Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-10-10
BY ROBERT DURR


housed, III fed and diseased. and IL
per capita income far below what
IL necessary 10 sustain . good way
Of life. This makes for spiritual
degradation.
There 10 In the South u growing
reservoir Of desire for organizing
communities on q neiRhboThood
basis, with trained, conSecTated,
capable and courageous leadership
which will create . holy boiling dis
satisfaction with present inadSqaa-
ciss and set about doing what can
be done by tho people Of the com
munity 10 effect . continuous total
community improvement
Through such ReiGhb0ghS0d
organizations, which might be
made Into community wide, thor.
0uRhly democratic fsdsratIonn,
not only WOald II be possible for
residents 20 do Q blOck.by block
planned Improvement job, bat
they would be- able 10 carry on O
continuous educational program
10 wipe out siam areas.
They could assist In making the
people realize what the leaders Of u
voluntary eolOrsd community health
association In q deep Southern city
are driving at when they say;
Negroes must themselves point
out the obvious that In the South
alleys are not built for nor do
whites live In them, and that
through restrictive covenants white
people eontrivs TO zone tho quistsst
and most we'll drained areas for
their residential purposes"
From the hack alley areas Into
which eOlOred people are damned
and charged sEOSbitant rents
comes the greater portion Of
juvenile delinqusnta. tubsreulOais,
and social diseases. In this sort
ef situation u II pretty nearly
Impossible 20 rear . child proper.
~ because % the snVlFonmsnt.
Here children are being murdered
by those who maintain such
premises In . hsalth.msnaeiaR
soadltloa. Tho psychological 81.
fert Of such areas In devastating.
have just been informed by q
friend who IL supposed 70 know that
realtors who maintain and have
waved rich of this sort Of housing,
which ID commonly called ''niRger
property" have contributed gen
srouSly to u 100000 lobby in
Warrington to tght the type Of
public housing which would II
properly managed. enable w TO
wipe cut our alumH In twVnty years
at the most.
When ! speak u community or.
EaniEationh In this instance, I mean
organizations 81 the people. by the
people, for the people. and sup
ported by the people within COM
munlties just a. are the real estate
boards, chamber Of commerce, Ma
tional Manufacturer association.
Associated industries. labor organ.
isationS, and what have you. oporas-
Ing ON q full time basis on local,
state and national levels. These
Rroaps handle their own hot pota.
toes. They do no begging fer
financial support outside their
actual and constructive member.
ship.
We must have that sort oG
organizations 10 cope with prob.
lens Of getting people within
communities 20 hand themselves
together and do everything pos.
sIble 10 eject the greatest de-
gree Of Improvement within. 20
Keep informed on what In being
accomplished BY stAsra through
slmllaE organizations on . CON.
munity.Wids and national haals
In the aelda Of hoaninE. rscrsa-
ton, education and health. 10 get
done the tAlaEs which need be
done.
Some enlightened and social
minded people have Striven To get
something done in the areas Of
public housing, socialiaed medical
care for the INDECENT and federal
aid to education for those who can
not provide thsSs things for them
selves because of what u means to
all.
A lot Of progress has been made.
hut not enough. And this becomes
eVsryeody's business because Il al,
teets everybody.
what We need new. u seems to
me. 10 general AroaaiRH sf the
people affected NEST. stimulating
them 20 organize for Improve.
meat In the matter IL homes and
Cemmunitiea 90 that II win BE-
pe~ssble TO rear healthy. whole
some and ambitious bays and
girls trained 10 hate noise. altA.
sab-s'aRaard dwellings,, and pro-
test 10 high heaven against any.
tAlaG within their residential
communities which 10 In itself .
bad eNample before tAa ehIlAren