davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
LET Us MAKE SURE

The period of reconversion about which so
much has been said is staring us in the face and
bringing new problems TO our doorstep. Thous-
ands of workers in the Detroit industrial area were
fired last week and the cutbacks according to
government officials will continue. great many
of our workers have sought to prepare themselves
to absorb the shock Of the dislocations which to
some extent seem inevitable Others not so wise
or fortunate have genuine cause for concern today
While all workers. white and Negro are APP
prehensive over the future, the Negro workers are
especially anxious that the old discriminatory ira
dition of first fired and last hired viii not pre-
vail in this period. Utmost Of the organized plants,
layoffS will doubtless be governed by seniority
Even here however inequities may crop up if vigil
lance against discrimination is not maintained
- The greatest concern among Negro workers
who are being dismissed centers on the question of
fair employment practices. During the war period
the old discriminatory hiring policies Of the manu-
facturers were modified to some extent by govern
ment action and the shortage of manpower Now
we seem headed toward period of labor surplus
and there is increasing resistance in some quarters
to governmental interference" in the employment
policies of industry.
While both the Republicans and Democrats
have pledged support to permanent Fair Employ
ment Practices legislation, the Congress has not
acted and from latest reports the FEP bill is bottled
up in the Rules Committee of the House. The State
FEP bill has been kicked around in Lansing and its
future is dark indeed.
Nevertheless, this is no time to succumb to de-
featism. Today great body of white opinion sup
ports the principles Of fair employment practices
and the whites who are fighting the principals of
equality of opportunity are being discredited in
many quarters. We, however, have great respon-
sibility and we must organize our effort to make
sure there will be no return to wanton dscrlmlna-
ton in employment.
All citizens should write or wire their Congress
man now and urge immediate action on FEP legis-
lation in the Congress- Governor Kelly and our
state legislators must be made aware of the i'm
portance of an FEP law in Michigan Every letter
counts and the reactonaries who are opposing FEP
legislation know this better than anyone else. These
reactionaries must not be permitted to win by de-
fault Let us make sure that the principle of equal
opportunity prevails in America as it should in
true democracy.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
BOOK NOTES
By GERTRUDE SCOTT MARTIN

is substituting social ills. When
diseases in slums break away and
become epidemic, when anti-social
behavior created by slum living
turns into a crime wave, or when
race tensions explode into riots and
bloodshed, the entire population
pays the bill"
The final responsibility rests
with the individual citizens the ar
ticle points out and lists the fol-
lowing things that can be done
about il:
|. Refute the moth-eaten labels,
lbels, and WORKOUT club-car
jokes about members OF minority
groups.
2. Support legislation. both local
and national. outlawing the evils
OF intolerance.
g. Help open up equal employ
ment opportunity. i'll private in
dustry and government.
T. Participate. whenever possible,
in educational campaigns TO COM
bat prejudice.
s. Know your neighbor.
6 Help marshal public opinion
against intolerance.
Look is to be congratulated on
facing the problem If race preju-
dice directly and 81 7gesting con-
crete things that can be done to
stamp II out. AS the editors point
out:
The powder keg OF prejudice
awaits the spark that may detonate
conflict. When restraints OF war
are of and Rehabilitation, recon-
version and lsy-offs disrupt the ma
ton, trouble is expected. Minor
tiles will not easily accept dis
elimination d harges.' Mer-
chants Of hate will exploit the fric-
ton"
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
NAACPm Radio
Tribute To Late
President Sunday

NEW YORK.-Tribute 10 the late
President Roosevelt was paid by
the NAACP in a hslf-hour radio
program April IS over station
WNYC here. Speakers were Ar
thur 3. Spingarn, president; Roy
wilkins. assistant secretary. and
Herman Tayloc OF the legal staff.
Said Mr.. Spingsrn: The vast ma
jority Of colored people felt a per-
Sonal closenesS 70 Mr.. Roosevelt
and they trusted him; they felt
safe with him IN the White House,
and though there was much still
- be corrected. they knew that
under his adminiS,ratlo the great
est advances for the race had been
made.
III We arc 10 have in this coun-
try anything bearing resemblance
to that democracy which he so
confidently hoped for and so pas
sionately desired. the NAACP
work must 90 on with ever in
cresSinc strength. All % Us know
that democracy must be main
tanned ard bulwarked here - for
IL democracy fails in America.
there is no hope for democracy
anywhere in. the world. Nor is
there any hope for peace IN the
world"
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
FOREMOST AMONG THE JACKASSES

Because they refused to sign an order barring
themselves from the Officers club at Freeman Field
in Indiana, over hundred Negro officers of the
~477th Bomber group were arrested last week ac-
cording to news dispatches Of all the fantastic
brasshat proposals this is by far the most Incredible
Asking Negro officers to admit that they ought
to be segregated and then arresting them because
they wouldn't is the years prize example of as
ininity. 1t is reported that the War Department is
Investigating the case and well they might. The
brass-hat who thought up the Freeman Field trick
has certainly distinguished himself. Among all
the jackasses who are seeking to maintain Jim
Crow fighting force, he is foremost
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
Walt Whitman
Exhibit Shown

In ee$lbyation OF tie Goth ami.
versary OF the publication OF Walt
Whitman's Leaves OF Grass and
IN recognition OF Whitman's sig
nlfcance as war poet and as in
terpreter OF American democracy.
the Friends OF the Detroit Public
Library. Inc. is sponsoring Walt
Whitman Exhibition to be held at
the Main Library. Woodward and
Kirby, April % through May 81.
This exhibition will feature Whit
man manuscripts. autograph let
tiers. first editions. presentation
and association copies and por-
traits.
Items 10 be displayed will be
obtained from all parts OF the
country: from great Libraries and
from private collections. Among
others. the Pierpont Morgan Lii
brary the Library OF Congress.
Rutgers university. the University
Of Michigan and the University Of
California are lending Whitman
treasures. 1t is hoped that the cit
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
Seek Bill OF Rights
At Security Farley

NEW YORK. - A world Bill Of
Rights which will include un-
equivocal affirmation OF equality
OF all peoples and races" will be
a primary goal Of Walter White
and DR.. w. E. r. Dubois OF the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement Of Colored People at
the World Security conference in
San Francisco which opened April
25th.
DR. Dubois and Mr.. White are
consultants 10 the American
delegation at San Francisco. Of
ficially designated as such by the
state Department. The NAACP
IL one Of ~ organizations. and
the only Negro organization, In
vited by the State Department.
IN A STATEMENT vico1ei sc.
fore boarding a special train in
New York April 10. Mr.. White
said:
1T is our hope as consultants 10
the American delegation, to induce
the San Francisco conference 10
face what is one OF the most Sc
rious problems Of the twentieth
century--the question OF race and
color. We are particularly con-
cerned with what is done about
colonial empires and the wcll-be-
ing Of colonial peoples around the
world. Most Of these colonial pco-
nlcs arc colored What happens
10 even the most exploited Of these
has direct bearing upon the fu-
ture of Negroes in the United
States.
at is disturbing 10 read on the
eve OF the conference the state
ment b. Secretary Of State Edward
r. StettiniuS. Jr.. that the position
~ the United States government on
the question of assignment Vt uuS-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

THE LOCAL POLITICAL
BOILING POT This little
piece today has 10 do with the
local Negro political pot" II
II Of necessity half-baked and
cannot at this early writing give
any indication Of the part II Is
possible for our local Negro
population to play In our coming
city election. The personalities
and the organizations that are to
play determining role have
not come forth TO state their
positions.
There rs great deal of childish
pickering gong on among our
selves over the Negro to be put
forward By the Negroes for a seat
on our Common council One
group has already selected cam
diGatc. and i, has filed his name
with tho city clerk. Another group
IS threatening 10 file another cam
date 20 represent the Negroes
tan gible relationship TO the coming
election.
Both groups are claiming that
they represent the desires Of the
masses OF Negroes Certainly the
group that has already filed its
candidate represents some OF the
progressive opinions among Ne
groeS. Some church organizations
arc definitely behind the candidate
OF this group for the Common
council. Some labor people have
indicated their desire TO get be-
hind the candidacy Of the Rev.
Charles Hill The people sponsor
ing Rev. Hill are raising money
and gathering up organlzatlonal
support wherever they can.
The group that is threatening
TO run Atty. Edward A. Simmons
maintains that certain forces in
Detroit are opposed to the pres
ent Negro leadership. II main
tains further that some Of these
forces Negroes, and that
other Of these forces opposed to
the Negro leadership are white
people. This group sponsoring
Mr.. simmons says that ii has the
techniue necessary to put over
a political campaign, and that II
Negroes were considering run
ming a candidate. it should have
been consulted in the selection of
othe candidate. This group main
tainS that since II was not con-
suited, II will put its own candi-
date in the field to show who has
the following Of the Negro peO-
pie in Detroit.
This pickering over who's who
in Detroit would be something over
which we could laugh and dismiss
were it not that the whole thing
has implications that can be tragic
II not handled with astuteness and
with far-seeing understanding. II
the thing Is badly handled, the
PEOPLE in the city Of Detroit. espe-
eially Negro people. have right
TO say TO the Negro leadership OF
its legally constituted organiza-
tons, Plague on all Of your
houses" No one group and no
one individual in Detroit can say
with assurance that the Negro vote
is going TO be cast a certain way.
The Negro voter votes as an Amer
lean citizen. II is right and proper
for any individual and any group
10 proceed to influence in what the
individual or the organization
thinks is the right direction.
II the great majority Of the
people constituting the Negro
population in the city of Detroit
wants one candidate over against
the other for a member of the
Common council, II can easily do
so by going to the polls and vot-
ing for that candidate. 1t ought
not to be stated that anybody
who proposes another candidate
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
The Facts In Our News


Is . traitor TO the race. or that
by FORMULATING another candi-
date. one II accused Of trying To
split the Negro vote. No one can
split the Negro vote II the Negro
voter Is determined to do a GER
tain thing. The Negro people are
no more childish in their under
standing Of the problems that
confront them than any other
citizen In our population.
Therefore, il appears TO be mere
idle chatter 10 be so protective in
ones utterances OF the Negro peo-
pie. Let US have as many candi-
dates as anybody chooses 10 put
in the race. II the majority Of the
people is definitely for one cam
didate. all the others will matter
very little, and in many cases not
al all.
II will be tragic indeed IL we
use our energies In throwing
verbal bricks at one another
rather than promulsate what we
believe in over against what
someone else believes in. II II
much more economical in terms
Of time and money for the poor
Negro community TO work for q
positive program. In other words,
too often we proceed to solve
our problems In the general COM
munity by a negativistic process
rather than by~a positive pro-
cess. This gets us little. II will
get us even less II In our own
intra- group life We follow the
same process.
We all know that it is dramatic
and attention-getting to call other
people drastic names. Sometimes
name-calling is necessary, but in
this instance now before US, name
calling only serves 10 divide and
waste our efforts. 1t wastes the
efforts Of the name-caller. and
causes those who are called the
names 10 waste their efforts In
trying to retaliate.
We must also be sure In this
coming election that we get
group Of liberal men and women
running for the council. To con-
centrate all Of our efforts and
thinking at this time upon one
Negro will in the end defeat our
whole purpose. We have some
good men in the Common cOun-
Gil. We must be sure that they
are awarded for their services.
We will have some good men to
run for the council. We must not
overlook them in trying to work
out q program for better govern
ment. II Is easy to do this II we
get too emotional about one Ne
gro candidate. We need and we
must have a Negro member OF
the Common council Of Detroit,
but one Negro member Of the
Common council without some
liberal support will be compare
lively useless. The Negro vote,
il misguided by its emotionalism
in trying to get Negro on the
Common council, can guarantee
that no changes Of any kind will
occur in the Common council.
At this writing. ii appears to
your columnist that we don't
have very good chance Of
changing the personnel Of our
council. Negroes at this time are
the most vocal for the change Of
the personnel Of the Common
council. Liberal whites, who feel
that we ought to have a change
in the Common council. have
placed their reasons for the
change entirely on the Negro is
sue. In other words, the reasons
the liberal whites are advancing
for q change in the Common
council are not inclusive enough
to make for any general change
in the general celebrates minds.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
PREJUDICE: OUR
POSTWAR BATTLE

Look magazine in its May ] issue
has published a series OF pictures
with an accompanying article
called Prejudice: Our Postwar
Battle" The article is based on
facts gathered by Wallace Stegner
who spent a year in travel and re-
search. A book based on his find
ings, and compiled by the editors
of Look. Will be published by
Houghton Miffin this fall
The article in Look traces brief
~ the situation which minority
groups in this country face II has
this 70 say OF segregation In sup
porting segregation -. America
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
IMMORTAL Is HIS GRACE
BY Pandora Humphrey. ia
Miller High School

Think not OF him with grief in
tense.
immortal is his grace.
Inside the grave lies evidence,
A pleasant. smiling face.
A man he was TO his country dear,
All rich and poor the same
Roosevelt had naught 90 fear;
BY deeds he earned his fame.
Gods purpose will be seen at last,
Easing every hour
There is pilot al the mast,
For God has al the power.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

practices. Ne
groes h a V c
been allowed 10
prove that they
are qualified for
any position in
GLIDING pos l.
w ar W or X.
H o u S ] n & has
been improved
through prof.
ects. too. / feel
h at ( h e Me-
groes will miss
him to I h e
gre a I st ex-
font
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
DEEP RIVER"
ROCK CII'R CHOICE

Henrietta 'Buckmaster'S excellent
novel. Deep River. is the cur
rent choice Of the Book Find club.
Mss Bucknaster is scheduled TO
visit Detroit soon as principal
speaker for the dinner honorlng
Rev. Claude Williams early in
MAY.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

ment and coop
Grafton he gave
the Clio be-
cause il h a s
G q u allied the
Negroes rights
in the laboring
field and given
us an opportun-
ity to & al n
greater fnan-
cial independ-
ence. 1t elevat-
cd our living
standards a n d
economic equal
ity is what we
are after. Edu-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28


have proved a
great help to
the Negro. We
needed 90 d
livin 6 condi-
tons a b ov c
everything else
but we were
not given the
opportunity to
improve our
conditions be-
fore Roosevelt.
Then he gave
us rent control
10 keep us from
being exploited.
He WaS "A great
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
THE WHOLE CONCEPT Of free


competitive capitalism" immune
from any form OF government SUI
pervision. is opposed to ideals the
workers in the plants seek to at
tain Free. :. competitive capital
ISM - American style as we have
come to know il - means for the
overwhelming majority OF Ameri-
can workers, that when and II the
Company permits, you have free
dom to sweat and toll your life
away: gamble on a million to one
chance that maybe one day you too
will become Vice President OF a
General Motors Corporation and
receive a hundred thousand dollars
a year - plus bonuses!
If l sense correctly the tempera-
ment Of the rank and file workers
in Detroit. for example, they are
scared stiff over eminent cut-backs
and lay.offs. They are fed up with
Understanding economic philoso-
ply. They want positive guaran-
tees OF steady employment at re-
munerative wages and some leisure
time to enjoy the fruits OF their
labors. The proposed Code does
not assure this.
On the second basis cause Of IN
dustrial turmoil in our plants,
namely. discrimination and the
playing Off of one racial. religious
or nationality group against the
other. the proposed Code is alb
solutely silent; silence which
might well be interpreted by some
employers as an approval OF their
present discriminatory policies.
We need not comment on the
AT of LIS failure TO raise this Is
sue. Its actions as disting uished
from its words are too well
known to us here In the Detroit
area where the Transfers Union
still proves daily, despite FEPC's
conctlliatory efforts. that II Is
more powerful than the Presi-
dents Executive Order.
But how the CIO can be a party
to a proposed Code with industry
which implicitly at least sanctions
continued violation of that Order
by Management. is difficult to ex-
DldlIl. WY OWIl 10 di 'iiC
more battling when I recall that
at its last convention in Chicago,
the CIO unanimously resolved that
all Of its affiliates should include
in their collective bargaining agree
ments a clause prohibiting Man.
cement from discriminating
against any employee or prospec-
tive employee because OF race,
creed. color or national origin. The
International UAW-C1O has in
structed ali of its local unions and
departments TO insist on the in
clusion OF such an undertaking in
each collective bargaining agree
ment it negotiates. II this proposed
Code already initiated by the lead
ers Of Labor and Management is
not in essence-if not in form-a
collective bargaining agreement.
than that term is sadly in need Of
re-defnition.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

ly instrumental
IN. H,S'ning IL
possible , for
" e & r o e S To
w DIRK on an
e gu al b as S
with a n y on e
else. He would
h We d on c
much more for
us IL he had
had more CO.
operation from
L q n gr SIS. l
think that 1t
was great that
he made il DOS
Sihle for No
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
POET S
CORN Err
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR
PRESIDENT

We loved him. yes. we loved him,
But the angels loved him more,
And they have sweetly called him
To yonder shining shore.
The heRenly gates were opened
4 mSfher,s voice "a. Come"
And with fareweIis unSpoken
Franklin calmly entered home.
With deepest sympathy from the
Ofett family.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

Mrs. Bernice Avery, Waitress,
1896 Mortified.
I think that Roosevelts greatest
contribution to the Negro was the
institution OF fair employment
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
AUTHOR HONORED AGAIN

Gwethalyn Graham, author OF
the best seller, Earth and High
Heave," and winner Of the Anis-
ield-Wolf award for the best
novel on race relations publishSt
IN 1914 has also received the Gov
ernor General Of Cansda's 1914
award for the best novel by a
Canadian writer. Earth and High
Heaven tells the story of the love
of two French-CanadIans, one a
Jew and the other Gentle. II you
haven't read II already, you have
2 trent In SiOre
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

liens Of Detroit will enjoy the
exhibition and will gain from IL
increased appreciation Of Walt
Whitmans contribution 10 Ameri-
can letters. Admission is free.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
PAMPHLET PRESS

Reynal and Hitchcock, the pub
fishers, have recently started new
department called Pamphlet Press
which provides pamphlets for any
liberal group. Joseph Gaer heads
the bureau which will write, de-
sign, illustrate. and manufacture
pamphlets. Mr.. Gaer wrote the
PAC pamphlets in the last cleo
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

ticular legisla-
ton has touched
me personally
whenever I am
looking for en-
ployment as a
tool and die
m a k er. 7 h e
agencies under
Order 8 OF
have hindered
many employ
ers who would
otherwise have
d i scriminated
against me. l
think we Will
all remember
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

ENCOURAGE THE DISCHARGED VETERAN
TO ACCEPT EMPLOYMENT IN CRITICAL WAR
PRODUCTION. A REPRE- seNTATWe OF USES
IS LOCATED m EACH ARr1Y SEPARATION
CENTER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND
HELD HIN FIND A JOe THAT FULLY
uTlIZES HIS SklllS.'
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

Emanuel Hudson, Machinist,
Ford's. 947 Medbury.
I think that slum clearance was
the greatest contribution. The
housing projects that were built
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28

teeShipS for Pacific islands and
former inundated territories has
not been determined upon. The
army, the navy and other forces.
including the Hearst press. are
waging determined campaign
against the American delegation
approving any formula for former
mandates ard island possessions
which would interfere with the
United States retaining as military
bases certain Pacific islands which
have been Wrested from the Japa-
nese. II is reported that powerful
forces in the United States are
willing 10 permit colonial powers
like the British, Dutch and French.
10 do whatever they choose in
colonies they held before the war
IL IN return the United States is
permitted ie hold on TO the islands
IL wishes.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT is the
adoption by the conference Of
world bill Of rights which will in
clude unequivocal affirmation OF
the equality OF all peoples and
races Such resolution was intro
duced at Dumbarton Oaks by the
Chinese but was quietly Smothered.
II is our hope that there will be
no repetition Of such suppression
at San Francisco. since that would
be merely an affirmation 81 deter
mination 10 perpetuate white SUI
premacy.'
At the last moment Mrs. Mary
Mcleod Bethunc, president OF the
National Council Of Negro women.
was added 10 the NAACP delcga-
ton with the permission OF the
State Department. but she will not
be recognized as representing her
organization She is one OF the vice
presidents Of the NAACP.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-28
ENDURING Reporter
Questions: IN your opinion. what
was Roosevelt's greatest con-
tributiOn to the Negro?
william Sypert. Proprietor. Quail
ity Market, 4256 Rivard.

I think that Roosevelt's greatest
contribution was the acknowledge