The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-03-10

handling Of MIA.
And here arc the facts.
The Texas region Of the National
Housing Agency experienced .
lile over year ago a demand
from certain whites IN the area
that q low-cost housing develop.
nent built for Negroes be turned
over to whites. That project was IN
Texarkana. only a few miles from
New Boston.
PRESTON WRIGHT. a southern
o.. was then tho MIA reg onal di-
rector. He showed an understand
ing ~ the problem as u had 20 be
handled in Texas He handled H.
despite the weight Of preSSurcS
brought against him and against
The national Office He did not fear
a De firm with his feliow-Southern-
rrs
During this time. Joseph r
Tufts was regional director for
MIA IN Kansas City Tufts Is a
former resident Of Pittsburgh He
had been brought up IN an stmoS-
phere where men were men. the
color OF their skins having no bear
ing upon the question. He 0uilt a
reputation in northern areas for
sense of fairness and justice. In
such surroundings ard eft 10 his
own decisions. he could be de-
pended upon 10 make them fear
lessly.
During this same time, there had
developed on the West Coast
tense situation created by the
heavy influx OF Negroes into Cali
fornia and Washnz ton Housing
became KEY TO the whole prob
lem. Properly handled, housing
could be a big help IN peaceful
and orderly solution. Handled i'm
properly. il could prove to be the
fuse leading 10 powder keg. Cali
fornia was virgin territory for such
problems in such large order.
All these facts were known TO
Bizndford-or should have been
known to . good administrator.
THEN CAME a combination Of
circumstances which called for the
exercise of good administrative
Judgment. A vacancy occurred IN
the regional dictatorship on the
West Coast. Preston Wright was
f. complaining of the climate in Texas
not agreeing with his health
Joseph Tufts wax eligible for
promotion.
So--Blandford threw caution and
good judgment TO the winds He
transferred Wright 10 California
He sent Tufts 10 Texas He took
the round peg and placed it in the
square hole. and took the square
peg and forced il into the round
hole.
The result California is seething
with dissension and dissatisfaction
with the policies and practices OF
Preston Wright and a newspaper
campaign by the Los Angeles Sen
tinel is demanding his removal. A
congressional investigation is being
sought through the California dele
cation in Congress. On the other
hand. Texas has become the sore
spo, OF the patton as result Of the
swi;ch Of 200 housing units from
Negro 10 white occupancy.
WRIGHT. unable 10 divest him
SELF OF the mores and customs OF
the South. is insisting upon policy
OF segreg CATION where none existed
b. before. Tufts. aware of the recep-
ton 10 be expected in the South for
o "damyankee" who comes IN 10
give advice or deal with the racial
problem, is afraid 10 act fearlessly
and in accord with his own stti-
tudes and beliefs. He doesa't know
his way around nor, how far he
can go--hence he doesn't venture
out.
And 70 top IL all Biandford acts
on the Texas situation without even
calling in the man he has on his
s'aff--s Negro-whoSe response
biltv IL is 20 advise him or racial
problems He completely by-passed
his race-relations adviser Tufts,
while using the regional race re-
lsuons adviser in Texas. COM
pletely ignored his advice.
Now. Blandford has two serious
area problems on his hands, where
he need not have had any.