The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-09-28


have established in this country "a
code of human rights superior to any
that can be found in any other nation
of the world"
Injustice Still Rife
But to claim that we have reached
perfection or to deny that many of
our democratic rights exist only on
paper would be to ignore the facts
he added.
''rhe facts are" he continued, "that
a considerable amount- of discrimina-
tion, prejudice and injustice still exists
in our own beloved land despite CON
stitutional amendments, laws and regu-
lations designed to wipe them out
THE blunt truth is that equality of
economic, political and educational OPP
portunity is still unjustly withheld
from large sections of our population,
especially Negroes.
"The stern situation we must face at
this moment is that widespread ignor-
ance and blind prejudice must be over
come before these injustices can be
righted
'Only One Effective Weapon
II know of only one effective weapon
with which ignorance and prejudice
can be combatted and finally uprooted
and that is education. OF course,
education may appear to be slow
process but it is the only one that can
work in democracy. Attempts to
do a., Eos
them and the nation before they are
convinced of the need and desirabilty
and justice of such action by education
can only end in disaster.
"This war has served to speed up
the educational process necessary to
wipe out racial discrimination in
America more than any other factor
since the historic exploits of Abraham
Lincoln.
The courage and bravery which
our Negro troops have shown on the
battlefronts of this war have won the
admiration of all the American people,
and especially of their fellow soldiers.
The determination and skill which
Negro workers have shown on the job
in war production plants have gained
the acclaim of all. and especially the
respect of their fellow workers.
Glorious Opportunity" Seen
To-day the great majority of the
American people are on the side of the
Negro in his efforts to make decent
life for himself and his children i'm this
country.
Therefore, we face a glorious op-
portunity when the war ends to build
on the progress already made and to
break new ground in our advances
against the forces of intolerance and
prejudice"
Green cited sections of the AFL
postwar program which he said "go
far toward removing barriers which
now stand in the way of progress of
Negro citizens" and told the conven-
tion that the new International Chem
ical Workers Union, just chartered by
the federation welcomes and en-
courages all qualified Negro workers
to join its ranks and no discrimina-
tions of any kind will be permitted in
the plants organized by the union.'
AFL Influence Cited
The AFL leader has pointed out tha
the AFL has eXerted powerful in
tluence against discrimination against
Negroes since its first convention in
1881 and said:
In those days there were no union
members among Negroes. Today the
AFL is proud of the fact that more
than a million members are organized
under its banner and even more proud
of the fact that these Negro workers
have been able to win substantial eco
nomic progress because of their mem
bership in our unions"
In closing, Green promised the AFL |
will continue to support the unquali- |
fled right of Negroes to free speech |
and said the issues he had discussed |
lie deeply imbedded in the fiber of |
American life"
1.-The issues transcend trade union
limits" he declared. "They are a
challenge to the American way of life
itself They can be solved through the
exercise of intelligent and restrained
4