St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-02-04

eastern manufacturing exeeutiy
the 36tb annual meeting and
st. Louis.
We cannot enjoy the rewards
OF free enterprise without fulfill
ling It's responsibilities" said JOS
eph J. Morrow. personnel relations
director OF Pitney-Bowes. Inc. OF
stomford. Conn. and vice presi-
dent OF the National Urban
League.
There are plenty Of business
men and industrialists who think
they are being hard-headed and
practical when they reject the
idea OF fair employment" Nor
row said. They'll tell you they
are businessmen. not social re-
formers In an age when social
issues are being used an an ideolo-
gical weapon against the very
system Of free enterprise they
want 10 uphold
They'll tell you that putting
Negroes at skilled work doesn't
jibe with community tradition
and that their white employees
might make trouble but they'll
readily admit that courage. leader
ship and vision In the face OF OBJ
stacles are the things which have
created our unique industrial
growth They'll tell you without
bothering 10 find out that Me-
groes are second-rate workers:
lazy shiftleas, aggressive, or on
they remember Uncle Toms Cab
in) tlmid and over-humble. But
give them a market research pro-
Ject. or a problem In engineering,
and they'll get the facts all OF
them before they dare to come
up with nm answer"
Management cannot stand
for enlightened progress and
nj the same time Willingly
serve meaningless taboo right
out Of the Dark Ages" he said.
Speaking OF the economic aspect
OF ''the battle for Americas Me-
groes." Morrow declared.
III we let Negroes find their
true level on the basis OF ability,
joining with us in the creation
and production Of wealth, their in
creased earning will give us one
Of the best consumer markets we
can hope for Estimates on the
total cost OF prejudice to the
United States have run as high as
30 billion dollars year II the
true cost were only one quarter of
that, Il would stu be more than
we can afford"
Maintaining that "thcrc really
ls enough opportunity 20 70 n.
round" Morrow argued that I'm
proving the Negroes economy
"wiii breed social Improvement
and reduce the high price we
pay for sium-bred crime. disease
and poverty"
Wasted ability Is costly when
we need more engineers, doctors,
and others In our top professions,
and when we continue. In some
areas, to substitute human muscle
for machinery which could do the
same work at less cost" he said.
Admitting that asking some en-
ployees TO accept Negro co-work.
ers ON an equal basis strikes deep
at some OF our most unreasoning
emotions" Morrow urged bust.
nessmen TO do the job right the
first time"
Accepted techniqucs OF policy.
planning and communication are
no less sound when used 10 pre-.
pare the way for the assimilation
OF Negroes" he said, Every
plant which uses these tools sue
cessfhlly Is doing a lot more than
Just providing decent jobs for a
few neglected citizens. II is also
throwing its weight and its in.
fluence in the community ON the
side OF fair employment. and help
ing its white employees 10 teach
themselves lesson in citizenship
which they might otherwise never
learn.
IT is very important that man
agement should tackle this prob