The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-05-06
WALTER A. White
DECLAIMS RACE
HATRED ABROAD

NEW YORK-Racial friction be-
tween colored and white American
soldiers overseas. although correct
ed TO a marked degree by General
Dwight Eisenhower, is still hurting
the war effort and should be COM
pletely eliminated. said Walter
White. NAACP secretary, in ma
tionwide radio talk over the CO.
lumbia Broadcasting System Sun
day, April 30.
The division in our ranks and
the fomenting OF racial and other
antagonisms are postponing the day
Of victory" he declared. They
are creating doubt among our AL
lies as 10 our sincerity when we
assert that we are fighting war
for freedom for all peoples. Who
ever causes the war 10 last one
single day longer than necessary
is as much traitor 10 our country
as one who sinks a troop ship or
reveals military secrets to the enc
my. If for no other reason than
TO win the war as soon as II is hui
manly possible and 10 save the lives
Of American men-perhapS among
them the life OF your son-it is i'm
peratIve that any person. whatever
his race, who causes trouble should
be stopped That will be done
only i. the people OF America and
their government stop evading or
emporizing with this fundamental
question whose solution is impera-
tive If We are ever TO have world
OF peace"
Travelled 10000 Miles
White. who spent Is weeks in
Great Britain. Ireland. North AZ
RIGA. and Italy. said he had trav-
eled more than 10000 miles and
had talked with many officers, SOL
d.ers. and civilians.
The majority of American SOL
diers abroad have been decent
Americans interested in but one
jective-winning the war as
speedily as possible and returning
!n2Iy- large percent=
age OF them-boih officers and en-
listed personnel are concerned
over The bad name being given 10
the United States by the friction
which some Of their number have
caused A gratifyingly large per-
centage manifest deep concern
about the world problem OF race
and the necessity OF working out
solution TO it. Many OF these are
from the South. But. unfortunate
ly. a highly aggressive and vocal
minority has sought TO transplant
patterns of racial behaviour like
tina. Of the most backward states
Of the South 10 the countries where
they have been sent as soldiers 10
fight a war against Nazi racial theo-
Ties.
Some OF them have sought 10
POISON the minds of British, italian,
North African and other peoples
against Negro Americans. They
have told such stories as these:
tina; Negroes are inferior, iliiterate,
diseased. and savage. Some of them
have even used physical violence
to prevent the association OF Negro
soldiers with British. Italian and
other people. They have objected
10 the use Of places OF public ac-
connodaton such as pubs and res
taurants by Negro soldiers.
Such behaviour has puzzled and
antagonized many Of the people OF
these countries They have found
i; difficult % understand why some
American soliiers should be SO vio-
lent in their hatred OF other Ameri-
can soldiers. especially when all OF
them are fighting IN a common
cause They have resented the ac-
ton Of visitors presuming 10 dictate
20 them who they should or should
not invite into their homes or as
sociate with. Many OF our allies
are puzzled 100 by the American
pattern o. segregation. Repeatedly
was asked why the United States,
dghtin. war for freedom. should
send abroad two armles-one white
and one Negro
Praises Eisenhower
Generals Eisenhower and John
:. II. Lee % the European Theatre
)f Operations were praised by Mr.
White for issuing "unequivocal d.
-ectiveS and taking other steps to
eliminate the cause OF trouble"
White scored the events OF the /
pas; few months on the home front 7
saying. certain members OF Con- (
yress have poured forth hate-tilled Z
trades against the COMMANDMENT /
Chie! OF our nation and against ra- /
,ial and religious minorities. as
iicious ana incorporate in content .
ma tone as any sent out by Goeb- !