Arizona sun., 1953-07-17
Straight
Ahead
BY OLIVE A. ADAMS

by DR.. Charming H. Tobias, in
which he proposed a $40 million
Embarrassing program for the next
10 years. This amount would call
for yearly budget of 81 million
and it recalls similar proposal
made by Julius j. Adams, which
also calls for yearly fund of 81
million. In his book, THE 'CHAL-,
LENGE, A Study in Negro Leader
Ship" Mr.. Adams says:
Certainly, the Negro has no or
ganization or groups of organiza-
tions which compare even relative
ly in size; potency or strength
with those of the Jew and certain
other groups. It seems, therefore,
that the suggestion that a Negro
conference be called to discuss the
formation of a single, strong, we'll
organized and capably co-ordinated
group OF council, is not entirely
inappropriate at the present time.
SIN consideration of the present
needs of the Negro, within his own,
group, and quite apart from his ac-
tivities in the field of interracial
relations and interracial coopera-
ton, it would seem that such an or
ganization should be divided into at
least nine separate and distinct
departments, each headed by a
Secretary whose salary should not
be less than $4,000 a year. These
departments might function under
the following titles: Business and
Finance, Civil Liberties. Health
Labor, Industrial and Farm Rela-
tions, Education, Juvenile and
Child Welfare, Politics, and Legis-
lation and Law.
"In addition to this secretariat,
there should be board of directors
and an advisory board. The board
of directors tone member of which
would be managing director with
the rank and pay of department
head) would raise the annual bud
get which in turn would be ad
ministered by the managing direc-,
tor. THIS g ANNUAL BUDGET
SHOULD BE NOT LESS THAN
81, 100000, and part of it would be
contributed to relief and welfare
societies, some to established Ne
gro organizations, and the balance
to be used for the work of the new
organization.
'The advisory board would be
made up of experts in the various
fields of science, art, business and
law, upon whom the department
heads could depend for advice and
guidance in technical problems re-
search and statistics. With the ex-
ception of the managing director,
the board of directors, as we'll as
the advisory board, would serve
without pay.
Each department head would
have as his chief responsibility the
task of interpreting to the people
of this country, as well as to the
people of the world, the Negroes
position in the United States and
his relation to the general popula-
ton, It is a fact that the American
people, and the peoples in other
parts of the world have, in general,
a decidedly mistaken picture of the
Negro in America and of the part
he plays in the country's affairs.
Much of thi sis due to vicious pro-
paganda, but it is also true that it
is partly due to the Negroes own
failure to make a serious attempt
to tell his own story.
For example, at the present
time, and for some time past, there
has been considerable discussion
regarding the Negroes health
status. The Health Department of
this proposed organization would
study this condition with a view
toward ascertaining to just what
extent lack of medical care, lack
of disqualification facilities, unfor-
tunate economic conditions, and
lack of training contribute to this
situation, and then work out plan
for combating it, even to the point
of suggesting to the Legislative
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