The Omaha guide., 1945-02-10

seek new and vigorous leadership to
initiate the kind of program nece,
sary to straighten out our twisteo
and neglected economic thinking
nowl
1.-THE recent convention of the Go
and its positive pronouncements re
lating to industrial and political ac-
ton indicate a very promising trend
toward ter-racial cooperation and
goodwill. The last national election
demonstrated a surprisingly high de-
gree of respect cherished by Negro
es for the CLIO. and its militant and
progressive leadership. This means,
| think, that the field of civil rights
and in the business of industrial re-
lations respectively. And in this
direction | am safe in saying thar
virtually all Negro Go member,
are convinced that their unions have
greater capacity to work for job Sc
curity and better race relations thai,
any other group.
Whether they like it or dep1ore
it, the most important work needed
to be done among Negroes is that OF
community building and all it repre-
sents. Inarticulate agitation on ques
tons of social justice is not the main
issue at this moment.
IF the Negro will learn to do
for himself by way Of busin-
esS enterprise and politics in his OWL
community, he will have a better
chance of coming out of the cellar
and breaking the vicious control be
ing exercised over him by others.
Thanks for your inspiring articl-
es. Keep up the nice work! Youl
sincere admirer."
My criticism of Negro organiza
tons such as, the NAACP., Urbai.
League and others, has not been one
in which an attempt was made t.
needle these groups for any special
purpose beyond that of constructive
criticism as a challenging OF their
efforts into lines of endeavor tina,
would meet current problems and
situations.
As Mr.. Peters points out the MA
ACP and Urban League, despit.
their abundant wealth Of training
and education, are still unequipped to
cope with the basis problems of cru
per food, clothing, and shelter for
the great masses of Negroes through
a program of self-education and e.
economic planning.
The reason why this situation ex
lists is that these two organizations,
as pointed out in this column before,
are mterracial and l have vet to be
convinced that interracial setups pur-
porting to bring about better condi-
tons for Negroes are basicallv
sound unless the whites are willing
to &C all the way, giving the Negro
the same fundamental
breaks" as other groups. These
fundamental breaks" are: the right
to establish businesses in location,
that are advantageous for sales; tn.
property to manufacture basic COM
modities and goods; and the proper
ty to market the same rithout strane
ling competition and left-handed dis
enlargement Of such enterprises.
Civil rights are of great moment
at all times, and Negroes-above all
others-have to be increasingly Wig
liant in watching out for their rights
However, what good is it to get the
right to go into a restaurant to eat,
II you don't have any money to pay
the man after you are through. and
OF what good is it to win the RICH,
to dance with a white girl at some
college prom or public ballroom
when the meny you pay to go in 60
eS to somebody else's pocketbook
and doesn't help you at all?
This is, as | see it, a reason WHY
the programs of both the Urban Lea
que and the NAACP need revision
IN the light of current problems tina.
are facing US on all sides TODAY. II
sucn changes are not made. and soon
these two organizations and other,
like them might wake up one dav TO
ind that the Go or other labor or
CARNATIONS will have taken I'VE,
uleir places in the economic and Soc
ial thinking of the Negro.