Evening star., 1945-07-03

against the Lowell Mellett.
South's treatment of the Negro.
The Senator dwelt at length or
what he called the history Of the
Negro soldier in the American Army
He reported that he had talked with
numerous high-ranking generals,
whom he did not name, and that
he found them to be in agreement
with his opinion that as soldiers
the Negroes are just no good. Com
posing as they do one-twelfth OF
the whole Army, that statement
goes for them all, according 10 the
Senator. The fact that Gen. Eisen-
hover, who also, no doubt, has
talked to numerous "high-ranking
generals" holds an entirely different
view was not mentioned by the SEN
ator.
He established to his own salts
faction that the Negro soldiers had
no initiative, no sense of response
bility, very low intelligence, and
were a failure" Whether he estab-
liShed this to the satisfaction of the
two or three weary fellow-Senators
who composed his entire audience
on the floor, there was no indica-
ton. But he obviously did not per-
suade the well-filled galleries, for
a spontaneous outburst of laughter
greeted his assertion, Il am not
prejudiced against the Negro
Who's to Blame?
Assuming that Senator Eastland
states the truth, that Gen. Eisen-
hover does not, and that the Negro
soldier has no initiative and no
sense of responsibility, can the
blame be placed entirely on that
soldier? Can the South, which has
determined to a large degree the
conditions of the Negro's life, the
extent to which he has been per-
mitted to develop initiative and re-
sponsibility, escape a considerable
share of the blame? Has not the
Senator actually brought in an in
dictment against the manner in
which he and his neighbors have
handled the great problem that
came to this country aboard the
slave ships, problem not solved by
the bloodiest civil war in history?
And If this is so, is it not time
that the best men in the South
begin TO recognize the fact, to recog-
nize that the course that has been
followed Is not the one that will
bring solution? Southern states
manship is not confined to the Bill
bos and Eastlands, yet one might
easily believe it is all of one piece
If he reads the list of Senators vot-
ing to support the position taken by
the Mississippi spokesmen.
Under the stress of wars necessity
a small beginning has been made
toward solving this problem, serious
now and likely to become desperate
soon. 1t was decreed at the wars
outset that there should be no dis
elimination against any war worker
because of his color or race or re-
Igion. One must believe either that
this is right or that there should be
discrimination The Bilbos and
Eastlands and other frightened little
men definitely do believe there
should be discrimination, but it is
hard to conceive that this is true of
the Georges, the Connallys and
others who are, right at this time,
contributing their full share to an
enlightened world policy; hard to
believe that they share in this
wretched distortion Of our own
democratic ideal here at home.
Tragic Period Threatens.
The most tragic period in Amer
lean history was brought on by the
stubborn conviction held by some
people in the South that this Nation
could exist half slave and half free.
Another tragic period is bearing
down upon us as surely as the sun
rises and sets, unless Southern
craftsmanship opens its mind to this
problem.
II it will put in some of the same