The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-06-23
COLOR AND DEMOCRACY"

SOLOh AMI DEMOthhtx
Out of a background Of knowl-
edge and experience dating back
we'll before the meeting of the first
League OF Nations. w. E. B. Du-
Bots has written a brief work ION
colonies and peace" He points out
that one-third OF the worlds in
habitants occupying more than one
third Of the land space Of the globe
live in colonies today.
In addition to the colonial peoples
there are those to whom the author
refers as the unfree peoples
more than a half-billion of them
who are quasi-colonials. Among
these are the Chinese, the people
of the Balkans. those OF the Ne
groid nations ethiopia. Haiti. Lii
IBERIA and the Dominican Republic),
the peoples of the Middle East, and
others. There are also the mlnori-
ties: the Jews Of Europe. the Ne
groes Of the United States. the
Indians OF the Americas and many
other smaller groups elsewhere"
Dr. Dubois also includes among
the unfree other groups and
classes, part and parcel of the great
nations. who because OF their in
comes live in a degree Of poverty
which makes il impossible for them
to take any effective part in demo-
cratic procedure Thus in an age
in which the estimated wealth is
n al
Of the world with the necessities
Of life and some OF the comforts,
poverty still exists. There can be
no question that the answer is that
most modern countries are in the
hands of those VINO control organ
lied wealth, and that the just and
wise distribution Of income is him
dered by this monopoly DR.. Du-
Bots states.
NEGRO PROBLEM IN US.
In the United States which might
be expected otherwise TO exert
leadership in the world toward a
more democratic life, the Negro
problem has forced the country
Ito abdicate its natural leadership
Of democracy in the world and to
acquiesce in domination of or
gained wealth which exceeds any
thing elsewhere in the worl,"
The author sees little hope for
peace in q world dominated by
colonial imperialism. Russia how
ever offers the hope Of leadership
In the direction Of equality Of all
peoples II she refuses to accent
the exploitation Of workers in
any Of the leading countries or Of
laboring classes In any colonial
area. The USSR has already es-
tablished a record which does not
presage the use Of Its vast re-
sources for restoring TO Great
Britain her lost colonies In Asia
or for defending her possessions
in Africa"
DR. Dubois suggests that the frs,
step TO be taken by the United
Nations in the direction of freedom
for all peoples should be the in
sistence that there sit in the AS
sembly not simply representatives
OF the free nations. but with them
representatives OF all colonial peo-
Piles over whom they claim con-
troll"
Color and Democracy" might
well serve as a handbook on the
subject Of the role OF the colonial
peoples today. Because he knows
his subject so well. Dr. Dubois
has been able 10 compress his ma
terial into short, highly readable
book which gives all the essential
facts on the status Of the "unfree"
peoples in the world.
Certainly no one will quarrel
with his concluding words:
There has been surfeit Of creed
dogma, and priestly assumption
TO bride the intelligence Of men;
there has been enough Of the
aimless arrogance Of science used
to heal and kill, destroy and
build"
Color and Democracy" by w.
=. p. Dubois; Harcourt. Brace and
Company; New York City; le45; 81.
THIS Is OUR WAR"
The Afro-American has published
selected stories oi It's six war COR
respondents: Ollie Stewart, Max
Johnson. Vincent Tubbs. Art Car
ter. Herbert NJ. Frisby, and Eliza
beth NJ. Phillips-under the title.
This Is Our War" Although there
Is no inspired writing here the