The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-03-11
THE FACTS
m OUR NEWS

---- ..-o-,, 49,
oAvANo Hns mAxOHe An'efrs
cisl Cemmittee . Chance - Many
peepIs have thsught that my stud-
IA rrsticis,n ~ M, HaroId Thomu-
- ...,. -,....s .-..,,.,..
$50
secrsssry' o. DesreiSs inserrsc's'
Committee was impolitic and pre-
vieus In it, import There are 9TH
ers whe know me well enough %
know that Am uncencerned about
being petite and that even though
am concerned about politics, ]
never decide IN Issue Tor mysen,
nor for my people on the basis Of
politics. These same people knew
that ] take the business Of Leader
ship very seriously. and would not
Issue . statemens based ON snap
Judgment, and without . pretty
thorough investissuon OF the facts.
Mr.. Harold thompson u q good
man personally. HIS Character nor
his motives can be successfully
challenged. He Is totally unfit Tor
the Job he has been elected to do.
by Detroits Interracial committee.
The majority OF the people on the
mayors committee. who voted for
him, know fuu well that he IS unht
for that Job. He IS unfit for the
JOB because ne does not understand
its implications. even supernciaily.
he believes In some mystical pro-
cess. by which men are made to
love their neighoors, ana TO respect
their neighbors rights to earn a
living. and to reside In decent
house. He believes In getting peo-
pie to keep quiet about wrongs, Is
an answer to the race problem here
in Detroit. He thinks you can
sell people right race attitudes,
by Just talking to them. OF course
we know this IL Childish and 10
some extent very naive.
Also Mr. Harold thompson mas
been connected with an organixa-
tion that has practiced In tts busi-
ness dealings certain race discrim-
inations. Your correspondent has
in his hles, letters from people say
Ing that the organization Mr. har-
old Thompson formerly. represent
ed, was most flagrant In lts mis-
treatment Of minority groups. The
handicap Of Mr.. Thompson's to
overcome his former connections,
IS far - the great masses OF work
Ing people is concerned, Ii . task
bigger than he has conceived II to
be 1t this moment. He may brag
about his giving up . better Job. to
take this Job at . lesser salary.
shows his good intentions, all that
he wants. But the plain cold facts
refute any claim TO . profound In
terest In the Job. Certain people
within his own organisation pro-
NOTED him 10 his present Job,
through certain influential people
on the Mayors lnterracial commit
tiee. I have heard Harold Thomp-
son talk. and his concept about in
terracial conflict Is % far from
reality that II will take him . long
time TO ret himself In q frame OF
mind where he can serve the best
interests of Detroit in matters hav-
inx 20 do with race conflict. Mr..
Thompson a frightened by q real
discussion Of race conflict, not 70
speak of working constructively to
ALE viate race conflict.
The chance we must give Mr..
Themuson lies not In waiting for
him IN make certain disastrous
blunders. but rather 70 point out the
blunders he win make unless
wsrneN q them beforehand.
The Nero people In Detroit are
In no frame Of mind to accept q
dodRinR Of the things that mean
most to them. The working peo-
ple of Detroit will not understand
the executive secretary of an in
terracial committee trying to use
sweet meaningless words to deter
them from the struggle to arrive
at the position in their community.
where thew are not the victims OF
unemployment. bad housing. made
ouate medical care, and a boastful.
common people az Detroit are ex.