davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

following II each step of the way through COM
mittees. through hearings, back to committees,
and through all the other complex procedure of
getting bill enacted into law.
Last year, for example. when newspapers
throughout the country reported what prom
inent persons of all races and efeeds had said in
support of Fair Employment Practice legislation
then before Congress, little did most people
realize that behind this publicity was the careful
planning of the National Council for a Perma-
nent FEPC. 1t was this organization that in most
cases made the arrangements for outstanding
leaders to present their statements at appropriate
Congressional hearings.
In all its great variety of work the national
council has proven its worth To the national
council must 60 much of the credit for the en-
couraging progress made by FEPC legislation
in the last session of Congress. The fact that
1t failed Of passage cannot be charged of as a
total loss. The continued demand for FEPC
had an educational effect which will contribute
TO the future good of equality of opportunity in
employment.
For in the New Congress chances for the sue
cessful passage of FEPC legislation look better
than ever. This doesn't mean it will be easy
going; it won't; the battle, due to ignorance and
prejudice, will be tough and bitter 1t is how
ever, not unlikely that it will be won, and that
before the end of l945 a Permanent Fair En-
ployment Practices Commission will have been
created and will be effectively fighting discrim-
nation in employment on scale heretofore un-
known.
All Chronicle readers recognize, however, that
this cannot be accomplished without widespread
support. To have this widespread support re-
quires action on your part and on my part and by
millions of others, In this, our immediate task,
as above stated, requires contribution of our
hard-earned dollars-whch> will be our invest.
ment in democracy in employment In the
weeks TO come the national council and the
Michigan Chronicle will inform US of further
action.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
The WATCHT0WER 3, ROY WILKINS

they will use them only 10 nurse Negro troops.
Why they tell me al one Negro Army hospital
they have IS nurses for $50 patients, whereas
some white nurses have many as 200 patients
10 look after
Never mind the whereascs," said Simple,
cooking a knowing eye at me- You mean the
Army needs nurses, but they don't want Negro
nurses, Well that is just like the white folk. A
he'll Of lot of them would rather cut on an
arm than give us chance. Amt they crazy?
Here our soldiers are shot up and dying and
needing care, someone to follow the doctors
orders, take temperature, get drink OF water,
give pill change sheets and all that, and the
white folks say colored girls can't do that.
Sounds to me like foolishness from Big White
Folk up top"
Surgeon General Kirk Of the Army" /. said,
'says they can't mix nurses, they can't house
them together, and they use Negro nurses only
for Negro troops"
Il knew IT," chuckled Simple do you sup
pose wounded white boy would give damn
il some of these terrific tan chicks fed him his
soup? I wish was sick so they could hold my
hsnd-but anyway, do you think these dog tired
white nurses would who helped them as
long as they got help? Why don't the Big White
Folk ask the Little White Folk some questions?
Why what is the war about
Calm yourself Simple You know how white
folk are. They can't help it. They are so busy
being white they don't think straight. They say
draft viii help. ! don't see IL"
We'll. If what you say is true" declared Sim
pie, drawing his overcoat closer "let EN- have
their draft They amt going to use our girls,
right? Even if they draft 5000 OF them, they
are the wrong color, right? Then why worry?
That is the trouble with people like you and Mr..
Hughes You worry too much. The people who
should be worrying about this are the wounded
white boys and their families. and the poor white
nurses. They are being dis-what you call it!-
Disseminated against, and plenty"
And with that he ducked into bar for a
warmer-upper.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

white folks are very excited about it, claiming
our poor boys at the battlefront and IN the hos
pitfalls back home not getting the proper
care because they need 10000 more nurses. Why
Congress is even talking about passing bill to
draft nurses
Il wish them success" said Simple gloomly
81 mean about making women do anything you
want them to do. Never had much luck my
self making them do anything, Seems like
draft by the government is the only way you can
force woman and even then. Uncle Sam had
better keep his fingers crossed. Why, remem-
Der gal in Memphis
But this is serious Simple cut him off.
"You don't want our boys 10 suffer for proper
care, do you?"
What you mean our boys7 Are the colored
folks mixed up in this nurse business? Seems
like there ought TO be al least one white folks
fight we could stay out Of
That's my problem" l told him I'VE are
right in the middle of it. You see, we have
plenty Of colored nurses. several thousands OF
them. They are good nurses, trained and regis
tered, but the Army and the Navy officials say
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
STRANGE FRUIT


Names Of principals In this one
have to be withheld for obvious
reasons, but it's truth stranger than
fiction.
Pretty daughter Of . fair skinned
Nordic-festured colored family liv-
ing near q big u. S. Marine base
started keeping company with .
Marine captain. They fell In love
and Just before the Marine was
ordered overseas. he bought an en-
gagement ring and proposed mar.
riage.
The girl in a qsundary. sought
advice Of her understanding aunt,
who. fortnight soul that she was
advised: Tell him you're cclored."
This the girl did but with some
trepidation.
The Marine captain heard her
through in amazed silence, then
slowly grinned and said: That's
the last thing to worry about. Hap
pens I'm colorsd, too
Alfred z. Smith in
Chicago Defender
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
AGAIN--.l0vE LETTERS
By ANITA DANIEL
CONDENSED from the New York Times)

strange. but 1t seems that in peaceful times people
don't write love letters.
IL not that there is less love peaceme than there
in war But surely there is less consciousness of love
and much less for writing love letters love letter
hearts call to another heart Peace, security and
happiness make the heart sleepy.
separation between lovers could easily be brdged
by excellent technical means quick journey more
fun than long letter Intoxicated with modern technique
people had forgotten how write letters There
whole generation Of seemingly ilterate lovers
Now the Office OF Censorship represents the crossway
OF international love-summed up in millions Of letters
they are mostly written in onghand very thin sheets
IN smallest possible lines They come from one
END or this disturbed world to the other They are love
letters in the most traditional odfashoned sense of the
word
Written without the least of inhibition OVERLOOKING
with longing with hopes with reproaches with passion
with adoraonwel with all the eternal ingredients OF
love- Is the greatest pity that the are bound to
sence Their experience in the human side could
be most valuable
AT the peace table censor ought to sit among the
omcials His inside knowledge Of peoples hearts and
temperaments would enlghtening But one of the
many weak points OF international politics the over
estmauon OF treaties and the underestmation OF love
letters
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

dam lie from q no cunt hound dos
what Is not famous for any brsines
no way. An any nosey crabs, Ike
there's plenty enuf, don't believe
this they 10 welcom to 80 lor
thereself Dr.. Jim .Rudisills bill
which 10 for one teeth only whatso.
ever!! What is more I'm hrhtins
mad to get my hands on that little
runt Of q Pierce nj what In the
real mess back Of this tixxy an what
has told shamSul lies CONCERNING
me. She best 20 on her nees and
thank the Almight for having the
mine to run on to Mobile where
! cannot get my hands on her for
shes one person I wood beet there
teeth in with JOY ringing In INV
orest No need to say whom Il il
she run OF with a. folks not blind
deaf and dunn full well knevs. An
when ais said and I feels poorly for
mar nogood dame having to see
hansen Cslvins face day in an Say
out like me for II years and rot
eros eyes for the trouble. Me. I'm
getting remarked come xmas IA
Mister Ollie Sands from over A..
more way an you can put this in
the paper as he will not tell lies
on me like some husbans. like one
Calvin Butter for instance. we'll
must sin OF as the pigs must be
teeo an no man 10 do il.
Your friend. Daisy Butter
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

A two-road highway network,
stretching over northern France,
was Communicated. Traffic ran one
way on each road-convoys moved
from Normandy 10 the front on one
road, returned on the other. In the
forward areas the highway
branched out, one route serving
the First Army. the other the third.
II was a terrific hsul-up to a
thousand miles round trip when the
troops reached the German border
the biggest trucking operation In
military history, -four times as
long AS the Burma Road" the Red
Ball people boast.
RED BALL EXPRESS
SOC NEGRO
Red Ball itself is an Old civilian
railroad term, denoting priority
shipments. Overnight the round red
daub appeared on thousands OF
trucks. trailers. tank cars. wreckers,
jeeps. Each vehicle had two drivers
assigned 20 IL. Sixty per cent OF the
men were Negroes. -.
Red ball Immediately Instituted a
standardized procedure for road
operations. and vigorously enforced
IL. All trucks moved in convoy.
each convoy commanded by an
officer in a jeep following along
in the rear-to watch out for stray
slers. The trucks were spaced out
al regular intervals. kept down TO
a speed Of twenty-five miles an
hour. This made for a steady, I'M
interrupted pace--and constant
movement. Two Mp battalions con-
,rolled traffic. Every couple OF
hours the conveys would stop for
a ten-minute break. and II the men
were lucky they would set dough-
nuts and coffee from mobile Red
Cross unit. Coffee was vital. for
the drivers averaged twenty hours
at the wheel, and without il they
would doze of. start weaving back
and forth--and crack up.
Midway between the dumps and
the front was a huge bivouac area,
covering several dozen square
miles. A driver would bring his
vehicle in from the dump. turn II
over TO his relief man, who would
take il up forward. When the truck
returned from the front. the first
man would take over again for the
trip back TO the dump.
ENGINEERS WORKED
AROUND THE CLOCK
To keep the express line runn.ns
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
new RELATION

Then there was the Hillbilly who
took q young man to the doctor.
Doc" he said, Il shot off part Of
my son-in-iaw's ear yesterday. You
better fix him up"
why Zeke. you shouldn't have
shot your son-in-law." said Doc.
"He warnt my son-in-law when
I shot him"
Los Angeles Tribune
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
SPORT CLOTHES

They tell . tale about an Raj
officer who was picked up tearing
around q hotel corridor In the nude,
chasing . girl In q nightie. At the
court martial, his lawyer got him
of by reading . regulation that
says:
ANY officer may appear In pub
lie suitably clad for the sport In
which he Is INDUCING"
Amsterdam News
from Army Times
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
Cigarette Shortage
Explained

Iedays lecture By DR.. Earnest
a. Heeten. Harvard snthrspelseist,
IL ON the cigaret shortage:
The boys In the foxheIes are
nervous and miserable and want
giris. Since they can't have them,
Mey smeke cigsrsts. The girls a
Nome, with their virtue net enlan.
sereo, Are nervous and miserable
and want bsys. Since they cant
have them. they smoke eigsrets.
So. what happens? The brisr pipe
RESUMES iss rithtful place a the
cempahisn Of the philosephie male
whose gsnadals preoccupatien ems
have vasisAsd with the yssss."
sosssdaii rss<sisiss 70 Q ssaaS. e,xiS..
aeeiesi ptssisssry. YssstA 1aisisa.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

on speaking terms thought
he would not mind il !, too,
called Upon Simple. | had a
puzzle that was too much for
me. Said !:
Simple, the white>tolks
have me in a fog :"
That's the way they al
ways try 10 keep us colored
folks" Simple interrupted.
"What is the trouble now!"
1t is about the terrible
shortage of rurses for the
Army and Navy" ! said. Il
suppose you have been read
inc about il in the papers. The
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
ART CRITIC

One Of our artists who shares our
affection for shoe-shine boys tells
us about his favorite. The artist
was making q sidewalk speech In
the Time Square purlieus and q
tiny bootblack watched over his
shoulder for a full 10 minutes, then
stroiled away. When he'd gone
about Ave yards he turned around.
shook his head sadly and said, Il
don't know, Joe. guess it's da
pencil" Pm
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

IN Detroll' i1lS group, named
the Detroit Committee for a
Permanent FEPC, has set the
goal of twenty-five thousand
dollars for Detroit and is un-
der the Craftsmanship of Rev.
Horace White.
Appearance of this new or
ganization calls for a slight
change in the plans suggested
by this column last week. In
stead of sending your contri-
buttons to the Fair Employ
ment Practice Council of
Metropolitan Detroit you can
DoW have YOUR check or
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
Basic HONORs DENTIST

Cssnt Basic. whsse facial Gen.
tour Vas altered BY Q dental rscen.
struetisn jsb last nenth. b ssis-
brating the event By naming sss
Of his new blues esnpssitisas In
honor Of the dentist u viii -
called The Or. Abe wsinstsin
Jump"
--Lsenard Lyons IN NJ. Psst
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
UNDECIDED

A buxom, well-dressed blonde In
her early l0s WAS walking TIVE
Pekes In washington Square enc
afternoon last week. One OF the
Pekes wsddled ~ 70 . tree ana
shifted hesitantly.
"Oh, Susanns." sxciaimee the
blonde, giving the leash . ysnk.
'Wfl you never learn 70 make up
ysur nind."
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

(Rsprintsd from Free WorId")

(Rsprintsd from Free World')
Never unconcerned, we feel
sweat OF welshmen in the pit.
ghetto Jews in many lands.
shaving Balkan peasants bit,
coolie labor building strong
China's roads. and every young
hungry child born everywhere,
of our blood though not our tongue.
We, Of these United States,
welcome all who are alone.
The paradox is that we shut
our strong doors upon our own.
We. who call ourselves the free,
hotly lash the poorer back:
prejudicial blows are struck
often when a skin is black.
We the leaders cannot stand
mute when every gun is stilled.
We have learned the Balkans loss
Is much more than peasants killed.
We the fed, and We. the straight,
dare not evermore deny
common men our hand and mind,
or live the democratic lie.
Joseph Joel Keith
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
MORE RACE RIOTS ARE COMING

ton In public conveysnces and
places again became the rule from
coast to coast. Will the same at
tempt be made this time? II 80. the
results most certainly will be
tragic. because the Negroes mood is
far more belligerent than it was
in 1919 and 1920.
What can be done to avert post
war racial conflict? In the first
place, Congress can enact pending
legislation for permanent fair
employment practices act to penal
ize all firms engaged in production
for interstate trade that discrimi-
nate against Negroes in employ
ment. To the Negroes, economic
equality is more to be desired than
anything else-more so even than
the vote and residential on-segre-
cation.
In the second place. the Federal
government could make a frontal
attack on residential segregation by
simple administrative action with
regard TO government-financed
housing. forbidding color discrimi-
nation in its housing projects and
on property on which il grants
loans. Since much Of the postwar
housing will be Federally financed,
such a regulation would tend to
break up ghettoes, doing away with
physical separation between the
two so-called- races and fostering
that friendly. democratic associa-
ton which Is the best antidote for
race prejudice.
In the third place. the admins
traton at Washington by an order
from the Commander-in.C Chief
could abolish segregated units in
the armed forces. Undoubtedly
there will be system OF universal
military service in the United
States after the war with yearly
classes of hundreds OF thousands OF
young men called to the colors. The
close association Of youngsters OF
all colors during the period OF
service would 60 far toward build
ing inter-racial amity. II the Ca
nadians. Brazilians and French can
have mixed racial units in their
armies and navies, there is no
reason why the, United States can.
not do SO with equal success.
The policy Of no segregation may
at first cause considerable tense
ness ard some friction. but if the
administration at Washington takes
a firm position and Furnishes the
few who cause trouble, the policy
will soon be generally accepted.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

press with its two million weekly
readers, the Negro church with its
seven million members, the big
fraternities and secret orders, and
the thousands of physicians, labor
leaders, public officials, lawyers ard
technicians all speak as with one
voice No Negro leader dares TO tell
his people that they should COM
promise with their just demands;
The educated Negroes have AL
ways been aware OF world currents
especially as they relate TO coloreo
people. and the average colored
person is more internationally
minded than his white neighbor.
He knows a great deal about what
is being done 10 colored people
elsewhere in the world and Is
aware OF all the devices used to
keep the Negro in his place here
and abroad That is one of the func-
tons of his 2l0 newspapers which
have done so much to mould him
into a powerful group.
The bearing of these facts on the
question Of postwar racial relations
is obvious: the demands OF the
Negro nation will not be stopped
without conflict AS white suprem-
acy seems TO have become the re-
ligIon of white America. so has
social. political and economic
equality become the religion OF
colored America. Those in the
white nation who wander away
from the herd viewpoints are
dubbed niger lovers and. SINH
larry, non-conforrlists in the Negro
nation are dubbed white folks
niggers." There is less ard less
middle ground. despite the valiant
efforts OF the liberals.
Membership in the National
Association for the Advancement
OF Colored People has jumped from
100000 10 100000 since Pearl Har-
Dor. The timid, do-nothing-that-
may-cause-trouble policy of the
New Deal caused decided shift
from the Democratic TO the Repub-
lican ranks in the 1912 Congress
sional elections. This Negro mill
ta1cy. and nothing else. forced
President Roosevelt 10 issue his
famous Executive Order 1902, out
having discrimination against Ne
groes in war housing, and the re-
cent issuance Of a War Department
order ending color discrimination
in all army camps and on buses
Transporting Negro and white sol
diers to and from camps.
NEGROES WILL NOT GIVE
UP WARTIME GAINS
Suppose that with the end OF the
war white demagogues and timor-
Gus or complacent public officials
combine 10 take back some Of the
new privileges gained by Negroes
during the war. Suppose white
MODS, resentins these few Negro
gains, decide TO take the law into
their own hands. Is there any doubt
whatever that the resulting con-
flict Will make the wartime riots
look tame? After the last war. the
white group was successful in Fore
ing Negroes out Of the jobs gained
during the war and combining them
10 segregated residential areas by
restrictive covenants. Discrimina-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
THE OPTIMISTIC RICH

Tive wsil-dresssd wsmsn who
hAd ret on . Fifth avenue bus In
The bsnwit reiisr-Bsrraerf cssA-
man stretch u the aveaus were
talking sbeut the progress q The
war. One Of them said. Bet I'm
sure les coming cut ell risAt-all
the wealthy people think ivs wsrk-
Ing est. rs saly The psse whs
seem % discouraged" Pm
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
SEGREGATION MAKES FOR
MISUNDERSTANDING

The feeling OF separateness be-
tween the colored and white people
which has been responsible for the
development Of two nations, can
never be ended without that under
standing which can come only
through free. friendly. and close
association. The longer segregation
in work. housing. the military and
naval services. and public places
continues, the farther apart are the
two races going to drift.
The United States has assumed
world leadership on the basis Of
democracy and freedom, and every
colored nation judges the sincerity
Of our professions by the manner
IN which We handle our racial
problem at home. Our past and
present racial policy is we'll known
by the more than q billion and q
quarter colored peoples OF the
earth, more than half the popula-
ton Of the whole world, and our
preachments will continue to
arouse only cynical laughter so
long as this racial policy Is con-
tinued
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
DEARLY BELOVED

Somewhere In England, the regis
trar Of births and deaths was inter-
viewing . man whose wife hsA
died very suddenly. The man re-
CURED three certificates which
would cost two shillings esch.
Wishing to shew some sympathy 70
the bereaved husband, the registrar
said: This must have been . great
shock to yea, sir"
"Yus, guv'nor," replied the man.
Il didn't reckon On them being
two shiilingv eseh." The We@sn
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
Ne FELL FOR HER

NEW YORK-Masy Leo WI.
iiams was dsing hss piass staff 81
Cafe Society bswntewn, whsa .
drunk fell ever the reDs thal sspe-
rates bar and dance fisee as1
relied ~ her test what nnAkse n
an item 10 that the number ~ was
playing VS. Rel en-
-pswu Dssa
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
J'ACCUSE:: A Deep SOUTH SAGA.

(Rsprintsd from Readers Scope

y
(Ths following 10 'stter to tho editor" reprinted
Dear Asa:
I'm taking the chanse while got the time to write
the paper SO as folks will know what bum my ex-husban
IS when ne stood right there in tells Judge the
bggs peck OF ever herd in this country First onever
hit him none like he say but just little maybe an when he
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

THE OTHER DAY was walking down Seventh
avenue and met man who some times helps
Langston Hughes write his column for the Chi
cago Defender This mans name is Simple and
Langston frequently calls upon him 10 help solve
perplexine problems Since Langston and are
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
BY CLARENCE ANDERSON

CONTRIBUTIONS to carry on the work of the
~ National Council for Permanent FEPC
were called for in this column last week. Since
then, as reported elsewhere in the Chronicle,
new local organization has been formed with
the goal of raising twenty-five thousand dollars
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20
By GEORGE S. SCHUYLER

Will riots follow World War as they did World
War II Despite much whstng in the dark the problem OF
relations in the United States is rapidly approaching
boiling point and it is clear that once The compulsory
unity and grudging concessions wartime end the Ne
groes will be exceedingly reluctant back to the good
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-01-20

articles condensed
appeared
head Crisis" The nrN OF the
Right appeared In these columns last