St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-04-05

They do not have the money to go
to college in the same proportion
as do whites, for they are most
heavily concentrated in the lowest
paid jobs, including domestic serv-
ice and agricultural labor. Being
concentrated in the South, they do
not have the same educational OPP
portunities even in the lower
grades. Incidentally, Southern
states spend for the education of
white children less than the ma
tional average, because as one
down to-earth sociologist put it.
THE kids are where the cash amt"
This maldistribution of income is
the biggest argument for the pro-
posed Federal Aid to Educatio,
bill.)
While Negroes suffer from racia'
as well as economic discriminate,
in the present state of America
democracy, workers too are eco
nomically under privileged. The
children of miners, textile workers
white sharecroppers, or longshore
iIGil, uO llOI lul Hleil any ouGH plu-
pOrtionate number of leaders in ed.
ucation and medicine as do the chill
dren of lawyers, professors, doctors,
insurance men, or bankers. Those
who get their income from worl
or service lose their pay when they
are sick, injured, unemployed, OF
old, or if they die prematurely,
while those who get their incom
from rent, interest, dividends, anC
profits find that their money keeps
on rolling in even after they are
dead.
Since the wealthy class who get
property income do not get their
money from their own efforts, it i
clear that they get it by exploitir,
the efforts of others. ORGANIZED
labor is numerically the largest
force that is trying to reduce this
exploitation. Since Negroes suffer
from economic exploitation intensi.
fed by color prejudice, there is anG
should be a natural alliance between
Negroes and labor, for they have a
strong identity of interest. Botf
alike are interested in opposing
labor baiters, Negro haters, anti.
Semites, and reactionaries. The
progressive wing of organized labor
best exemplities that alliance.
Organized labor was the strong
est supporter of our social security
system, from which Negroes bene
fit substantially. Just now botl
organized labor and the Negro com
munity are backing the Wagner
Murray-Dingell Bill to raise tn,
rates Of benefits for old-age pen
sions and unemployment insurance
, This bill would also extend our so
cial security system to domesti
servants and agricultural workers
a proposal which would greatly hell
Negroes; and it would set up
system of compensation for sick
ness and nOn-industrial accidents
, with free medical care and cas-
benefits. Organized labor and Ne
, gro leaders are behind the bill TO
; Federal Aid to Education. Organ
lied labor is also a leading sup
porter of the bill for a permanen
FEPC, and of the bill to outlaw POI
taxes as a requirement for vOtin
in Federal elections. Thus intelli
gent workers and Negroes are i
accord in the effort to pass sue
important progressive measures.
Unfortunately for the solidarit
of this natural alliance between Ne
70 groes and organized labor. the olde
2 unions in the United States wer
n formed before many Negroes wer
industrial workers, ard therefore
I sad to say, some of them still eS
clude Negroes. But the more re
Gently formed unions in the heav
industries. such as the Steel Work
ers, the United Automobile Work
ers. or the clearinghouse Worker!
do not exclude Negroes but we
come them on equal terms.
There is general opinion anon
Negroes that only the CLIO unions
which are the ones more recent
formed, are fair to their colore
members. But there are many AT
unions, such as the United Mir
Workers and the International l.
dies Garment Workers Union. an
Of course the Brotherhood Of SleeJ
ing Car Porters, which have r
color bar whatever. Such AT
unions are in a strategic position I
oppose land they hope soon
change, with the help Of judicii
decisions) the racial discriminate
which still exists in some importal
AFL unions.