The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-02-19
THE FACTS
M OUR NEWS

NOW WE. STAND VERY STILL
IN DETROlT-There Is something
very pathetic about the race rela-
tions picture in Detroit. We are
standing still. Since the June race
skirmish between the frustrated
blacks and whites In our town we
have done little but talk and con-
fer. We have conferred with en-
thusiasm about the same thing a
thousand times and the same peo-
pie OF goodwill have been doing
the comforting. This comforting
never gets beyond the same group
The militant organizations among
the Negroes have become sweet
comforting societies. The N.A.A.C.P.
has lost its capacity TO still chal.
lenge the town. Officials have
talked loudly about how they are
not afraid and that they will keep
on fighting, but actually they have
stopped fighting. The officials are
painting" over the fight they have
made, not over the work they are
now doing. The N.A,A.C.P. ought
at this very moment, be engaging
in some real work for the advance
ment Of the Negro people.
Our dear little Gloster Current
has been taken in by Commissioner
Ballenger on the police deal. Some
Of us tried very hard to have Clos
ter to see that this special commit
tee of Negroes in the Police depart
ment is not the way 10 handle dis
elimination in any public agency
We pointed out to him our expert
nee with DSR setup when the same
roblem was faced. A special COM
! 'ittee set up by the police commits
;oner to handle Negroes who make
pplication and to see that they
,re not Disseminated against, with
70 yardstick Of measurement for
discrimination is fallacious.
These good Negroes are doing
or nothing. what taxpayers put out
oney to see IS done! - My God.
i'll we always have to have some
ind of "hand-out?" This move by
~ good friend John Ballenger is
a psychological "hand-out." He is
90 we'll trained TO not know it.
No one could make me believe that
ne does not know it. What Is actu-
ally done by setting UP three-man
committee to follow" Negro appli-
cations, is to make it very easy for
The commissioner to bypass the
issue of fair and honest administra-
ton to Detroit citizens. regardless
of race, creed and color. This method
OF handling problems in relation
ship TO Negroes is a good old south
ern custom. Tragic in the South is
this custom, but double tragic when
we accept il in the North.
Who can understand the MA
CP. falling for such neat bypass?
We have good reason to believe
that there is discrimination in the
Police department. We open make
the charge. Lay the evidence on
the table in the American way and
ask the public agency to refute
it, or correct its policy OF discrim-
| nation. A special committee to
handle Negro applications! Ridi-
culous!
Some years ago. we knew there
was discrimination In the school
system. Snow Grigsby went after
1t and there has been improvement.
No special committees were set up
to guide" Negroes into teaching
positions. The JOB Is not finished.
but Improvement was noted. We
must have some Negro principals
and other administrative officers in
the school system. Who is working
on this?
Gloster, get off Of that special
committed II one has to be ap-
pointed let someone else do it. You
stick to the only real way to solve
such problems - through regular
constituted agencies. You keep the
enemy of democracy on the defen-
sive. Gee. don't you get on the de-
fensive. We love the N.A.A.C.P. too
much 20 see 1t drink this poison OF
organizational weakness.