The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-06-03
| THE FACTS
M OUR NEWS
Nv HORACE A WHITE
BY HORACE A. WHITE

POLITICS IN DETROIT ie4i-
The political picture IN Detroit is
proving 10 be interesting for the
objective student OF politics. This
is especially true as il relates 10
Negroes in Detroit Detroit is split
along many lines and with all
shades OF political opinion. We have
in Detroit the out and out reaction
airy. The reactionary is a person
who believes that things are well
as they stand. and therefore. any
only kind OF movement he will toll
crate is movement backwards. We
have with us in Detroit the con-
sentative. The conservative is a
person who wants change for the
better, but he can't make up his
mind what better is. therefore, he
will only move with so much cau-
ton and gradualnesS that the man
in the street can detect no change
at all. At this point in Detroit,
the conservative is in power.
We also have in Detroit an active
group Of liberals. but for the most
part inept in getting what they
want. This ineptness or inability
10 influence people for strong pro-
gressive action in large numbers is
due more to errors of the head than
OF the heart The liberal in Detroit
just does not know how 10 influence
people TO help get what is neces-
sary 10 show progressive movement
in our society. He gets his objec-
tive facts correct and voluminouS.
but he always overlooks the SUBJ
jective facts in influencing people
in trying 10 get the facts acted
upon. We also have with us the
radical. The radical is a person
who may or may not know the i'm
possibility OF getting what he wants
done in toto. But he always acts
as IL what he thinks should be done.
is not done, the world will come
TO an end. The radical usually is
person who frightens the conser-
vative into hysterical backward
movement and confuses the masses
OF the people by causing anxious
inactivity.
Negro leadership in Detroit is in
fluenced by these various shades of
thought. This whole problem can
be stated in another way. Negro
leadership is aware that many
changes must be made in our eco
nomic and political life in Detroit
il Negroes are not 10 take a step
backward in postwar world.
The confusion OF tongues" comes
~ 80 -,
proach 10 the problem Of maintain
ing what the Negro has gained and
enhancing his gains after the war
shall have been won. To illustrate
this point further, let us take the
coming presidential election. AL
most any person who has had to
do with the leadership Of the Negro
people will agree that Mr.. Roose-
welt has opened the way and In many
instances has taken the lead that
Negroes may have an opportunity
to share as American citizens in
the prosecution Of our present great
war. These same leaders will ac-
knowledge the advances Negroes
have made under Dir. Roosevelt.
Some Of them are not sure. how
ever, that Mr.. Roosevelt Is infinite
ly better for the working man than
Mr.. Dewey would be. This con-
fusion II not based upon an analy-
sis Of the facts. This confusion is
based upon the emergent nature of
race discrimination in a time of
national crisis. In other words, be-
cause we are fighting a global war
the problems Of race become much
more important as they impinge up
on national politics and planning
than they would otherwise. The
problem OF race discrimination and
race oppression has been lifted from
the backyard discussion stage on
the part Of our national politicians
and statesmen 10 a point where il
becomes one OF the main topics for
consideration in the most powerful
gatherings OF men and women. The
new meaning given to race discrim-
ination can easily be the reason for
Negroes themselves helping TO set
back their own progress. We can
look on the new Importance given
to the condition OF the Negro in
America as sign OF more oppres-
sion. This is not true. The more
Importance given to the Negroes
problem in America means that the
Negro and all of the forces con-
cerned about saving our democracy
are aware that il our democracy is
to be saved, it must be saved by
granting freedom and equality to all
Of the people.
The Congressional election will
be of tremendous importance to the
Negro people In 1914. AS we view
the actions Of Congress as recorded
for l943 and part Of 1914, we see
here q great possibility for confu-
sion on the part Of the people. On
one hand. We find certain Southern
Congressman voting consistently
against the people. and the Negro
people especially. Unless the fol-
lowing facts are made crystal clear
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