The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-17
BY Roger W.. Babson

Babson Park. Fla. Mar. III am
writing to the several million OF
colored people in this country.
Moreover, ! do so as a friend
one who has contributed money
and time to help them.
Americas Greatest Masters
The way you are foolishly
spending money today is a shame
and disgrace. Not only are most
Of you 10 wasting money, but you
are almost convincing your friends
that you r unworthy to have good
wages. You are showing an utter
disregard OF any knowledge of
finances or economies.
Present high wages cannot con-
tinue. Many OF you will be out
of employment after the war. Mil
lions OF war workers will be dis.
charged and-although It will be
unjust-you will be discharged
FIRST. Therefore, you should save
up money NOW to help you in
these hard days ahead. Most
white workers are now doing this.
why 90 IatJ
Some OF you foolishly refuse TO
work II you have a little cash in
your pockets. This applies to great
strong men and women as we'll as
to your young people. Too many
OF you seem to have no regard for
the needs Of the country in this
crucial hour. You are citizens as
we'll as the white workers. You
claim you are not treated right.
| do not agree to this; but II 1t is
true, II is because so many OF
you are lazy and wasteful.
am writing this In the South
where ! have worked with colored
people for 20 winters. ! have
fought for you and got you out OF
jail when the sheriff unjustly ar
rested you. know your good
points and weak points: but I
never before saw you In the lazy.
wasteful and saucy moods that
some OF you put on today. From
letters which ! get, | fear you r
behaving worse in the North than
you are here In the South.
Don't Depend Upon Aunt Eleanor
Many Of you say. Aunt Eleanor
will take care OF me after the
War" Perhaps Aunt Eleanor will
not be Presidents wife after the
war! President Roosevelt may not
be reelected. Besides, even Mrs.
Roosevelt Is getting out Of patience
with you. She Is beginning TO
wonder II she may not have made
4 mistake in praisiHg you as she
did. 1t is true that white workers
strike when they shouldn't. but
they are not lazy nor do they
throw away money.
Does 1t ever occur to you what
would happen to Jul country IL all
the people-white and colored-
s:ted as so many OF you colored
people act? We would lose the
War and we all. including you,
would be slaves OF the Germans or
japanese. Your attitude simply
does not make sense from any
point OF view. Therefore as a
friend, I beg Of you all to get all
the work you can get; work as
faithfully as you can; and save,
save, save,
A True Story
Let me prove that colored boys
have just as good an opportunity
to succeed as white boys. A few
years ago Weber College at Bah
son Park, Fla. employed colored
boys in the kitchen. Among them
was one named James Paul Goss.
The dean noticed that whereas all
the others went TO the movies or
shot craps in the evening James
.practiced for hours TO learn typing.
When the summer vacation came.
he begged me TO take him North
and get him a job In an ONCE.
This ! did. 1t was James first op-
portunity.
James did 80 we'll that ! brought
him back 10 Florida in the fall.
That winter he typed all my news