The Michigan chronicle. [volume], October 07, 1944, Image 6

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

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INDEPENDENT
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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PUBLISHING COMPANY
MAIN OFFICE i 2M Eliot Detroit 1. Mich. TEmpU 1U771
LOUIS EMANUEL MARTIN. Edl»ov
Eotorod m ■ocood cUm matter May I. I*4o of the Poet Office of
Detroit Midu. under the eel of March A ItTt.
Terms of Subscription (pay* bio in edeence)<
One Year. M.OOi Nine Months. SMt> Sin Months, IL3O
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Wandering recently through the asphalt can
yons between the bewildering skyscrapers of down
town New York and through the teeming tenement
section of lower Harlem, your editor could not resist
comparing life in Gotham with that of our own
proud city.
When Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded
the citv of Detroit in 1701, New York was well on
its way to fame and fortune and its first school,
established by the Dutch, was already years old.
In this history of both cities, however, one finds the
same brave, pioneering spirit among the founding
fathers, the same energy and vitality among the
immigrants who settled them.
Today Detroit has become a great industrial
city with humming factories that have put America
on wheels and mechanized our armed forces. New
York has become a world financial center with di
versified industries and a vast merchandise mart.
Its population is three to four times greater than
that of our own city.
Although Negroes shared in the early develop
ment of both cities, they migrated to these centers
in large numbers only in the last few decades. It is
in the present-day relationship between whites and
Negroes that the two cities differ most remarkably.
The same segregated pattern of neighborhoods have
been followed in both cities and to a great extent
the same prejudicial employment policies can be
found in both. Nevertheless there is a fundamental
difference in the attitude of the average white New
Yorker and the average white Detroiter toward the
Negro.
This attitude is reflected best in the freedom
of the New York Negro to participate in almost
every aspect of the civic life of the city without
risk of humiliation. The Civil Rights laws of New
York not only work but the city fathers, including
the Mayor, consistently fight racial discrimination.
Several of the public housing projects in New York
are interracial and no mass protests by whites were
made when these projects were opened to all citi
zens regardless of color.
The so-called riot in Harlem last year was not
a pitched battle between whites on one hand and
Negroes on the other as was true in Detroit. Jim
Crow in the armed forces, high consumer prices
in Harlem, and other factors combined to p/oduce
that outbreak. The manner in which the Mayor and
the police department in cooperation with the Negro
leadership handled the riot illustrates again the dif
ference between the white attitude of New York and
Detroit toward the Negro.
Mayor LaGuardia and the City Council’of New
York have a basic understanding of the so-called
race problem. They are committed to act upon a
policy of racial equality. Last month they passed
a city ordinance withholding subsidies from any
housing development which bars Negroes or any
other group because of creed or color. Playgrounds
and swimming pools have been built in Harlem and
housing projects to ease the congestion in crowded
districts are already planned for the post-war. In
other words, the city’s leadership actively opposes
the encroachment of racial discrimination and is
seeking to up-root the segregated patterns which al
ways lead to conflict.
Despite the fact that Negroes here have made
a greater contribution to the development of Detroit
than New York Negroes have to their city, the De
troit Negro enjoys far less freedom in his day to
day activity. Many public places boldly refuse to
accommodate Negroes here and all-white juries
promptly absolve managements of any crime in re
fusing service to Negroes.
We have a Mayor who insists that neighborhood
segregation must be maintained and a City Council
which concurs in this judgment. We have a Mayor
who has no understanding of the race problem and
wha resents the attempt of anyone to give him any.
Our city fathers prefer to stick their heads in the
sand rather than face the issues which are begging
for settlement.
We believe that Detroit Negroes are more pro
gressive and enlightened than the Negroes of New
York City. The business development among De
troit Negroes and the high quality of the labor and
civic leadership here places our colored community
far ahead of Harlem. Negroes have done more
things better here than in almost any other major
city. Our greatest trouble lies in the fact that De
troit has always put its worst foot forward in the
matter of white leadership. Detroiters still insist on
electing bums to high public office and entrusting
our future progress to little-minded men who are
blessed wdth neither brains nor ability.
We believe that the liberal and intelligent white
EDITORIAL PAGE OK THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
citizens of Detroit should be encouraged to assume
the leadership of our municipal government. It is
not too early for us to begin looking now for men
of character and ability who understand the social
and economic problems faced by the Negro. We
should give these men full support and help usher
in a new era in our city’s development. We have all
the potentialities here in Detroit for the building of
a great American city where democracy has a
chance to survive.
THE REPUBLICAN BALLYHOO
Governor Dewey and the reactionary gang sup
porting him are beating the drums and proclaiming
loudly that there is no such thing an an “indispens
able man.” This argument is supposed to lead to the
conclusion that President Roosevelt ought not be
re-elected. They charge that the Democrats are
taking unfair advantage of Owosso’s Dewey by re
ferring to the experience and wisdom of President
Roosevelt and insisting that we need this experi
enced man in office for the next four years.
President Roosevelt himself has ridiculed the
theory of indispensability, but what the Republicans
can t understand is that some men simply excel
others in some things. Eddie Tolan was not indis
pensable to Michigan’s track team, but as long as
Eddie could bring victories only a fool would have
sought to eliminate him simply to prove that he was
not “indispensable.”
America has a war to win, and <tfter the war
we must win a permanent peace which will prevent
the recurrence of another world war. Further the
American people want prosperity and peace at home.
President Roosevelt has demonstrated that he is one
of the greatest of our peace-time and war-time Presi
dents. The record proves it. Now in order to satisfy
a bunch of Hoover-minded, back-stage robber barons
who are dangling Dewey out in front like a doll in
a Punch and Judy show, we the American people
are supposed to ditch President Roosevelt.
Such action would not make sense. We are in
a crucial period in American history. This is no time
to put our second team in the international game
nor can we afford to trust our domestic economy
to a man who has already been repudiated by the
workers of America and who dances to the tune of
the same Wall street mob which ruled this country
under Coolidge, Harding and Hoover.
The boot-licking, handkerchief-head Negroes
who would rather beg a dime from some patronizing
white boss than to have the opportunity to work
for an honest dollar are supporting Governor Dewey.
These Uncle Toms still believe that charity from
the rich is better than honest reward for honest
effort. President Roosevelt has given the whole
American people, black, white, yellow and green, the
opportunity to work at a decent wage, at decent
hours, under decent conditions. The great majority
of our people know this and they are going to vote
for President Roosevelt to maintain these oppor
tunities in the days to come.
There may be other men in America who could
guarantee the continuation of the progress we have
made under Roosevelt. Nevertheless, from the rec
ord of Governor Dewey in New York, where he had
a chance to outlaw job discrimination but refused it,
we know that he is not one of them. We do know
that President Roosevelt saved us from a Republi
can depression in 1932 and that he is concerned over
the welfare of the common man regardless of race,
creed or color. We know President Roosevelt is not
indispensable, but we know also that America needs
the best and wisest leadership it can possibly find
in this period of crisis. As between President Roose
velt and Hoover’s Charlie McCarthy, we will take
President Roosevelt as our choice as will the ma
jority of the American people, black and white, come
November 7th.
STOPACCIDENTS -sjwMANmM?/'
Enquiring Reporter
Do N((rori recognize the Im
portance of registering to vote In
the election this year?
George W.
Reed. 676 Mad
ison St.: Yes. 1
have passed by
the City Hall
several times
and have seen
Negroes there
in fair propor
tion to other*.
The effect of
the drives of
last fall and
last spring seem
to be bearing
fruit.
* JL
■■ i ■
< 4 ■
Geo. W. Reed
/ L^nH
■Kip
Wgg v
iimr
* 1
j
a
William Ray,
proprietor of
Universal Bar
ber Shop, 3129
Hastings street:
No. I don't be
lieve they do.
They have not
recognized the
importance of
the issues in
volved. I am
afraid that they
do not realize
that voting
means partici
pation in busi
ness.
William Ray
Elwood Gar
vin, owner of
Garvin Motor
S.ilcs, 2419 St
Antione street:
I think that
they do but
they do not
know where
and why they
should register.
You would be
surprised at the
number of peo
ple who have
not registered
The masses will
not register
F 1
El wood Garvin
without proper
enlightenment as to how impor
tant it is to register.
Dr. H. E.
Simms, 6614
Firw o o d
street: I think
they do to a
larger degree
than I have ob
served before
in previous
years. How
ever, there Is
need for more
stimulation and
instruction.
~ -i
Dr. H.E. Simms
Pm
y ■ , x f;..;
'•V
'' f *vvU' !
Roman John
son. Pharma
rif t. Muriel
D a-say . Drug
Store. 2201 St.
Antione: In my
opinion they do
not. It is hard
to say why. Of
the people who
come in this
store, most of
them feel that
it doesn’t make
any difference
to them.
Roman Johnson
EDITOR’S MAIL!
I've been receiving the Chronicle
now for six months or more and
I've enjoyed it immensely. Although
I've changed bases two or more
times since my subscription, I still
get the paper before it's a month
old. It was the first mail I got
-a hen our mail came abroad after
D-Day and 1 enjoyed it like a let
ter from home.
There are fellows here with me
from all over and the paper is
passed around until it's in shreds
almost, but we all get to read it.
They're paying for the continuation
of the subscription.
Enclosed you will find a money
order for $6 00. Plea.-e send the
paper to USN 3951 care of FPO.
Thanking you in advance for your
cooperation.—Very sincerely youxs,
Jonas H. Jackson. Stm. 1-e.
NAAC P OPENS NOMINATIONS
NEW YORK Nominations for
the 1944 Spingarn Medalist, "to be
awarded for the highest and noblest
achievement by an American Negro
during the preceding year or
years.” are now open, the NAACP
announced this week Anyone may
submit the name of a person con
sidered to be worthy of recognition
and send it to the National Office of
the NAACP. 69 Fifth Avenue, New
York 3, New’ York.
‘UNHEALTHY SUPPORTERS OF THE PROSECUTORr
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THE CHRONICLER
By CONFUCIUS
One Voice foes for another: or did
you know Frank Sinatra had en
dorsed FDR. in fact even had a con
ference with him last week? The
Swooner does think about more
than the “bobby socks brlfade”!
* * *
The Courier finally got out there
and did what it had been trying to
do for weeks... .coming out for
Dewey Tom. But the editorialist
who wrote the momentous state
rncoit announcing it seemed to have
us folks confused with the big
money boys and thinks we should
vote for Dewey "cause" big business
dot's.
* * *
If you didn't read this week’s
Time max, it revealed that when
Dewey gets excited, his reactions
are very “scoutmasterlsh," to wit:
he exclaims, “good gracious.” and
"my Lord” under stress. If he gets
in, at least the Boy Scouts will be
made to feel at home at the White
House.
* * *
Did you know that busy Beulah
Whitby was at the National Mari
time Union banquet for Ferdinand
Smith a week ago? She gets around,
no?
* * *
Have you heard this old one ’bout
the campaign seems a man is
down on his knees praying. “Hoov
er promised me a house. Roosevelt
gave it to me, please Lord, don't
let Dewey take it away from me."
* * *
Speaking of the GOP candidate,
did you know* that one version of
hiN remarks about the FEPC went
down South and was all bad, while
we Northerners read that Tommie
was all for the FEPC’. . . In one
speech in Washington (state of) he
slipped and atttacked the FEPC,
and later denied it. •
* * *
One of the daiker brothers who
is traveling with the Dewey train,
sent back a whitewash to his East
ern paper of our old enemy. W’est
brook Pegler. Seems Westbrook
is just a misunderstood soul and
really LOVES us. Funny how these
guys for Dewey suddenly discover
these things all by themselves.
Minister Praises
Proposals For
4 A New Africa *
NEW YORK The Council on
African Affairs today released lor
publication the text of a letter of
Sept. 5 from Rene Pleven. Colonial
Commissioner of the Provisional
Government of the French Repub
lic. addressed to Paul Robeson and
Max Yergan, chairman and execu
tive director of the Council. The
French official stated that the pro
ceedings and resolutions of the con
ference on Africa held in New York
earlier this year under the auspices
of the Council on African Affairs
and published under the title "For
a New Africa." had been a source
of "interest and profit" to the
French Department of Colomya.
"The interest shown lit African
affairs by American public opinion,
of which you are unquestionably
among the most representative, can
only encourage and stimulate the
African work of my country,” the
Commissioner wrote.
Mr. Pleven noted that the con
ference's recommendations for rapid
progress in the economic, social, and
political development of African life
reflected "a spirit similar to that of
the Brazzaville Conference" of last
February in which the late Felix
Eboue, Governor-General of French
Equatorial Africa, played a leading
role.
Farm Expert To
Liberia To Aid
Food Production
WASHINGTON Charles E.
Trout. Tuskegee trained agricultur
ist who has been appointed as an
agricultural expert to assist the
Liberian Government wtih its prob
lem of developing adequate farm
production to increase the nutrit
ional standards of the population
and provide commodities for export,
left iast Tuesday by clipper for the
4Jria*a
which nobody else ever dreamed of.
For my dough though, Westbrook is
still a rotten egg.
* * *
Dldya read the one about Darryl
F. Zanuck's production of "Wilson"?
Seems the Big Men In the GOP ob
jected that "Wilson” was too politi
cal (and too Democratic) for an
election year. Canny Zanuck lis
tened and said, "Well, If you don't
like ’Wilson’ I’ll give It up and start
production on my next scheduled
film—‘The Life of Warren G. Hard
ing.’ ” "Wilson" went into produc
tion without a murmur from the
GOPera.
* * *
Don’t be fooled about any health
proposals for Detroit. Look behind
the slim-slam about integrated
boards and see who is backing the
idea. Think there'll be any white
patients at a hospital that just
trains Negro nurses and internees?
Keep fighting to open up the hos
pitals we have, and make any new
ones to all patients, all nurses, and
all internees regardless of race,
creed, etc. It’s hard as hell for
us to take a step forward, without
taking two or three backward
everytime some white supremacist
gets a brain-storm!
* * *
Have you registered yet? If you
haven’t Confucius thinks you're Just
a lousy, lary two-bit jerk! And
don't you agree?
PONDERS WAR AIMS
NEW YORK—Praise for the work
of the Association and profound ad
miration for the gre.d contribution
being made by its executive secre
tary. was expressed in a letter re
ceived this week by Walter White
from Pittsburgh Courier War Cor
respondent. Billy Rowe, "some
where in the Pacific."
Contributions amounting to $1,895
were sent to the NAACP in August
from soldiers and officers in the
Pacific as a result of reqne>ts made
on behalf of the Association by Mr.
Rowe, whose assignment included
this sector.
•V WILLIAM L. SHERRILL.
DAYTON, Ohio. Sept 2»—Did
you hear Dewey's Oklahoma
speech?"—lt was with this question
that an old friend greeted me when
I stepped from the train in Day
ton... He unloaded this question
upon me as though he had waited
long and anxious for this moment.
...Without giving me a chance to
?ay, how are vou old boy!—or to
tell him that I don't feel as old as
I look—or ask him whether or not
Joe is yet living in Dayton—hr be
gan running off at the mouth about
Gov. Dewey's speech..."lf you
didn't hear it you missed a master
piece." he continued. "For dignity,
statesmanship and logic President
Roosevelt can't touch him...l tell
you. Sherrill. Uewev is the man we
need in the White House now...
Roosevelt's speech before the Team
sters Union was no match for the
masterly jddtess delivered by
Dewey... Did you hear the Roose
velt speech? (I did manage to
squeeze in a faint, no, rig*ht here)
Well I did." he said, "and believe
me it was the most sickening hog
wash the American people have
ever had to listen to from a Presi
dent...l tell you that —as leader of
this great nation and commander
in-chief of the American army—
Mr. Roosevelt in this speech stooped
to the most indecent, undignified
role any President could ever de
scend... After these two speeches,"
he concluded, "there is no question
whom the American people should
send to the White House. What do
you think?"
MY DEAR BOY, I said, my first
thought is—that much reading of
Republican papers "hath made thee
mad." You must mix more thor
oughly your reading materia*...
You sec this is a democracy—hence
don't take too seriously all the name
calling you hear and read.
The Republicans would have you
believe that the country will go
to the dogs if Roosevelt is returned
to the White House... The Demo
crats want you to believe that the
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1944
Fund Group Had
First Meeting
In Atlanta, Ga.
NEW YORK—The board of direc
tors of the United Negro College
Fund held its first regular annual
meeting at Atlanta university, At
lanta. Ga. on Oct. 3. according to a
statement by Dr. F. D. Patterson,
President of the Fund Official an
nouncements have been mailed to
the presidents <>f the 27 member in
stitutions by the Secretary of the
Board.
A final report on the results of
the 1944 campaign was presented by
W. J Trent. Jr. executive secretary
of the Fund. Campaign activity for
1944 has been terminated m all cam
paign cities except Cleveland. Ohio,
and Washington. I). C Both of these
cities were late starting their local
•ff« >rt
At this meeting the board of di
rectors authorized the final distri
bution among member institution*
of the funds raised this year and
also approved plans for the 1945
effort.
Victory Center
Changes Address
To Griswold St
Retailers Victory Center, Wayne
County merchants' division of the
V. S Treasury, at 1533 Woodward
avenue since June. 1942, is now lo
cated at 1457 Griswold street, corner
of Clifford. All the public services
rendered at the former location,
such as the sale of war bonds and
war saving* stamps, headquarteis
for volunteers in war finance cam
paigns merchants’ participation in
advertising and promotional sup
port of the War Chest. Red Cross
War Loans etc. will be continued in
the new quarters.
This announcement was mnrie to
day by Nate S Shapero. Retail
Chairman for Wayne County.
country s sunk if Dcwev is elected.
.. But the unvarnished truth IS
that America is not going to the
dogs nor is it going to sink reg.ird*
les.> of who our next President is ..
Thi*. however, docs not mean th.it
we must not be concerned —for it
is also true that the liberals of
America—the work of the progres
sives. can be slowed up and made
d.fficult .f we place the wrong man
at the helm of our ship of state.
The selection of a President calls
therefore for sober, but not hysteri
cal thought.. The answer to the
following question will point out
to vou the man you should solid
to tne White House:
WHICH OF THE TWO CANDI
DATES do you h mostly believe it
best qualified through experience,
training and wisdom to lead this
country through the remaining
months or perhaps years of war—
Gov Dewey or President Roosevelt?
Which of the two men running
for the presidency do you really
believe possesses the highest quali
fications for handling the complex
problems of peace, Mr. Dewey or
Mr Roosevelt’
Which of the two men do you
believe deep in your heart will be
more liberal to the citi/cn'-hip
rights of 1.5 million Negro-Ameri
cans and more svmpathetic to the
cause of labor—Dcwev or Roose
velt’
Which of the two men do you
sincerely believe is more experi
enced and better qualified to take
charge of our post war domestic
economy—Dewey or Roosevelt?
In other words—which of the two
men possess the higher intellectual
statue—the broader social vision—
the w ider hi«t irical sagacity—the
deeper humanitar m impulses—Mr.
Roosevelt or Mr Dewey’
If you will foiget party labels
and honestly answer these ques
tion*. the name of the man for
whom you should vjjte in the presi
dential election <**♦!! stand out In
buld relief.