St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1957-09-13

muqdzinos. Miss Ddndridge.
bandloador Dan Terry that tn
accompanied by her lGwYer. |
ment servant, the minister Of a
1 church in the midst of a changing
neiRhborhood and the Negro
spokesman for better housing and
Job opportunities.
IL is this ability TO weld to-
gether people of different inter-
ests on the basis of their common
beliefs that makes the Urban
League an especially important
kind OF movement. The American
nation needs this kind of a move
ment today as never before. Why?
Simply because public agreement
and courage around the question
Of equal opportunity appear to
have broken down in significant
areas OF the country--even among
those people generally inclined TO
support the ideal OF It's practice.
II is imperative that agreement
and courage re reconstructed -
even In the midst OF bitter dissen-
tunlty furnishes a rauying point.
sion over desegregation-and this
subject OF equal economic oppor-
Not every white person who runs
away from the entrance of Negro
families into his neighborhood Is
a bigot. He Is more apt to be only
confused. But no person who is not
a bigot can be content to stand
by and watch or actively connive
at the barring OF a good man from
a good job merely because his skin
color is dark.
The rebuilding process, there
fore. calls for revision of strategy
for getting back TO fundament-
als-in order TO move forward
again with more strongly-ordered
ranks.
This Is why the National Ur-
ban League last year launched
Equal Opportunity Day as a
symbol and challenge to those
who control and fill the Industrial
Jobs OF America TO close ranks
tightly and repel any effort on the
part OF organized racists TO widen
their gains and disrupt American
industry as American education
has been disrupted,
Equal Opportunity Day In 1857
will be one OF the truly signifi-
cant anniversaries since II falls on
November 10Th. the date when
President Abraham Lincoln de-
livered his memorable Gettysburg
address.
Equal Opportunity Day TO
thousands and thousands of en-
ployers, to millions and millions
of workers, and TO an even great
er number OF our citizens who are
connected neither with manage
ment or organized labor will be
an annual reminder that America
became great because OF her skin
In the use OF her manpower; she
win remain secure only as long as
| that skill Is eNerted toward dem
oCratic ends.
This question of Equal Job OPP
| portunity Is only one OF the many
with which we have been strug,
| Cling during the recently-conclud,
/ ed workshop sessions and strug'
gle Is exactly the word 10 use,
our Job would be tough enough Il
we were concerned only with IN,
Negroes rights
II would be difficult II we wer,
social agency concerned only
| with problems OF urhaniZation
without regard 10 its racial as
poets. But when we tie the two
problems together and try to come
up with constructive and practica.
answers In the face OF hostility OF
Indifference or misunderstanding
shrcwdly capitalized upon by 4
reactionary, INSCRIPTIONS oppoSi
ton this is like trying to repair
a watch on a merry-go-round
l have talked about the nee,
for more manpower and this W,
must have more volunteers VIII,
are better informed and are will
ing 10 give more time 20 the worl
OF the Urban League, more stat
resources with better training an,
experience, and encouraged by re
ceiring decent salaries. All OF thi
needs money,
IL means a million dollars add
tiona added TO the budgets OF IN
: National Urban League and IL
] local affihateS To some people
: million dollars Is great deal O
c money, but those OF us who knoN
the Importance OF the Job tina
c the League Is undertaking realix
5 that u is very modest reques
: by so per cent means real sales
a To increase our overall incom
o manship and sustained follow
: through, II we produce these this
= hi-racial American leaderShi
which has supported the Urhs
:. Leagues over the years and ha
watched our growth and listed on
l. accomplishments with Spprecis
4 tive swareneSS can look foryvar
20 receiving in terms OF future a,
complshmentS some Of the be.
!, dividends ever realized by Amer
J. can society.
J. For the best dividends are nj
!, extracted from the earth. nor froi
minds not from commerce {
c banking, They are not realized
y the form OF money, The best div
- dends are those which viii com
q nom a closely-knit and harmon
ious American society-guided b
> afraid OF extending and recei,
q pride in race and nation. and ur
|. ing comradeship with the IN
world everywhere
The End.