The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-30

known.)
Not what the professor OF sociol-
ogy thinks. Nor the Buchmanite
minister. Nor the progressive news
paper editor. Nor the crusading So
cialist. Nor the tea-drinking intel
ligentsia who live in their ivory
towers and dream pretty dreams.
But the average southern white
man what he thinks about the
average southern Negro.
The "reformers" know very little
or nothing about the typical south
ern Negro or the typical south
ern white man either, for that mat
ter. Not even Virginia-born Pearl
Buck is an exception. The stun
this group writes about the Negro
is as amusing as il is disgusting TO
most southerners. Likewise, the
educated northern Negroes know as
little about their colored brothers
below the Mason Dixon line as they
do about their pre-Revolutionary
ancestors, African blacks or Con-
tinental whites. While as for the
Dixie liberals" they are for the
most part suffering from inhibitions
-thwarted desires OF some kind
or they are trying to play politics.
get their names in the headlines.
establish regulations as broad
minded. civilized southerners."
INEVITABLE"
Now. the average white man in
the South seldom takes time out 10
analyze what he really thinks about
the Negro any more than he sits
himself down to philosophize about
the weather He accepts Negroes
and weather as "inevitables. II the
weather is exceptionally hot or
cold. the white man may complain
bit; and il Negro gets out OF
+ his place" why the white man
usually puts him promptly back.
And that's all there is to il.
X X X
The white man will readily admit
that the Negro is unfortunately a
product Of slavery-days who was
profitably dumped by the North in
TO the economic lap of the South;
that the Negro has been deprived
OF many OF his economic and educa-
tional opportunities; that he has
been imposed upon in many ways;
and that he has seldom been given
his full legal rights.
Within the past TWENTY-FIVE years
an awakened conscience" has
manifested itself in the South, re-
sulting in many benefits TO the
colored race. At the same time the
southern white man knows that the
Negro is a racial child, and that any
real, lasting progress which he
makes must come slowly. Higher
wages and educational advantages
cannot transform the status Of the
Negro in a decade or in a genera
ton. The black man in the South
has made great Announcements with
IN the past twenty-five years. He
is still making advancement. and
the southern white man is assisting
him in his efforts.
PRODUCT OF PAST
But the typical southern Negro is
still filthy. lazy. improvident. OF a
low order of mentality. and OF very
short moral stature He does moi
use his higher wages 10 improve his
Avlng conditions He does as little
work as possible. He spends his
I money as little child. Intellect.
uaily he IS moron. Ard he lies
cheats, and steals without any
moral scruples He is the product
o. a long. long past. Only a Ions
process Of education in the broac
sense Of the term will produce an,
marked changes in his status.
The southern white man IS kline
and friendly 10 the Negro He want.
10 help the Negro and is doing s.
constantly in many ways. The com
mon relationship between whit,
housewife and her colored servants
between white employer and color