question OF housing and
homes for Negroes. am afraid,
however, that Detroit is going to
play ostrich on the question OF
housing for its Negro citizens until
one day it is going TO be alarmed
10 find that the sections Of its body
not buried in the sand had not been
protected"
Ned Gorrel, chairman Of the De-
troit Victory Council, told the
Chronicle this week that he had
been sick with the flu for a week
and Il didn't know anything about
this meeting until read it in the
newspapers.
GlouSter Current executive secre-
tary Of the Detroit NAACP. in a
letter to the Housing Commission
set forth the following points:
The Housing Commission in It's
action enables the present confusion
surrounding housing Of Negroes to
continue.
The cry Of riot is a convenient
escape for those who do not intend
to carry out their responsibility.
Real estate interest" have once
again determined Commission pol
icy.
The spectre Of trouble has been
overplayed in this instance.
Postwar proposals do not answer
the present problem.