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

Thus for the first time In on
history, the American public ha
begun 10 face the fact that In
equalities In education are not &
be measured solely on the basil
OF building, equipment. teachers
their salaries and text books, IL 4
also measured on the basis OF tn
emotional and cultural atmosphere
/ 10 which school children are ex
posed II this dawning recogni
ton marks the beginning Of tru'
| social wisdom among the Ameri
can public, the present situation
becomes not matter of frustrn
ton, but one OF inspiring chal
lenge 10 the whole membership Of
the Urban League.
Facing that challenge effective.
ly depends on use OF our leader.
ship resources the wisdom and
conviction Of our volunteer and
staff leaders being the only effec-
tive tools designed for the job we
have contracted 10 do. That Job Is
basically an educational job. Our
function il 10 help the American
community 10 understand - and
act on the basis OF understanding
that the welfare OF all the peo-
pie can be attained only when all
the people have equal opportunity
TO develop their fullest potentiali-
ties with out primary focus on
economic opportunity the
achievement OF equal economic
opportunity for alive seek 10
enlist the teamwork effort OF
every citizen, no matter what his
special partisan interests, who
recognizes the connection be-
tween equal opportunity and the
national welfare.
Therefore. our annual confer
ence deliberations are marked by
contributions from spokesman
from a variety of influence centers
industrial and business corpora
tons, government, organized la
Dor, church and civic life -indiv-
iduals OF different races and re-
ligious connections, ranging from
VIPS 10 Average Joes.
have said that our effective
ness In facing the challenge to in
terracial teamwork depends upon
the extent and nature OF our re-
sources and our skill In using
them
Realism compels the admission
that our resources are weak In
comparison with the urgency of
the crisis facing us. That dispar-
ity is accentuated by the fact that
the forces OF disruption are
stronger al this moment than ever
before in history.
This Is a bitterly ironic fact,
for every poll OF public opinion
taken In recent years reveals the
steady Increase In the number and
proportion OF those desiring TO
bring real democracy into racial
relationships. The actual and the
proportionate numbers of those
who would crawl back TO the so
cial ideals OF tho nineteenth CEN
fury are smaller than ever before.
Then why have the forces OF
disruption become stronger IL is
because they are more shrewdly
organized and more strongly fin
anced. IL Is because the vast im-
provement OF our communications
media makes II possible for an
evil idea 10 gain even more rapid
currency than could ever have
been dreamed OF n half-century
ago
10 10 ha,.,.a an. ,.,,,.a.,.... -.
mans technique has been applied
to the peddling OF race hatred
and modern Embarrassing devices
have financed the sales technique
The evil network that has beer
developed toward disruption OF
racial relationships In the United
states Is a product OF idea, hustl,
and money.
Meanwhile. no similar expansion
and Improvement OF resources
has been noticeable among thos,
groups devoted TO Improvement o.
racial conditions.
Organizations and individual,
processing support OF rectal re
form stin split off in factions
We stun tend to label people b,
such utterly unrealistic terms n
liberal, conservative. grad
ualist,' or radical" Each label
ing stimulates division and makes
Il all the more difficult 20 develo,
the coordinRted teamwork so des
perately essential at this time.
l am. sincere In stating that
do not believe that this is an out
standing fault OF the Urbal
League, for one OF our organiEa
tiond characteristics Is our ne
fusal TO label and set apart PEG
pie ON the basis OF their politica
partisianships, race or economi
circumstances.
We enlist In tho Urban Jeag,i
task those who believe in equs
opportunity; we use their leader
ship as far as their beliefs wi
allow us 10 use them. Our argt
mens are not wholly pragmati
for they coherc around a hurnin
central conviction. But they al
demonstrably practical argument
to the labor leader as 10 the 1,
dustrtalist. 20 the ennehtens
housing developer as 20 the Negi