The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-02

uor... whit. tial progress.
horace "n''s The home own
ership by Negroes has gone for
ward by leaps and bounds. II graf
ifies ones heart. The FLA has
done one very splendid thing 70
aid this. Where Negroes have had
an opportunity to buy homes. the
FLA has insured the mortgage.
Mr.. Ray Foley has told certain
financing institutions that when
they get Negro applications for
loans to buy houses. the local
FILA will insure the loan. This Is
fine, fine move from two points
of view. It aids Negroes in the
purchase Of hOmes-On the other
hand Il allows Negroes to estab-
lish . substantial credit basis with
private financing agencies.
In addition to this very definite
move forward with Negroes, the
private building industry has been
given great encouragement to
build for Negroes. The matter OF
sites has slowed the process some.
The restrictive covenants have
prevented a great deal Of possible
houses under both public and pri-
vate auspices. These restrictive
covenants have TO be dealt with as
any lawyer will confirm. Almost
any twelve-year-old child knows
that when Negroes move into re-
stricted neighborhoods, they meet
with antagonism from frightened
white people. This has to be dealt
with in sagacious manner. A
ruthless handling OF such a prob
lem by private industry or public
agency slows down general prog
ress for the Negro in many other
areas OF necessary departments of
our society This does not mean
that the problem is to be side
stepped just because it is tough.
The contrary is emphatically true.
Problems affecting the sentiment
talities and the beliefs Of Negroes
have to be handled with tact and
understanding. A rough handling
Of these problems will certainly
slow up community progress In its
effort to serve the whole people.
These are just hard facts. Negroes
are not to be side-stepped. their
progress has to be dealt with by
the community.
Negroes are spreading out into
other areas to very encouraging
degree. Negroes are going east out
Warren avenue and Gratiot ave-
nue.. All Of the cross streets are
now spotted with Negroes who
are buying fine little homes and
identifying them with taste and
economy. The boundry on the
west side Of West Grand beuIe-
ward has extended greatly since
1910. The end does not yet ap-
pear I'm either Of these sections Of
our dynamic city.
The public housing program has
tried hard TO meet the demand Of
Immigrant war workers. OF course.
1t has been met with short-sighted-
ness and bigotry. Within the next
two months $500 more houses will
be opened for Negro war workers.
We are working for 500 more i'm
mediately. Gentlemen and ladies,
this takes work. sweat and tears.
We have to stick at it.
II Is said that the immigration
Of Negroes continues into Detroit.
II this Is true, one can see how dy-
manic the problem will remain for
. long time. Your correspondent
could not have stayed at Il II there
were no progress. He welcomes
all the outside pressure possible.
He knows. with you, that pressure
can only have meaning when re-
suits are being obtained. We can
now see that by the end of l945
over $4,000 dwellings will have
been. secured for Negroes. Over 40
per cei.t Of these will be bought
and the other so per cent will be
new rentals NEW for Negroes,
and government-owned This Is
not enough, of course, but those
Of us who have dedicated a part
Of our time to meet the problem
see progress, and the future re-
suits Of the picture are indeed
good.
Push! Push! and push some
more. but push with a sense of the
future. Progress is more with to-
morrow than today When people
have been taught 10 push now to
have any increasingly better life
tomorrow. nobody can stand in
their way. Not even local
NAACP secretary even though
he Is standing with his chest
"poked" out by misunderstanding,
thrushed in the faces Of the mass
es, can prevent the onward march
Of the people. We OF the masses
are patient. We paw and wait for
generations 70 get good leaders.
This Is why we shall ever stand
by our shredded, nebulous and
bumptious embryo leaders. with
out some such feeling the people
could not tolerate any of u.s..