Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1961-11-17
ST. Paul Urban
League Hears Chief
Naf'l. Administered

conditions are better than they
actually are.
Negroes must quit covering up
the truth about Negro family dis
organization, illegitimacy, crime
and other bad conditions within
the group. Covering up and COM
planning when others uncover the
real situation is poor tactics for
the task of catching up with the
rest Of Americans, he stated.
The Negro community should
admit the truth, call attention to
the background and reasons for
the present record and go to work
to eradicate conditions which make
the nations Negro community,
underhoused, underjobbed and still
at the bottom of the economic
and social ladder.
Middle Class Negroes Criticised
Mr.. Young was of the opinion
too many Negroes who have ach-
ieved middle-class status are I'M
willing to maintain interest in the
problems of the masses and leave
them rudderless without direc-
ton or assistance. This has led to
the rise of extreme moments like
the Muslims and other nationalist
groups which are able to prey
upon the masses who are embit-
tered by their everyday life in the
nation which has not yet come to
grips with the necessity Of giving
every individual, If not equality, a
chance to catch up.
The Urban League movement
has saved the nation millions Of
dollars in its work to improve the
city-life Of the American Negro,
yet has received relatively small
financial support from the COM
munities it serves" the speaker
stated.
He pointed out that many dedi-
Gated Urban League executives
have left the league because of
the small salaries. He cited the
great turnover in staff Of the st.
Paul and Minneapolis leagues as
evidence that the organization has
not been able to compete with
government agencies and private
concerns for staff personel salary
wise.
Local leagues should examine
their budgets because most leagues
are not given sufficient money to
do good job. He called the ST.
900 budget of the st. Paul Urban
League insufficient to do a real de-
cent job for the community.
The leagues role as Young saw
1t was to look out after the in
terests of the Negro, first. If the
Negroes interests are advanced and
protected the entire community
will profit he said. Too much en-
phasis has mistakenly been placed
on the idea Of the league concern
ing itself with the whole communi-
ty, job which many other well
financed organizations are busily
doing, Mr.. Young stated.
IF the Urban League takes
care of it's principal job in a COM
munity, results of its work will
occur automatically to the good
Of the entire community" the
speaker said.
Young's address was well re-
ceived by the alternative applaud
ing audience.
In introducing the speaker, Cecil
Newman, National Urban League
trustee and member Of both the
st. Paul and Minneapolis boards
called st. Paul, "the mother Of
many Urban League executives"
Young's first Urban League job
was as industrial secretary Of the
st. Paul Urban League. Newman
told Of the many leading execu-
tives in the movement who had
their early training in Minnesota
including two national office ex-
ecutives, in addition to Mr.. Young.
Ernest c. Cooper, the st. Paul
Urban League executive director
described the progress of the st.
Paul Urban League during the