The Omaha guide., 1945-04-28
PLAIN
TALK
THE QUESTION OF ANTI
SEMITISM AMONG NEGROES
bv Dan Gardner

by Dan Gardner
Anti-Semitism is a delicate sub
ject. In fact. the term has become
almost explosive and unmention-
able. Fear of being identified as a
"Jew-baiter'' or an a~nti-Semite has
all but banned frank discussion Of
the matter. and one would look for
many days before he found a pro-
fessional Negro leader willing
publicly to air his views on the sub
ject.
To get around being called anti
Semitic and, at the same time, bring
into the open the ramifications Of
the question, one has to be
what careful in the use of words as
well as a bit reckless in walking
where angels fear to tread.
Right now the Negro is being
pressed on all sides by other mi
common cause with him in these
difficult times when cooperation a.
mong minority groups for unity and
strength are necessary to advance
the aspirations and aims of such
groups.
| think American minorities, such
Is Jews, Italians, Irish, and Ger
mans. really have the secret envy of
the Negro because of his possession
Of the one thing that all Of them
lack. The Negro is a native Ameri-
can not foreign born as are the
others. The American Negro. being
native to the soil, were he white,
could capitalize to the fullest extent
on this link to the soil but. Icing
black. he has to live as a ward. more
or less tolerated through the good
graces of the white man, and the
white man is in power. Had most
Jews the prize possession of the
American Negro, native heritage. he
would probably be the strongest
force in American life today. But,
since he does not have it, there is
reason for his seeking unity and
common cause with the American
Negro.
The charges hat Jews exploit
Negroes wherever they meet them
has been made evry since | can re-
member n probably will continue
to be made after / am dead and gone
| The exploitation charged was based
on economic dealings; it stems from
certain practices that obtain in the
poorer neighborhoods where the
small storekeeper grocer, butcher,
ha~berdasher, jewler, etc, pitches
his camp. The so-called sharp
, driving practices Of the Jew in this
connection have been exaggerated
and played Upon that it is small
wonder that there does not exist
actual hatred for him by Negroes.
The facts Of the matter are, how
ever, Negroes don't hate anybody.
You hear professional leaders holler
from the hlltops that they hate this
and hate that, but. in the main the
great majority of Negroes don't
! have the time or the inclination to
| develop healthy hates for opposit
races and most certainly, not the
Jew.
However, as Negroes slowly be-
come more articr1ate, they attempt
to fight back against the alleged
sharp trading practices Of the
Jew by name calling and, in some
instances, whispering campaigns.
Again. all this can be regarded as
! harmless as there are few instances
where Negroes put on hoods. ride
white horses, and burr fiery crosses
in the front yards of people.
The Negro lowest down feels a
sort of kinship with the Jews that
is as natural and homely as that
which exists between cousins. To the
Jewish grocer or druggist the Negro
in the neighborhood takes his
troubles; to the Jewish butcher go
es the Negro seeking credit for
small purchases, and so on down the
line. The degree Of affability is en-
HANGED by the everyday working out
Of living together amicably of these
two un-alike people.
The affinity that the Negro feels
with the Jew is surprising and
would be extremely surprising to
how close the average Negro feels
! towards him. OF course there is the
element of jealousy that exists a.
mong all people and that is com
mon among Negroes who think the
Jew is taking all his money with
| IS-, hn1n1nGD ~ Gtnn him and thiC
jealousy is best seen in discussions
of the jew on the street corner or in
the pool room where those who
! come in contact with him most pro-
, fessionally relate their experiences
and let loose their squawks.
Hardest hit by a squawker are
those Jews who are in the enter
tainment business, whether as
theatre owners or managers or
booking agents for bands, acts. and
performers-they catch hell. They
are roundly abused, dissected, put
together. and broken up again in
long talks by the people they
handle. Yet the record shows these
very Negroes who do the loudest
bowling seldom. if ever, leave the
management of the Jewish agent
with whom they have been identifi-
ed. There are cases on record where
Negro orchestra leaders. singers,
dancers. and others have been man
aged by the same person for as long
as twenty years and, while these
people will talk glibly and loudly
how they have been robbed. they
show no inclination to pick up and
leave.
All this points to a healthy state
upon which real unity can be built
by the Negro and the Jewish people
The thing that inks the Negro most
about the jew, aside from his alleg-
d sharp trading practices, IL a ten
dency Of the Jew, once NJ gets on
his feet, to look the other way when