The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1947-10-25
AN APPEAL TO CAESAR"

In placing before the United Nations the case of color
discrimination in the United States the National Assoca-
ton for the Advancement of Coored People remembered
that presentation of the color problem had been made
at least two previous instances. But the ~ A. A. c. P
nouncement stated reason that the Association could
speak with authority representative of coored
Americans because its membership larger in all sections
Of the country than that of the other organizations sub
uniting the appea Ito the u N Those other bodies are
the National Congress headed by Mr. Max Yergan and
the Workers Defens League, with combined member
ship far below the 100000 membership total of the
c. p tn sarges organization devoted soley to the
complete emancipation of colored people in the United
States
The Congress- presided by Mr. Yergan met in
Detroit in May of last year during the golden anniversary
of the automobile industry and adopted resolution asking
the United Nations to act the oppression of the thirteen
million colorcd people in ire United States who are re-
striced to "secondclass citizenship and subugaed to
brutal system of oppression and discrimination based upon
the nhuman, unscientfc theory of racism The resou
ton presented directly to Mr. Trygve Lie secretary
general of the U. NJ who was attending the automotiye
jubilee in Detroit The secretarygenera was reported
then as saying that he would study the document to
determine what consideration the United Nations may
appropriately give to it under the provisions of the U N
Charter
In less direct manner the problem of Jim Crowism
here laid bare to the u N when in the Irene Morgan
before the United States Supreme Court attorneys
tor the Workers Defense League filed brief which de-
clared Virginas segregation of bus passengers was n
consistent with Articles 55 and So of the UN Charter
Quoting the two articles the brief stated "The United
States member of the United Nat IONS hence pied
ged to promote respect for and observance Of human
rights and fundamental freedoms for all without dstnc
ton as to race, sex, language, or religion
With the NAACP document the UN now has been in
informed of the existence and extent of color oppression
IN the United States The total force membership of the
three organizations should win thoughtful attention of
the UN sufficient at least to probe the probm and to
gest remedy Beyond suggesting solution it seems hard
y likely that theUN proceed There appears no way
by which the world assembly back up its suggestion to
the status Of directive with power behind it to enforce
IT, All 1t can accomplish, it seems, is to focus greater
world attention on theAmerican inconsistency and in
tenslfy the embarrassment among rghtthnking Americ-
cans VINO seek to eliminate prejudice and accord equality
OF citizenship to all regardless of skn-color creed or
national origin The nations to whom we preach demo-
cracy VIII turn our hypocrisy against by asking how
dare to sermoze them the virtues of democracy when
we remain fagranty unconvered to its practice at home
But perhaps the continuing good of that aunt is what the
country needs in order conquer inhibition and develop
courage and determined will to cast out the STUPID in
cubus of color hatred