The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1949-12-13
Housing Toughest
Problem We Face
As Negroes



Seattle Urban League
Perhaps the toughest problem
we face IS Negroes Il where to
live" said n. p. Dotson. Jr.. nxeon.
tive Secretary OF the Seattle Urban
League. Tuesday. December q. Tho
occasion was the second Annual
Diner Of the East Madison Com
merciai Club, group Of business
people in the East Madison area.
Much of Dotson's talk conferred
about the difficulty which Negroes
have IN finding adequate homes.
He referred 10 the forced concen-
tration OF the race in one area Of
the city and pointed to certain dis
advantages of this. Said he. ''The
social consequences can only be In
creased blight because of over
crowding." He urged that, where
possible. Negroes seeking homes
should consider places outside
heavily congested areas. where
there is adequate living space.
1.-THE district in which we live Is
fast becoming all non-Caucasian,
primarily all Negro" said Dotson.
"And unless we can direct our en-
ergies in teamwork fashion for the
prevention of this. there seems
little question but that we shall be
in the same discriminatory results
of racial concentration as can be
observed in many cities of this ma
ton" Referring to congestion In
eastern cities like Chicago and
New York where many years ago
concentration of Negroes began, he
said. 1.-THE results today in these
cities are ~ higher overcrowding
for Negroes than for any other
part of city populations; (2) higher
housing costs paid by Negroes than
by Caucasians and for less desir-
able Accommodations because of the
short supply of homes available to
us; (3) frequent neglect of social
ed Negro districts by municipal
authorities; "a high rates Of sick
ness and delinquency within these
districts due to conditions over
which residents thereof have little
control, but for which they have
been blamed; (5) attendance of
Negro children at only small por-
ton of the public schools, those
near these districts, thus making
these schools look like colored
schools when according to law they
are not"
1--WE should all ask our
Selves, said he, "Can this hap
pen In Scatter What can we
DO 70 prevent iJ1
1.-THE recent Federal Housing
Administration stand against re-
stricted housing areas Is among
the forward looking measures of
our time" said Dotson.
The FILA decision would cut off
financing for new homes and
apartments where occupancy is
restricted on grounds of race or
religion.
Already we have heard the dis
senting voice of private building
interests of Seattle calling the step
political; one which builders can
not control; an effort to legislate
race acceptance; and an action
against the wishes of the majority
of the people," Dotson said.
He called the decision Of the
FILA "long overdue" and added,
Let us recognize the fact that
the basic motivation of business Is
profit; but let us also recognize
that the question involving this de-
cision is not a matter of whether
builders will lose or make money.
Rather, it is a question of
whether the government of all the
people of the United States should
lend its moral support to the denial
of the civil rights of any part of
the nations population"
w. ]. Tilley Is president of the
East Madison Commercial Club.
The Urban League is Red Feath-
er agency of the Community Chest.