The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-04-14
THE FACTS
M OUR NEWS
TRUMAN GIBSON
AND THE SIND

~
that Mr.. Truman Gibson. civilian
aide to the Secretary Of War. gave
an interview TO press correspond
ents In Rome. Mr.. Gibson made
certain observations about what
had been done 10 Negro troops In
this war by our own War Depart
ment. He pointed out that the
shortcomings Of Negro troops
could be accounted for on the basis
Of our American jim-crowism and
our American policy Of awarding
second class citizenship to Negro
citizens in the United States. Mr..
Gibson gave instances Of failure
because Of the aforementioned
policies.
/ No sooner had many Negroes in
this country resd\the correspond
ents' account OF what Mr.. Gibson
said in our newspapers. than they
! began TO Willy him, calling him
traitor and stated that he had
slurred Negro fighting men. Your
columnist has not read Mr.. Gibson's
report, nor was your columnist ut
the press conference held In Rome
by Mr.. Gibson. 1t Is reasonable and
also simple fairness to Mr.. Gibson
or any other person in such posi-
ton to believe that Mr.. Gibson Is
! as concerned about the welfare Of
! Negro troops as any of these people
who are now vilifying him in the
most unrestrained language.
Further, the people who are now
/ tearing down. or is il better to say
trying 10 tear down. Mr.. Gibson
have not even read his entire re-
port. This sort Of thing cannot serve
any good. -a.
Many serious-minded people ask
why do Negro leaders jump with
such unforgiving attitudes on one
another at the least provocation?
The answer is not far to seek. Those
OF us who think that we under
stand the world in which we live
| are the victims Of the same kind Of
! fear and insecurity that the masses
| OF our people are the victims. In
/ other words, the Illustration that
our environment puts upon us per-
meates all levels of Negro life with
the .same amount Of intensity. and
produces the same amount of hope
lessneSs In the feelings and minds
of Negroes, no matter what their
intellectual attainments are.
The trained Negroes have ambi-
tons and would like to be free 10
exploit their abilities in line with
their ambitions. The white world
has staked out the limitations of
Negroes regardless Of their abili-
ties. The trained Negro feels help
less TO do anything about the limi-
tations placed around him. He has
lot OF hatred of the people and
the forces that so limit his desires
and ambitions as a human being.
In the face OF his inability to re-
move these barriers at the speed
with which he would like 10 re-
move them, he still has to express
his hatred and hostility somehow.
Like children in the home. when
they cannot cope with the au-
thority Of the parents for personal
happiness. they turn their hostility
in upon one another. Negro leaders
express their Illustration about the
creeping, intangible shadows of
jim-crow and prescription by turn
ing on one another. Negro leaders
distrust one another. They assign
all kinds Of Interior motives to one
another, not because they actually
believe that other Negroes are
working against the interests OF the
whole race, but by accusing other
Negroes of working against the in
tereSts of the race, they are doing
something about their own feelings
Of Illustration in the face Of what
appears to be insurmountable bar
riers.
All OF us. since the beginning OF
this war. have labored long and
hard 10 have our government
change its policy and practice as
they relate to the Negro soldier
We have met with some success.
We have not met with enough sue
cess. The Negro leaders who have
done yeoman service in this regard
with so little success are bound to
have moments of complete frus-
tration. and even hopelessncSs. Al
such moments, il is easy for leaders
TO turn upon one another and as
sign all of the difficulties 10 the
failure OF one another. Why"
someone asks.
It amounts to what we see in
dilapidated Negro ghettos. II also
has its counterpart in what We ex-
perienced among Negroes during
our bloody race riot. In dilapidatcd
Negro areas. where there is hope
lessneSS and Illustration because or
the limits placed around the Negro
ghetto, we find the Negroes fighting
one another. vilifying one another.
and actually destroying the lives
Of one another. Because they are
more criminal? No! They do 1t be-
cause they can express their hos
tility with some measure Of sue
cess. and the fact that the success
is negative and leads 10 further
Illustration does not limit its ex-
preston.
In our recent race riots. we no.
tice that when the white com
munity moved In on the Negro
community by its police force, its
propaganda agencies. and its great
control over the necessities Of life.
GNVSIVVS uVtdu w iigut OIt dnOtntT
with ficrceneSs that made ones
blood curdle. They knew their
common enemies, hut helpless TO
deal with them. There was hos
tility and Illustration that had TO
be EXPRESSED, and they were ex-
pressed.
Therefore, II We can understand
this hatred and Illustration in the
leadership levels OF Negro-life we
will have made the first step
toward progress in Kidding our
selves OF the corroding and Stnlti-
fving influence among our leaders.
The only way 10 get rid Of frustra-
ton is 10 first recognize il and call
II by It's name. Once We do this.
Illustration is not able anv longer
to turn itself in upon its holder
and destroy its holder. Criticism Of
one Negro leader by another Negro
leader will be constructive and
meaninrful In the total advance
ment or our reople rather than
uhaf IL Ia tnI.u L..