The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-21

. companies by Lieut. r. + Roper
Of the Navy
I 4 FOUND that the poitry Itself
while bcing formulated and pro-
mulGated in Washington. is being
accepted in good spirit by the
/ various Naval Districts II Is being
! 'n'clligently and honestly admin
stored in the headquarters az the
districts visited" nc declared
In no instance did have rea-
son TO suspect resistance 10 the
policy There was an evident
pride in the signs Of success"
Everything he found was not
rosy. however. Granger admit
ted lie said the further down
in the ranks Of command the
policy descended the more in
stances there were Of deviation
from II. TIE said this was to he
expected. for people in the Navy
are Americans. and there are
many preiudices on racial queS-
tons among Americans.
THIS EMPHASIZES, ne said the
need for volicing the policy only
when such poll ing is developed
viii "c find adherence 10 FACIAL
policy, the same as 20 other naval
policies he pointed out
Il don't think any OF US is pre-
pared 20 give the Navy blank
check Of confidence he declared
"Bu' any reaSona Ole person who
his been around the country must
we credit f.r NOT hc'ug no same
NVv 80 FAR as the Nero is con-
ccrncd
LISTING the gains Negroes have
node IN me Navy Granger point
e. -.
- Negrocs are now admitted
20 general service assignments
Two or three years ago. only tho
stewards branch was open. AZ
present. ne pointed out. there
are two important fields which re-
main closed 10 Negroes aviation
pilots and combat posts in the
submarine service These points
nc stated. have been called 10 the
attention 81 the proper officials
OF the Navy department
90 Negroes arc now being rated
as petty Off -ers in practically
every category They are being
trained Il Hampton Institute which
he said is on is way ont as a
separate training center I'm this
same connection. he said the train
ing of Negro commissioned officers
has been a gam The twelve Ne
croes commissioned several months
ago have been promoted 70 lieu
tenants Junior grader
80 Negro personnel is now be-
ing assigned 10 auxiliary craft up
TO ten percent OF the ships COM
plement They are no longer con-
fined TO one or two ehipS He said
he has been assured that Negroes
not only Will be assigned TO YES
sells, but that petty officers Will
be asst gned according TO their
duties on such ships
az Progressive elimination of
racial segregation in the Navy.
The Navy has realized that you
can't run a Navy and keep Ne
groes and whites separate.
CONCERNING recreation. he
said he would hate to have the
Red Cross come into the Navy
program with the Rod Cross Segre-
CATION programs set up for the
army. Recreational needs are taxi
en- care OF by the Navy with the
assistance OF the USO. be declared
1T demonstrates again how far
wrong some OF the other agencies
are in saving Negroes and whites
cannot amuse themselves together
without riots and friction"
90 Asst gnment OF Negroes TO
warshi pS. For a long time. be de-
clared, Negroes were resentful Of
being ASST gned 10 shore duties
They felt Inundated at being as
signed TO loading ammunition in
stead Of being put on ships for
which they had been trained.
There is every hope. he said. that
this program will be expanded.
Granger. who has had two con-
ferenceS with Secretary ForreS,al
since his return from his CONT
mental inspection tour. said in the
fall he will make a similar tour
Of naval bases in the Pacific al
the request of the Secretary.