The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1950-08-05
WiIIiom n. Bonds
Cooperation Is SALVATION

-. rr;n,arv objective the stimulation of cooperator
among the coored people of the city The recent fail
IRE of many Negro businesses and the totterinp a.
nanv others necesstated the get-together
Il was pointed out, and discussed at great length
that the death knel to Negro business is the lack Of
cooperation 1t also pointed out that the average
race business had not exposed himself 10 the new
and modern methods of buying and selling his commod-
tiles in way and at price, so as to compete with
other successful businessmen
1t was fine meeting, much talk, debate, beautiful
phrases but no solution
NEITHER DO WE have solution to the much
debated problem: but make this observations To
great extent the Negro is wage-earner and even in
that classification, he is nesting the bottom rung of
labo ladder recently pointed out by observers
of the present day hiring policy of many of Detrots
large industries But organization is the salt that savors
him. Jobs once labeled as Negro jobs" more
but have been placed on the open market.
What is true with Negro jobs is also true with
Negro business Today, there such thing as Ne
gro business SUCH but just business with no racial
prefix attached; but the Negro must organize and CO.
operate in order to get his just share.
For years the Negro looked askance at any form OF
organization, except lodges and societies where he
donned himself in colorfu regaa with hgh-ha pumes
marched parade to the cheers of great multi.
udes He not farsighted enough to foresee the
complex economical changes, evolving about him. that
would inevitably engulf him if he failed TO keep pace
with the fast-changing world about him.
WHILE HE REMAINED in his stupor, an aviator in
tri-motored plane, in the short time of just few
hours covered the entire distance the vast wilder
ness which took Moses and his Israeltish host 40 years
to great feat, yet he (the Negro failed to be
aroused from his sunber. He satisfied and CON-
placent in his present condition. He worked hard,
made few dollars, spent them loosely, reared fam
ily and at death got decent" burial.
But such a man. be he laborer or business man
cannot fit into the complex scheme of today
Negro business men must awake to the fact that
they cannot seek nor command trade from their racial
brothers just because they of the hue kith
and KIN They are in highly competitive field and
people, the Negro have learned to spend the dol
lar where has the most cents"
ORGANIZATION IN ORDER to buy in larger
quantities. in order to obtain goods cheaper rate
seems to this columnist the best way of COM
pick situation The horse and buggy" way of dong
business cannot survive in this automotive age
Some years ago, young Negro migrated from the
southland to live the North found the going little
rough and returned to his native southland where he
mad spent the greater part of his life cotton fields
When ne reached his southern home he was met
w' surprise such as he had not experienced during
ms nVe years soJourn in the north He had rushed
DdeK SCUM with the thought of again driving Old
Beck from sup-up to sun-down and then bask in the
summer breeze night-fall
BUT INSTEAD OF his trusty lazy mule he found
brightcolored tractor doing the farm work with
accuracy and with greater speed. Where he had been
nne only hve years ago. both he and his mule had
oeen relegated to the scrap heap" When asked why
ne returned south, he told of his inability TO adjust
himself to city life
he bemoaned When I'd 60 fast, I'd run some
body would run me, and then to the hospital I'd
60 he found out that he could not away from
me changing conditions of things; that changes were
taxing place both north and south; that changes were
not provincial, but universal in scope.
AND another thing: The Negro in business has moi
YET learned the value of advertising He thinks because
ne mas been In business for several years everybody
No"s me- II may be true that the people know where
you are located, but the thing they may not know
goods you sell
IN THESE DAYS Of great economic struggle one
must seek places trade where they receive the best
bargains Advertise your wares, and let the pubic
now the good things you have to Offer at the lowes
possible prices you can afford
ms coiumnist really enjoyed this meeting OF Negiu
business men While they had panacea for their many