Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1955-08-31
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 49,.
InterrueiuI Cooperation
I'm The South

| ~ NC kSdNilSN. NSSN VI bAASAi
have never condeScended to dis
cuss the subject with the coloreG
people or even to try 10 under
stand the Negroes feelings. They
have given little thought to the
problems that confront the Ne
|gro leaders of the South. or to
how they are trying TO handle
them.
Whether this be from apathy
or prejudice or just dctermina-
ton to refuse TO recognize that
changes have taken place with
Negroes and in their relationship
I" our social order. this attitude
IS in itself the most dangerous
phase of the entire issue. The
wEite people who are the quick
est TO say that they know all
about the Negro and the Negro
problems are generally the ones
who have not given the matter
any serious thought and have
Lot considered the broader as
poets of the problem. Most Ne
grces have thought about these
meters deeply. They are being
reminded of them constantly by
their circumstances and sur
rou"dings, and by a mass Of cur
rent literature, varying from ac-
adcmic discussions to scandal
sheets. The Negroes are impress
ed by the amount and type OF
national attention that their
cause is attracting. Those at
home. and their boys in the
service, are wondering what this
all out" World War for democ-
racy will mean for them.
The racial question is primari-
" a Southern problem. and il
must be settled by the white
end Negro leaders in the South.
III each locality. They alone can
handle it satisfactorily but nei-
tae- group can handle il by
themselves. There must be close
cooperation between the two
races. There are no fundamental
psychological reasons why the
two races cannot live amicably
.CGcther. There is no tolcran,
reason why the white and color
&C leaders can not settle all scri-
CAS- differences without harm "a
ol1cr race or their ,ns,i,u-
tors. Many white people IN the
south have long been dissa;isfi-
ed with the present situation
al " have felt that certain
changes should be made.
As Il Southcrner. with a south
crn background. I have studied
the problem for years. from the
H.Story o! the Negroes in Africa
Though Reconstruction" 10 the
present day. Il is a subject that
g. ouli fill many volumes and
s'rnot be covered in one shor,
.~'.c.c. but tNo.n are q few pcrt-
.Hrnt facts t-a; can be briefly
stated. :
Fortunately. the outstanding
Negro leaders in the South have
understood the many angles +
this problem and thew have
v'Ecly directed the NEGROES
thoughts and energies toward
l"HNrovi"C themselves first and
foremost. So the same time
w'S" leaders have dcvotedlv
PERSISTED in trying to improve
n" Negroes opportunities. II is
"a credit to their race that the
have done so.
These opportunities have been
steadily improved When the Ne
ar"eS were given their freedom
.1sN than three generations acc.
'hey were suddenly thrown on
tnei" own resources in the mIds,
OF a shattered social and eco-
i"mIc order. uneducated and
w trained, they were totally I'M
prepared TO cope with the SILL
alton into which they had been
tfrCwn.
Inc white people, many of
WhCm had lived in wealth = "A
.dNury a few years before wore
els" in desperate circumstances
Inc Southern governments were
IN the hands of unscrupu,oue
acventurers. most of whom were
Interested only in the spoils that
''cy could gather. The white an 1
negro people were fighting des-
'"ratcly for their very existence
m" TO build a completely new
scCiety from the ruins of the old
The people of the North were
promising Utopias to the Ne
H'"cs, but it was only the sincere
.. terest and help Of many of the
- hite people of the South tina.
sept the Negroes plight from be
ing many times more tragic tan
D. was.
~ the end Of the Civil Var.
most of the slave owners had d
Genuine affection for their form
o. slaves and we're interested in
heir welfare. There were many
"hi'c people IN the South who
'"d always been opposed 10
.'dNery who were deeply SYM
4"thetc to the Negroes interest.
Many NJ the Negroes were de-
voted 20 their former owners
WINNING WEEkIv