Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1961-06-03
Get Organized
Or Get Lost
JOSEPH L. ALBRIGHT
Staff CORRESPONDENT

Last weekend regional meeting
OF one Of our splendid and unique
organizations was held here in
jackson. This influential union
=. the National Alliance of Postal
Employees for many years has
rendered yoeman service in de-
stroying discrimination in the Unit
ed States Post Office Department,
and in procuring equitable consid-
Grafton for the Negro employees
therein. Under the courageous
leadership of it's National Presi-
dent, James B. Cobb, MAZE has
become a powerful and effective
force In the Federal government.
Having at one time been a member,
| am fully aware of its long span
OF dedicated activities both as
they relate to the betterment of
the postal service itself and to the
working conditions of its members.
1t serves as the commendable ex-
ample of the efficacy of organiza-
ton.
We . and by 1--WE" / mean
Negroes . had better get more
and more organization minded if we
ever expect to achieve the fullest
measure of recognition in Amer
ica's progress. Organization is
the parent of power; and power,
brother, in case you haven't heard,
is the giant that moves the world.
No organization can ever be of
much consequence without good
leadership and loyal followers. OF
these two ingredients, the latter is
by far the most important. Our
too frequent penchant for having
too many chiefs and not enough
Indians" has got to go - NOW;
for the very bedrock of successful
organization membership begins
with the ability to follow. One of
the country's wealthiest and most
powerful oilmen gave me this piece
of succint advice years ago: cal
bright, no man is worthy of being
entrusted with leadership if he has
not first learned how to follow"
Remembering this, each day |
pray to be endowed with the wis
dom, courage and faith to inspire
those who might have placed their
trust in my leadership, such as it
might be; and then to be given
these same sources of strength and
devotion if am to be just one Of
the boys making the march.
Being a loyal follower does not
imply either blindness or stupidity.
Constructive criticism is the very
essence of democracy, and every
loyal member of an organization
owes it to the general welfare Of
the group and to himself to con-
tribute exactly that whenever it is
in order . and any Header" who
resents or ignores this right of
freedom of constructive expression
from his rank-and-file should be
booted right out Of office on his
you-know-what without ceremony.
OF all the great inspirational
spiritual anthems which we have
contributed to our nations folk
lore, none touches me more deeply
than Walk Together, Children"
for it always reminds me of
how the Son-Of-God- Made Man
walked with twelve men He had
chosen from vastly different areas.
of life, and with them launched
the greatest organization for man.
kind that the world has ever seen.
walk together" therein lies
the assured answer to our prog
ress.
Then to all of us who would as
pire to leadership in this hour of
great need for intra-group Crgani-
cation and citizenship contribution,
hang this on the wall to be seen
at all times:
eff / be lifted, lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto me-"