Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-02-04

FhaAtEH MISUNDERSTANDING fAF'hhlFt
the 36th annual meeting and
ST. Louis.
We cannot enjoy the rewards
Of free enterprise without fuifI-
ling its responsibilities, said Jos
eph J. Morrow. personnel relations
director Of Pitnsy -Bowss. Inc ~
stomford. Conn, and vice prssi.
dent Of the National Urban
League.
There are plenty Of business.
mcn and induAtrialls,s who think
they are being hard-headsd 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 as an idsolo-
Eicai 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 thsy'Il
readily admit that courage. leader
ship and vision In the face 81 oh
ataclss are the things which have
created our unique Industrial
growth. They'll tell you without
bothsring 10 find out that Ne.
Kro-s are aecond-rats workers
lazy. ahlftlssA. Aggressive, or ~
they remember Uncle Toms Cab
In timid and over humble But
give them q market research pro
iect, or a problem In engineering.
and .hsy'il get the facts all ~
them before they dare 10 come
up with an answer"
Management Cannot stand
for enlightened progress" and
at the Same time willingly
serve . meaningless taboo right
out ~ the Dark Ages he said.
Speaking ~ the economic aspect
81 the battle for Americas Ne
Eroca." Morrow declared
II we let Negroes ind thcir
true level on the basis 81 ability.
Joining with US IN the creation
and product ton ~ wealth their In
creased earning will give ~ on,
~ the best consumer markets We
can hope for Estimates on the
total cost Of prejudice Ia the
United States have run ~ high NJ
10 billion dollars year ~ the
true cost were only one quarter Of
that. ., would stlil be- more than
We can afford"
Maintaining that there really
IL enough opportunity 10 go u
round" Morrow argued that I'm.
proving the Negroes economy
''wili breed social Improvement
and rodoc" the high price we
pay for Stun bred crime. dis-asc
and poverty"
Wasted ability ia costly when
We need more engineers doctors
and others In our top professions
and when We continue In some
areas Ia substitute human muscle
for machinery which could DO the
same work at less cost. he said.
Admitting that asking some EN-.
ployves To accept Negro eo-work.
ers on an equal basis strikes deep
at some OF our most unrraaonIng
emotions" Morrow urged bust
nesSmen 60 do the job right the
FIRST time"
Accepted technlque- 81 policy.
planning and communications are
no lrss sound when used Ia pre-.
pare the way for the assimilation
of Negroes he vaid Every
plant which uaes these tools site.
eessfuliy IL doing lot more than
Just providing decent johs for
few neglected citizens I, In also
throwing its weigh, and its In
nusncr in the community on tho
side ~ fair employment. and help.
ing It's white employees 90 teach
themselves leHsnn IN citizenship
which they might otherwise never
learn
III IL very important that man.
aEsmrnt should tackle this prob.