Evening star., 1946-04-11
Posfwar0pportunities
Greater for Negroes,
Howard Group Is Told

Numerous opportunities on the
vast frontier of American business
enterprise were thrown open to
Negroes at the close of the war.
This was the assertion of DR.,
Irene c. Hipps, head of the depart
ment OF business practice, division
1913, Washington public schools,
today at the ninth annual confer
ence of the Howard University divi-
sion OF social sciences. DR.. Hipps
called on educated Negroes to as
sumo vocal and determined lead
ershlp IN winning for their race an
improved position in the American
business world.
only then will opportunity for
Negroes begin to be realized" she
said. Let us not blame bias from
the outside Bias is barrier. but
it can be overcome. This postwar
period is our golden opportunity.
We must accept the challenge and
not waste time"
Asks Practical Training.
Schools for Negroes can be i'm
proved by overhauling the curricula
and including practical business
training, she said, criticising them
for giving but little help to returned
Negro Servicemen who are interested
in business careers.
The three-day conference also
heard Joseph R. Houchins of the
Census Bureau describe as "unusu-
ally bright" the opportunities which
await Negroes in the construction
industry. He advocated hard work,
business training and community
support as methods of overcoming
business problems.
E. M. Lancaster, Commerce De-
partment adviser on Negro affairs,
in listing governmental agencies
which presently assist Negroes en-
gagged in all businesses, said the Re-
construction Finance Corp. and its
subsidiaries as of September, 1914
had loaned more than $5,000.000 to
Negro businessmen. Other Federal
agencies which are currently aiding
Negroes includes, he said, the Fed
eral Home Loan Bank Administra-
tlon, Federal Credit Union and Vet
Grams Administration, and Govern
ment training programs for small
business.
Edgar P. Westmoreland. head of
the Department of Vocational Edu-
cation, Divisions 1913, Washington
public schools, conducted the dis
cussions this afternoon when the
conference considered postwar pos
kslbilities for Negroes in the en-
(gineering professions and the tech |
micah vocations.
Speakers were Lawrence A. Ok
ley, United States Department of
Labor; Charles S. Duke, National
Capital Housing Authority: Ambrose
Callver, United States Office of Edu- !
cation; Samuel H. Plato, engineer
Ing contractor, Louisville. KY, and
Lewis A. Berne, director, Federation
of Architects, Chemists, Engineers
and Technicians, Congress of Indus
trial Organizations, New York City.
Conference Closes Tonight.
A summary of the discussions of
the past three days will mark the
CLOSING session IN RANKIN Memorial
Chapel at o'clock tonight. Papers
will be read by Lewis K Downing,
dean of the school of engineering
and architecture, and H. Naylor
Fitzhugh, acting head of the de-
partment of commerce and finance,
both of Howard University. NAL
colin Ross, chairman, Fair Employ
ment Practices Committee, Wash
lngton, will lead the discussions.
In a discussion of problem areas
last night, conference speakers at
trlbuted many Negro business diff
cultles to lack of initial Negro capi-
tai unframed personnel, lack of
training and aptitude in keeping
records and the restrictions inherent
IN a segregated Negro economy.
James E. Scott of Washington pre-
sided