The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-01-29

lem. But. perhaps. more important
still, the articles provide a concise
analysis and Recommendation OF
critical stage in the accommodation
or the assimilation OF the Negro in
the American community"
Copies of the Journal may be Sc
cured for IS cents. The address Is
80 Washington Place. New York, 8.
X X *
FLOUR is DUSTY by Curtis Lu-
cas- is short novel Of Negro life in
Atlantic City Dorrance and Com
pany; Philadelphia; Sl50). Although
the author uses a number OF stereo-
typed situations he succeeds in Civ
ing his book a certain freshness in
spite OF the samcneSs Of his ma
terlal. In this case the boy from
The South. Jim. has run away 10
Atlantic City thinking he has killed
his father during a bitter quarrel
Mrs. Banning. the richest colored
woman in Atlantic City" and her
niece, Crystal. befriend him.
Two rather typical villains appear
in the story and before il ends jim
is accused OF murder but he turns
the tables on the villains before the
final pages.
Mr.. Lucas -simplifies the
characters and situations in FLOUR
is DUSTY and emphasizes and re-
peas the obvious For instance. he
oil . 4,
out repeating that she is either the
richest or mos; influential colored
woman in Atlantic City He is
rather heavy handed too in his man.
ner OF handling race prejudice
especially so in his account OF Jim's
experience with segregation in a
theatre he visits. On the positive
side. the book moves quickly and
provides sufficient suspense to hold
the readers interest.
X X X
A very different, novel from the
one discussed above is LOOK
AWAY. LOOK AWAY. by Leslie
Turner White random House. New
York City: $3.50; l94Q. II is a his
torical novel which tells Of a group
Of disgruntled Southerners in New
Orleans who chartered small
river boat after the Civil War and
set sail for Brazil Their hatred for
the Yankees was so strong that they
we're willing 10 endure the rigors
OF pioneer life and renounce the
country Of their birth. There is
still such a colony founded by
Southerners in Brazil today.
Mr.. White has chosen historical
incident packed with material for
the novelist and has made excellent
use Of it. He makes his characters
and the period in which they live
come TO life.
In my opinion he has his greatest
success with the lusty characters
from the lower classes than with
The aristocrats who are sometimes
unbclievably stupid in their pride
and scorn for the riffraff with
whom they were travelling. The
captain who really holds the bal
ance OF power between the two
groups is a flesh and blood person.
alitv whom the reader will not cas-
ily forget. Holy George, a Negro
preacher. is the cook on the trip
and il is he who marries the captain
10 the aristocratic Phoebe when the
white minister refuses to sanction
such a match.
Mr.. White uses the words darby
and "nigger" throughout his book.
There are instances where he might
explain the use as demanded by the
characters speaking but in other in
stances there can be no excuse OF
This kind The use OF these terms
so disliked by Negroes has always
seemed 10 me an unnecessary az
front by an author no matter what
his sympathies,. In this case IL
mars a book which not only brings
10 life an incident buried in our
history but also provides romantic
story full OF color and suspense.
The twentv-four hour dav VI war
giants means that MANY workers eat