The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-06-16

There used to be Japanese, before they were all moved into relocation centers after Pearl Harbor. American Negroes from the South and South west moved in where the Japs moved out, but soon some of the Japanese families may be coming back.
 The question posed by this minute cross-section of humanity is why the people of the world - keeping their respectful distances from one ,an- other can't get along with or without trusteeship systems, man. dates and voting formulas if the children of the Raphael Weill school can absorb their three R's in the same classrooms.
 SITUATION IS UNIVERSAL
 It is possible to talk about the Ra- phael Weill school and its problems with considerable detachment and tolerance, and without upsetting any individuals pet racial or relig- ious prejudices, because the situa- tion is so universal and at the same time so representative of one of the things that ails the world today.
 The first Chinese, a man and his wife, came into California less than 100 years ago. Then ship captains brought increasing numbers to sup ply the demand for cheap labor, and to build the first transcontinental railroad. When they became too numerous, the Exclusion Act was passed in 1882. During the next 25 years the Japanese came to supply farm labor. World War I brought wave of Mexicans and Filipinos, again to meet a labor shortage. World War II has brought the Ne groes perhaps 150,000 of them as against the 130,000 Japanese, who were moved out. Negroes like it there. There are no Jim Crow laws. They want to stay.
 But that gives California new racial problem which broad gauge peopls hope can be solved, without any of the lynchings and riots that characterized reactions successive waves of Chinese, Japanese, Mexi- cans and Filipinos when they be- came social and economic competi- tion. In recent months there have been several moves made to meet this new crisis before it happens.
 At the Booker T. Washington Cen ter, near the Raphael Weill school, where Negro children receive adoi- tional training for citizenship, there was a conference at which Negro leaders discussed their rights until one young man got up and said, We're doing lot of talking about what we want. Let's talk about what we've got to offer and how We can improve ourselves This same ap- proach has made the issue a lot easier.
 BETTER HOUSING NEED
 REALIZED
 San Francisco civic groups have begun educational campaigns - the Commonwealth Club, newly-form- ed Council for Civic Unit, and Mayors Committee. Back of them all is the realization that better housing for minority groups is es- sential and that segregation in Chinatown's or similar racial con- centrations where there are prop erty ownership and residence re- strictions, merely increase the prob- lem. A racially mixed communist element, having an emotional and glandular reaction to everything, has been major disturbing factor.
 On a statewide basis there are two approaches, both represented in proposals for new legislation. One is for compulsory fair employment bill. modelled on New York's contro- versial measure, the other is an ad- visory measure, calling for the cre- ation of a commission to study and recommended. Today this latter seems the slower but perhaps the safer route. There is a long process of education before anything like racial tolerance can be achieved.
 That probably goes for the United Nations Organizations, too.