The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-03-03
From indianapolis. Ind

PAPER COLUMN about labor de-
velopments OF interest 10 readers
OF the colored press, is most diffi-
cult assignment because Of the
large number of things, totally un-
Influenced by race or color. which
are happening 10 and in organized
labor these days. And, further.
because OF the dilemma one faces
whenever he tries 10 se2re2ate
these developments on the basis OF
race or color.
There really Is no more JUS
LITIGATION for such segregation Of
Negro" newspaper. News Is
news TO everyone regardless Of
race or color.
But UNFORTUNATELY the re-
porting, the editing and the COM
ment on the news is too frequent
~ Influenced by the -Mrliers-
the commentators own views about
race and color questions. II. for
example. the Detroit dailieS hon.
estly reported all Of the news OF
interest To all OF their readers.
there would be no justification for
a Negro press. tAnd, incidentally,
there would be no need for Gloster'
Current and Horace White TO con-
tinue TO be at each others throatD
But this is not the case. And.
hence, during the week your Negro
newspaper columnist is busy ac-
,,,v,a,,lnttpo lAt 81 idnoe and
thoughts which he thinks should
be tossed out 10 the readers OF the
Negro press. AT the time the par
tiCular thought occurs 10 him it is
most important; but he soon no.
tees that the last idea always
seems far more important and
more urgent than any OF its
predecessors.
So he frequently ends up by
writing a column on whatever
thought impresseS him most as
Of the day and time he begins
10 hammer out his column.
FOR EXAMPLE. during the past
week | had on different days de-
Nlhtu W AO4llliitllN bli lIIt AONNIl
formulation in London OF a Go
sponsored plan for new world
federation of international labor
EXAMINATIONS; the decision Of the
Senate Committee on Labor 10
write new work or fight bill
more acceptable 10 organized la
Dor than the House approved Mays
Bill; the organization by Cornell
university OF Workers School
first of its kind 10 be established
by a leading university; the in
creasing likelihood that former
Vice President Wallace will be
confirmed as Secretary OF Com
merce.
Each OF these subjects is i'm
portant TO readers OF the Negro"
press. But whatever presumed
special significance they have for
Negroes is also OF special signifi-
canoe to whites as well; and vice
versa
And, so. am right back where
| was when | first sat at the desk
in this Indianapolis hotel room and
began thinking about Labor Looks
Ahead" And doubtlessly shall
do again precisely what (and all
other columnists) have done and
will continue to do. namely. write
about that which interests me most
at the time.
FOR EXAMPLE. this hotel-the
only passable one in this workers
section OF the community-is vio-
lating OPA regulations by requir-
ing that guests make application
10 and join pseudo-foundation
known as the -- Founda-
ton before they can get accommo-
dationS. II is done very shrewdly,
too You pay from four TO ten dol
lars per night for a room you ordi-
narily would not accept at one
dollar per night; and when you
complain TO OPA. as some guests
have done. the hotels answer is
That the money which you paid
in excess OF OPA's rent ceiling
really was your membership
dues and not rent for lodging
But why come TO Indianapolis
TO point out what a joke price
control has become. Just walk IN
TO a Detroit restaurant located in
workers neighborhood? Places
that would not dare think OF
charging ten cents for a cup OF
coffee or l5c for slice OF apple
pie prior to April, l943, not only
serve the staleSt cup OF coffee and
the smallest piece OF pie imagin-
able now. but they also have the
gall TO print and publish notices
that those we're their prices on that
date And what does the local
OPA Office do about il? Nothing!
Yet. price control was designed
TO protect workers whose earnings
il was expected (and now know
could not keep pace with unregn-
lated price increases.
We do not single out the OPA:
It's not the only Federal agency
whose local officers are not doing
their JOB.