Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1944-10-28

4
Midwest %
South Is
Would give Negroes an equal
chance at jobs
New England and Middle
Atlantic states 500
Mountain and
Pacific states At
Midusast AZ
South 10
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Of the 81 per cent who think II
IS ALL RIGHT TO HAVE A NE
GRO WORK WITH THEM, many
mention personal experiences as
the basis for their opinion. Il
would like it. I've worked with some
Negroes that were o. K" is the
comment of an engineer, in East
Chicago, Indiana. A street-car
motorman In Chicago puts 1t this
way: "I've worked with a lot of
Negroes and it's all right"
Other respondents think that 1t
Is only fair to let Negro work at
the same jobs that white people
have. IF my ability was no more,
don't see why I should object" IS
the opinion of a North Carolina
real estate salesman. A radio an
nouncer in San Francisco believes
that 1t would be all right: That's
where race prejudices come in. Me-
groes are fighting side by side with
u.s."
A somewhat smaller group OF
white Americans are willing to let
Negroes work In higher jobs than
whites. Comments show that this
willingness exists among many diff
ferent groups in the United States.
j. If the Negro knows more than
me 1t would be all right. I'm not
jealous. If the Negro could
hold a better job, I think he should
have it. After all, If he's more
capable to do the job. than I am,
that's only fair"
NO, SAY SOME
On the other hand, very SUBJ
stantial minority do not like the
idea of a Negro working with them.
Individual comments are generally
/ quite hostile to the Negro. A truck.
er in Phoenix, Arizona, says: In
my dealings, I've learned to distrust
Negroes. They like fighting and
DIRTY fighting" A car dealer in
northern Colorado states: 81 don't
care to work with them. Negroes
are inclined to be lazy" A railroad
brakeman In Ltorain, Ohio, re-
marks: ST quit the shipyards be-
cause they put on colored weld
err"
There are some respondents who
are willing to work side by side
| with Negro, but who do not want
Negroes in superior positions. Com
ments in this category mention a
wide variety of reasons: I'm just
born Southerner, and I just in
stinctively wouldn't like 1t -.
can't see myself working under a
n---- >. 1t will take us long
time to be educated to that"
SHOULD HAVE EQUAL CHANCES
White Americans who feel that
| whites should have first chance a.
jobs outnumber those who feel that
Negroes should have an equal OPP
portunity to get jobs, but the lat
ter are a very vocal minority. Com
ments reveal that this belief in
equality Is largely based on the be-
lief that human beings are al
basicaly alike. A wire worker in
Belleville, New Jersey, believes:
Were all human we're all
equal" A similar sentiment is ex-
pressed by a war worker in Bird
in-Hand, Pennsylvania: 1--WE are
all created equal"
Other respondents qualify their
statements by demanding EQUAL
ABILITY. The comment Of a wo-
man service worker in Brooklyn is
typical: eff Negroes have ability
they should have jobs the same as
white persons"
Most of those who feel that
whites should have first chance at
jobs feel either that the white race
is inherently superior or that
whites have some attributes that
qualify them better to take on jobs
49, more education, more intelli-
gence, more dependability. There
are others who feel that the Negro
is not yet ready for the equal re-
lationship of sharing In jobs, or
that whites do not accept Negroes
so readily, but the first group is In
the majority.
Thus. comments run the gamut
from IT Just don't care for Ne
groes" though white people are
more ambitious and better educat-
ed" to "As long as Negroes face the
public they have too much preju-
dice to face"
This scientific surrey by the Ma
tional Opinion Research Center
sampled a typical miniature of the
white population of the United
States With the proper proportion
= in each geographical section -
of rich and poor, young and old,
men and women, and residents Of
urban, town. and rural areas.