The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-09-30
APPEASEMENT OF RACISTS

Two events last week focused attention OH Tic
question of housing DetroitS non-whtes. One was
the action taken by the Detroit Housing Commits
sion in turning down the proposed construction of
800 temporary homes for Negro war workers near
the Soiourner Truth project The other was the
case of the Chinese family who because Of pressure
of home owners were unable TO complete the pur-
chase of a home on which they had made down
payment Thus in a week were highghted the diff
cultie in the path Of the construction of public hous-
ing and of the individual non-white wishing to find
place to live in Detroit.
During the last mayoralty campaign Mayor JEFF
fries in desperate fear Of losing the election turned
his back on his duty to Detroers Of all races and
promised that racial patterns of neighborhoods
would not be changed The action of the Housing
Commission at its last meeting shows that this policy
is being adhered to strictly. Whites learned at the
time of the Sojourner Truth controversy that the
Housing Commissioners will retreat from any posi-
ton if they say Riot loud enough Last week
their bluff worked again. Included in the group at
the hearing were some of the old faithful Negro
baiters including Buffa of Soourner Truth fame.
They brought with them valuations from real estate
agents showing marked decreased in their prop
erty since the project was proposed. Real estate
interests, however pure their motives, are always
the beneficiares of these population shifts on ra-
cial lines
The situation in Detroit is aggravated by the
fact that nearby areas which could absorb some
of the Negro population are closed to Negroes The
recent report of the Presidents Committee Con-
gested Population Areas indicates that most of De-
troit's immigrants have found homes within the
metropolitan area in localities of $4,000 or under
while Negro immigrants were forced by restrictions
to find housing in Detroit The saturation point has
long since been reached in the present IN gro"
neighbrohoods. Additional sites for Negro prof.
ects are hard to find because of the objections of
whites in the nearby Individual Negroes and
other non-white persons find themselves limited to
certain districts because of restrictions
We have repeated again and again in these
columns that segregated housing is no solution to
Detroit's housing problems. Public housing should
be open to all regardless of creed or color. The
present policy of appeasement of preJudced whites
is an unreaistic one. Building bigger and better
ghettos for Negroes is equally unrealistic Race
tensions are result of lack of familiarity of one
group with another. The unknown becomes fearful
and can be clothed with all kinds of vicious traits
If Negroes and whites to live in peace together
in Detroit the present approach to the housing sit
uaton must be discarded.
In that connection it is interesting to note that
one Of the Dearbomers quoted in the Chronicle last
week stated that although he dsliked the idea of
Negroes coming to his city, if it were the law he
would abide by it. A similar statement was made
by one of the whites at the Housing Commission
hearing. In other words, if city officials would
change their pussyfooting vacilatng policy of re-
treat from facts and adopt clear cut program of
providing housing for all without labels even the
race-baters would accept the inevitable.
Detroters and Americans in general must learn
that they cannot proclaim the four freedoms for
all men and urge the downfall of fascism abroad
vet continue its practices here. Americas color
problem is known the world over and the treatment
of minorties here has been spread abroad. Winning
the war overseas will mean little if we do not mend
our fences here