The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1944-09-23

CURRENT
NOTES
- By --------
GLosTER B. CURRENT

-HAC1lsNO ~ ~ lO.N ~~l * III.
Langdon Johnson lie was a
friend Of mine. / met him at West
Virginia State College and made
him in the fraternity. When he
VAS stationed al Selfridge with
the S3snd he used TO come by the
house on week-ends. fondle the
baby. aud seemingly Try to get
tho feel OF home. Before going
abroad. he came by and in his
simple way. stated that perhaps
this was the last time We would
see him lie picked up little An
ella and said that when he came
home he hoped that he'd be able
! 10 have children OF his own But
the other day | read Missing In
Notion ard saw Langdons name
" MISSING ~ ACTION IS a
phrase that has been used much
m this war Only when IT comes
10 You are you able to appreciate
what thousands ~ relatives and
friends must feel when loved
ones are gone Perhaps. he Is
taken prisoner we can only hone.
sut We still have our iob TO do
lie has done his. Ours is 10 con
lnue the fight for real freedom
4 freedom which has taken SO
much and returned so little 70
onr boys
lAN-clO CONVENTION tn.
maturity OF the Negro trade
unionis's IS very noticeable Nv
impression OF the Grand Rapids
contention was that Negroes arc
becoming more integraied info
'ho union and now think as trade
unionists instead OF Negroes
Rejecting on previous convcn
lions. | remember that in 1881 IL
Buffalo tho matter OF elcciing
Negro 70 The International ENc-
euiife Board came before the
convention. Negro delegates eau
enscd hut were unable 10 got
anywhere The whole matter Vas
lied W in union factionallsm. II
was nor clear 10 the Negro dele
gates themselves whether they
wanted representation on inc
board As Negroes or AZ trade
unionists.
didn't 20 70 the conference IN
1872 which met in Chicago. oscar
Noble was nominated for vice
president. but declined 10 run
This was the only time and some
believe that II oscar had run the
Negro would have been in
stronger position politically.
IN 1882 again in Buffalo. Ne
gro stratoeists committed ma
lor blunder and allowed the ieft.
lists 10 bring resolution for
constitutional change calling for
election Of director or minors
lies department. This was modi
fled somewhat. bur The conven-
zion rot The impression that
'eer'ain faction was asking The
election of Ncgro. as Negro
- he executive hoard That pro-
posal failed obut f. hurt Negro
pItonisfs IN many plants. Before
The workers IN some plants had
elected Negro delegates evon
though numerically the Negroes
were In ? small minority. The re-
action was adverse. and minority
'haua'lnism was roandly con
dfmned.
tomins 10 the Grand Rapids
convention in 1914 Negro leaders
had learned their lesson There
was some newly developed lead
orship in the rank aud file
Whereas Walter Hardin. as r. O.
Thomas right hand man. Ind
ne,er heen sure where he stood
on having a Negro vice president
aud whenever no thought there
was chance for Hardin 10 be il
he was for such proposal. tho
new boys William Oliver Of
Local 400 and Bill Beckam. Local
So belonged 10 new school
that OF a tried trade unionist
The Negro statesmen a. tire
convention were shelton Tanne.
recording secretary OF Ford I.o-
cal. who for the second year
served on the important rcsou-
tons committee. Bill Eeckham
chairman OF the Bargaining COM
fnittee az. Wrights in Lockland
O.. and Bnl Oliver. recording sec
rotary OF Ford Local 400 in High
land Park Tho politics NJ those
boys j. unimportant They arc
good representatives ~ tho race
and Of labor was proud when
they took the floor and expressed
themselves in impeccable English
snd in statosmanlike fashion on
The no-sirike pledge and union
business.
Tapes summary argument on
. debate on procedure cleared tho
confusion Of delegates and enabled
the business Of the convention 10
proceed. he delivered his speech
from the stage and. dressed in
business suit OF blue. he looked
more like professional. than a
tried labor leader.
Negroes voted along With their
fellow delegates on the ro.sifike
pledge Some were tor som =
were AGAINST u was nor an NJ