The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-01
THE FACTS
m OUR NEWS


When Will The Mayors Inter-
Racial Committee Begin to Talk
About A Program?--The Mayors
Inter-Racial Committee has been
toying with Its Job. To date, Il has
not seen fit 10 present the public,
any idea Of . program. IL has been
hearing reports from the various
departments in the city Of Detroit.
il has heard . perfect report from
the recreation department. One
would feel that n far rs the rec
reation II concerned. Detroit has .
paradise In its mass recreation &C
uvities. Nonsense! Il II nothing Of
the kind!
The Police Department Is shot
through and through with inef-
ficiency. ignorance and selfishness,
on the part Of its many directors of
police divisions. The only hopeful
sign In the Police Department is
that John Ballenger is realistic.
The Detroit Housing Commission
is soon scheduled to review its pro-
gram. One hopes the Detroit Hous-
ing Commission will not come out
with SO much lack of insight on its
part as some Of the other depart
ments seem to be escaping with.
The Detroit housing program has
been short-sighted and bigoted. and
in many respects. anti-democratic.
The Mayors Inter-Racial Com
mittee might just as well face the
fact now, that summer will pro-
duce an increased number of inter-
racial conflicts, unless something
definite is done to prevent these
conflicts. Our people are living in
rat-infested houses; they are living
on top Of one another; they are
bitten night after night, in an un.
relenting manner, by bedbugs.
Housewives cannot prepare de-
cent meal without the interference
Of cockroaches. Hundreds of people
will be escaping this condition by
going to the parks. They will be
escaping on crowded streetcars and
buses. The Mayors Inter-Racial
Committee should understand that
race conflict is not created in a
vacuum. Race conflict is possible
because Of the lack Of physical sur
roundings and objective conditions
under which people are forced to
live.
Already. Negro workers are be-
ginning to feel the sting of dis
elimination in some of the tenn
porary" lay-offs that have been
coming to workers in the city Of
Detroit. The committee ultimately
has to take this matter to the au-
thorities in industry and in govern
ment, with positive program deal
ing specifically and forthrightly
with the matter of discrimination.
Negro youth has only one way to
show its resentment to being dis
eliminated against, and that one
way is through violent protest.
The Mayors Inter-Racial Conn.,
mittee will try to meet these prob
lens Of discrimination with talk to
to the people. A seeking out Of
few isolated incidents on the part
Of a few people and saying. This
is the crux of the problem" When
actually. this Is not the crux OF the
problem, but this is a manifestation
Of the very deep underlying prob
lens Of discrimination in govern
ment, education. recreation and
health.
II one visits . Negro neighbor-
bod. he can see very easily. how
People would have certain hostility,
and how fear and anxiety would
cause them to want to create
trouble. In other words, the Com
mittee better quickly make up its
mind that rats and bedbugs equal
race riots In the summer time.