North Carolina Newspapers

'^v .fe. PAGE P01IB THECABOUTGAN .J ... SATURDAY, MABCH 31. 194g. EDITORIALS POLITICAL CROSS-CURRENTS £ H So many motives figured in the opposi-u tion of various members of the Senate to_^ Aubrey Williams that one should avoid any easy explanation of the rejection by that body of his nomination to the post of Rural Electrification Administrator. ^ It cannot bo interpreted as strictly party behavior, as both Uopublications and Domocrats voted against his confirm ation, and both Democrats and Republi cans supj;orted him. It was not'purely a division by section, as some Nortliern Democrats voted against confirmation, and several .southern Democrats voted for it. Both senatoj’s from South Carolina, for instance, supported Williams. In general the line-up was the same as in the case of the Wallace nomination— economic conservatives, partisan Repub licans and anti-Roosevelt “Democrats” on one side, and economic liberals, non-parti- isan Republicans and New Deal Demo crats on the other. Some of the Republi cans were also economic conservatives, and so were many of the anti-Roosevelt Democrats. Those who identify their own economic interests with those of the big power companies were against Williams, regardless of other considerations. The race issue was really a minor one. Certainly if Williams’ racial views had been the chief point, Elleuder of Louisana and Maybank and Johnson of South Car olina would not have been among voting for his confirmation. The racial views of Williams, like his religious views, were dragged in by tlie ears as supplementary weapons. His connection with the farm ers’ Union, and his advocacy of fair play for the common man, regardless of race, would naturally not endear him to a large class of Southerners; but what made him really undesirable to them was more a matter of his general economic sympathies than his racial views. It is is interesting to note that uncon sciously, and purely incidentally, the southern Democrats who are really in terested in a square deal for the common State Texbook Commission to be placed on the “multiple list” for social studies for the fifth and sixth grades, according to a news story. Since the books were not adopted as basic texts their use in any school will be voluntary. But the very recognition in an official way ,that exposure to Negro his tory written from the viewpoint of Negro writers is a proper and desirable thing for public school pupils, black and white alike, is of great significance. It is to be expected that many Negro schools, and some white schools, will be influenced by this action of the Text book Commission, to make use of the material endorsed. If white people are to acquire a better undei-standing and appreciation of the Ne gro and his past in American life, and a sounder attitude about his proper place in the future, insofar as these ends are to be obtained from systematic factual in struction, the sooner it starts in the life of the individual tlte better the results. Repeated testing has shown that where attitudes have become crystallized as the result of years of misinformation and un favorable impressions, presentation of facts often has little efect. Beginning with the children is tlie sound procedure. Many Negro children also know far too little of the facts about their own peo ple, and amazing and depressing ignor ance in tiiis line often turns up in unex pected places—among college students, for instance. Under those circumstances Negro History Week is too short. We need Negro History years. Many a Negro who does not realize it feels inferior, because he doesn’t know enough about himself, his people, and their history, to feel any other way, and because he has unwitting ly adopted attitudes made popular by his detractois. SIDE BY SIDE The cautious experiment recently inaug- ui'ated in tlie First and Seventli Armies by which Negro volunteers from service un its uie being integrated into infantry un its, is one of the biggest happenings of Uiis war. The process has been carried out so far on a very small scale; but that the military leaders should have got up cour- ..•vniii/h f(\ trv it. At. a11 ui Axti'emelv ikJlCOURAGE THE OlSCHAPGED VETERAN .0 ACCEPT EMPLOYMENT IN CRITICAL WAH PRODUCTION. A REPRESENTATIVE OF U«ES IS LOCATED IN EACH ARMY SEPARATION CENTER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND HELP HIM FIND A JOB THAT FULLY UTILIZES HIS SKILLS.* rf?ANCIS PRICE THE USES CAM PLACE HIS SKILL /eceiid Thcualits By C. O. HALLIBURTON In the February number of Manpower Review, an official publication of the War Manpow er Commission, Lawrence A. Ox ley, well known to Ralei^ and North Carolina, has an article entitled, “Negroes in the Post- War Period.” Lieutenant Oxley in the performance of his duties as senior technician in the Bu reau of PlacemenL MiZK>rity Groups Service of the War Manpower Ccmimission, has had unusual opportunities to study the situation of Negro workers in wartime industry, and his observations and predictions are therefore highly pertinent Mr. Oxley iraturally expects the Negro worker to be in a haz ardous position when reconver sion begins. Although he recog nizes that in readjusting their extra job insecurity for Negro workers has been and is, says Mr. Oxley, the withholding of training and upgrading oppor tunities from them. Tiie Negro has always been regarded as a great labor potential, just as he has always been a large propor tion of the actually employed; but actually and potentially Ne groes have figured largely on the level of menial and unbill ed employroenL Corsequently when nrMisufll conditions have created a demand for more workers, as in this war and in World War I, the Negro has gained in total numbers employ ed far more than he has gained in the matter of occupational status. Mr. Oxley points out that some gains have been made dur- ina tVio uinv- v0nr« in nlni'incT forces which will be pul in mo tion by a really seriou-s oversup ply of labor, ;ictually begm to work. One essential measure to com bat this situation is the opening ol training opportunities for Ne groes, so that as many of them as possible may be lifted out of the marginal class. Free access to training opportunities, now and in the post-war period, is absolutely essential to give the Negro worker anything ap proaching an even break m in dustry during the post-war per iod. Skill is not a guarantee against the forces of bias, but it will certainly place tlic individu al possessing it in a better com petitive position than that oc cupied by the unskilUnj. One advantage that many Negroes will have after this war will be that of union member- .News ^ffTies involving tin* conduct of Negroe.s, both service men and women and civilians, offer a variety of points of view and are singularly sensational becau.sc of the fact that Negroes are 1h(‘ .subjcit of discussion. Il i.s as if Negroes were an adjunct to to the Unit'd Slate.s and not an integral part of tlie Nation. Wli.-n the f)2nd l.)ivision fail.-d to reach its objective in Italy a few w.i-ks ago the idea conveyed was that the efforts ol all of the Nogrix-.s in the country had been fruitless in the war and tliat Negroes had last a private war. Ignored and forgotten were the facts that uniLs of the armies of all countries in thus war had met .succ'-.ss or failure, had wiilulrawn or advanced as the situation requiifd. Till- Brilbsh soldiers legai dle.ss of color retreated almost ac- cro.ss a continent in Africa. No (me attempted to discover the cause of the lack ot succe.-- bi cause a unit was composed of Aus- tialians, Ni‘W Zealanders, or Knglish. Further, investigators were not sent out to find out why an English unit advanced in one place and a South African division-advanced in another. They were not instructed to examine the pigment of the troops’ skin as if to say Lhal a white man sliould .succeed in one place-and fail in another, or a brown unit should advance where the white had tailed but should have fulled where the wliite moved on. Tliis examination of troops on the basis of color seems to be a part of only the liigh military strategy of the United Slates. OUier .soldiers are weighed by their performance irrespective of race, color, or creed. Tliroe recent reports on the activities of the American Negro .service man make an interesting study of the attitude shown in handling tlie Negro news and the Negro in the war. As a result of the failuie of the 92nd Division in Italy Truman K. Gibson, civilian aide to the Secretary of War, was sent to Italy to analyse tiu- causes for the poor hhowing of the Negro. Mr. Gib- sun uccuinodated his ^upe^lo^s by seeming to confirm an earlier slulcmenl reportedly made by the Secretary of War to the effect that Negroes are “loo dumb to figlit". His pronouncement after much study wa.s padded by lugh soundmg “literacy ratings " terminology applied particularly to the 92nd Division. In short he .'ip>ilugi/ed tor the withdrawal ot the Negro 92nd. The matter wa.s not treated as just another division having failed in its nii>sion. Ill reporting on the Aiinys breaking its long established policy of segregation by integrating Negro soldiers into formerly all-wiiite combat units Don Whiteiiead of the Associated Press said in a news release appearing uU March 23 in Uie News and Ob.-d-i vcr uf Raleigli that “repui t.s made by white officers say that tlie Negro troops have given a good account of themselves in their initial action alongside while troops.” The article continues by quoting one Sgl. Gasper Kodi, white, who staled ttiat the Negro troops “worked perfectly" m a ditficuU situation whici. was at irisl underestimated a.s being a job not loo tougli for their first figlit. ■ • In contrast to Mr. Gibson's apology the comments of the white' officers quoted by Mr. Whiteiiead seemed condesendingly patronis ing. Here were Negro Hoops. They did in routine fashion what while Iroop.s would have done m loutine fashion. But for a Negro to do well what a white soldier has done well on numerous oc- cisions deseivi-s in the niir.ds of some people a special compliment And that is a subtle way of calling the Negro different and inferior. But Ll. Commander Carllin Skinner's comment on the conduit of Uie Negroes in the mixed crew ot the Coast Guard’s Sea Cloud under his cammand at .seo as laeoanled in Diew Pearson's Wasii- ^ mglon .Merry-Go-Round column app'Jiing in tlie Wa.slmgi(.n Po»l Tuesday. March 2(J, was mor.- in ke ping with regaiding the Ameri- ttcroukly, —puiciy — southern DemocraU who are really in terested in a square deal for the common man, find themselves supporting men whose attitudes toward the Negro are re latively liberal. Liberals are almost neces sarily not anti-Negro. The southern poli- Ucian of generaly liberal views sUll finds il expedient to cover up pretty carefully any real approval he may feel for any considerable departure from the usual at- Utude toward Negroes. Not only does he find it expedient to deny any deviaUon on his own part, but lie also feels it incum bent on him U, deny or explain away, or ignore if posible any real sympathy for the Negro’s proper aspirations on the part of those whome he .supports in Oie national political arena. Thus, the editorial writer of the News & Observer says that there was no evi dence to justify the belief that Williams "did not hold the prevailing Southern view on the race problem.” The time will come when men like Bil bo will be openly and frankly repudiated for their' fanatical and bigoted racial views, and when it will not be regarded as necessary to apologize in the South for a candidate for office who may have ex pressed or demonstrated a belief in tlie right of Negroes to enjoy the normal sta- tua of Aiiierican citizens. KENTUCKY MAKES SIGNIFICANT MOVE The educational auUiorities of the State of Kentucky have taken a significant for- ward step in adopting two books by and about Negroes lor use in all public schools. The books, “A Child's History ol Ure Ne gro.” by Jaue Shackelford, and "Negro Makers of History,” by Dr. Carter Wood- son, have been officially adopted by Hie THE CAROLOflAM 116 East Uargett SL. Raldgb. N. C. T«lephoM M74 >ubl iMhed by The Carolinian Entered aa aecond-laM mattar, April 6, JMO. « j Poat OHice at Halelgb, N. C., under the Act March L 1879. .. p. R. JERVAY, Publiaher C. D HALLIBUBTON. Bditoriala Subecrlptlon Ratea ' One year. *1.00: Six Montlu, *1J* \gdz«ai all ooouaunicaUona and make all Table to The Carolinian rather than to in^yid- u The expreaaly repudlatea reapon- lUlty lor return oi unaoUclied plcturea, mana- rlpL etc., unleaa atampa art aent su tar on u very omail scale; but that the military leaders ahould have got up cour age enough to try it at all ia exUemely iniportanU Cousiderable pressure for suck an ex- peiimeut has been applied by Negro leaders and their friends from the begin- uiug of the war, but the deciding factor was prouauly ine resentment expressed by white doughboys over the fact that Ne gro troops were enjoying the advantage uf the relatively much less hazaidous be- hind-the-Uues services. A few Negro bat talions have been in combat service since the opening of the Western Front, most ly as tank battalions, anti-tank battalions, auU-aircrafl unita and artillery batteries. But no Negroes wex’e on the front as rifle men. The account these Negro volunteer in- fauUymen give of themselves will be a much better indication of the Negro's gen eral fighting ability under conditions of modern warfare than has been the much- disputed performance of the 92nd Divi sion in Italy. No attempt can be made here properly to evaluate the record of the 92nd, be cause all Uie facU obviously are not avail able. For the same reason no alibis can in good faith be offered in these columns. Nevertheless we believe that the 92ud has operated under several disadvantages, whatever its accomplishments may or may not have been. Some of Uiese have been revealed in Uie recent report of lYuraan Gibson. Ill the first place, the performance of a single division, the only Negro infantry division in Europe, whether good, bad or indifferent, ahould not necessarily be re garded as typical. Some white divisions have performed badly. There ia only one Negro division, and therefore no possibil ity of comparison. Again this division has performed on the hardest of the European fronts, where the whole allied force has suffered many reverses, and has remained stalled months at a time. More speciic points about the handi caps of the 92nd were brought out in the Truman report. In general they have to do with factors mitigating against high morale. And that is the key to the high value of the integraUon experiment No proper evaluation can ever be made of w^i-kef ui iki in u iiuii- ardous position when zeconver- fiion begins. Although he recog nizes that in readj^ing their personnel to post-war conditions ’’management will undoubtedly be guided to a great extent by its current experience with Ne gro workers,” and although that experience on the whole has been highly satisfactory, he points out that Negroes will not necessarily and automatically maintain all the gains made in employment under war-time conditions. One important factor in this 111 um IIUIIUI Ul UUUlJJllUimi status. Mr. Oxley points out that soHK gains have been made dur ing die war years in placing Negroes in skilled jobs, but by and large the Negro still re mains preponderantly in the cat^ory of the marginal work er—"the last hired and the first fired.” When the cutbacks start, therefore, (here and there they have already begun) the Negro worker faces a gloomy outlook. Thta is the situation even before job competition, anti-Negro pro paganda, and all the adverse cupied by the unskilU-d. One advantage that many Negroes will have after this war will be that of union member ship, especially in the CIO, which W9s not even in existence in the period following the first World War. The CIO unions have shown » generally strong tendency to stick by their Ne gro members, and to defend their job rights more or less im partially. It this same policy is continued in tlie CIO ranks af ter the war. it will make a lot of difference. Lest We Tercet. Br W. L. OREBlfZ We must choose wisely whe^- er we shaU remain in the native land ol the South and struggle upward or migrale.to freer atmos phere of North and West and seek a broader experience than U possible in the South as a whole. Recently we have r.ew stories of elecUon subterfuges to discourage registration of colored voters in a neighboring county. The political bosses, the big ones, carrying on the tradition uf red-shirt-ism have asked for ways .and meaiu ^ keeping colored registrants off the books. The ways and means are extra-legal and unlawful under the laws of North Carolina even, as bad as our election law> ane applying to the powers of regis trars. When we look at the constitu tional aspect of the suffrage situa tion in the Old North State, ghle picture becomes disgraceful. Many rural communities are so steeped in red-shirt tradition that he col ored people are expected to have no interest, except selfish bread- and-butter interest, in public af fairs. No matter how corrupt an aspirant to office may be, many colored leaders have the technique of playing up such a candidate and hopping on his band wagon to be sure of his favors when and if he is elected. They are not expect ed to be concerned about the qualifications of candidates. They are expected to be loyal to the lo cal political machine, no matter what its character. Any dissenters are classified as unsafe and such persons are not expected to be registered, no matttcr how well qualified they may be educational ly or otherwise. The inetod of token representa tion empluyod in this country is essentially the same as the old rotten boroughs uf England. A few colored persons, considered safe, ore registered and pointed out to the other.-! a.s leaders. It is openly admitted tiint (he boh'ses think large scale voting on (he part of the colored pople to be bad fur race relations, llic- leaders agree too often ond the old pattern of token representation guarantees static policy and poli tical backwardness in the region The colored people must devise ways and means to get more than token representtalon in the voting population of the State. State wide organization fur the purpo3e is the only technique which of fers strength to succeed. under hes cammand al scj ;is i.c^-antod mgton Mcrrj’-Go-Round column appearing in the Waslingion Poil T uesday. March 20. was mort* in keeping with regarding ine Amuci- ,. can Negro a.-! a man and a citizen whose successe.s n-quiu* no gretit- er praise and who.se lailures reqjiie no greater blame than Ihasc of any other citizen anywhere. According to Mr. Pearson the Sia Cloud made every patrol or) schedule although the Sea Cioiid'.s “duty wa.s utuLsually lough” and .she rode out one North AtKiiUic hurricane where the wMnd blew 90 miles an hour. But llio h port says that "the Negro nu-m- hers of the Cr \v wi-v- ju.st liki the mcmb*jrs of any other crew." Lt. Commander Skinner is repmt'-d to have said tlial it wouiJ be nice to say lhal Ins ship with tlie mixed crew was an ouLstand- • ing .ship and that "the Negro members of the crew were all barsl- ing with energy and could be se-.n at all hours of the day and night wiping, and cleaning and studying." "Actually it wasn't so," the report continued. "The Negroes were just like any otlier group of ollicers and enlisted men. Some were bright and quick and some were slow and lazy .Some want ed to advance? and lx- promoted" and oliiers did not care, This report receives welcome. As the facts are true of all me t so are tSiey ti ue of the Negro. If the Negro mu.st lie reported as a separate group. If his activities must be examined separaiely and reported up -n In tha. way. he needs and should want no special measuring rod provided because of hLs color even il tin r.’ were no other reason than the rod would have to be collap.sible in ordt r to take care of the varying hues in the race. For him.’^clf the N-gro wanLs honor for hi.> achievements when th.*y earn it and damning for his dereliction when that obtains—but always in a measure according to Uie meiits of his performance a.s may lie in the case of every other citizen in the land. . . . u * ThLs he fights for in the time of war and this he hopes for in the lime of peace. No buffer between him and the powers that be and no fatuously patronizing informant need believe otherwis.- SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON the Negro's fighting ebihty untU he is under a system which treats him as an Amercan Ightng man. no more, no less.. Tlus syst^ must so operate from the time the man mducted right on through. Quality of treatment, equally of training, equality of opporUinity for advancement, recognition ol individual differences rather than lumping men together or keeping them apart according to the col or line — all these are necessary parts of the system. Many whites as well as Negroes long ago advocated the forma- ticm of a mixed division on a purely voluntary Ibasis. This di vision would have included Ne groes whites who avowedly had no (Ejections to lighting sii^'' by side. No one can tell how gr^t such a division might have oien in itself, or what miracles it might have performed in the way of bo^tii^ the morale of the entire Negro population of this countiy, soldier gnd civilian alke. The Army did not have the vision and courage to try it The present ex periment is little and late. But us hope that it is not too little a|d too late. Subject: The Author and Per- (ector of Our Faith. — Matt, 37:57- 62: Malt. 38: 1-10. Key Verses; Let us run with pa tience the race that is set before U8. looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith. — Hcb. 12: 1. 2. The triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ over death and all of his enemies occurred early Sunday morning, April 9. A. D. 30, near the city of Jersuatem. To those who desire a detail discussion uf this lesson, it might be derived us follows: (1) The Entombment (Matt. 27:57-61); (2) The Futule Precuations of Christ’s Enemies. (Matt. 27:62-66); (3) The Testi mony of the Angel and the Evi dence of the Empty Tomb (Matt: 28:1-7); (4) The Meeting of the Women and Jesus (Matt. 28:8-10) and (5) The Author and Finisher of Our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Paul, in his letter to the Cor- inthians. I Cor. 15:19. states “If In this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most mis erable. but bis statement in verse 57, “Thanks be to God. which giveth us the victory throu^ our Lord Jesus Christ,” is most assur ing. Faith in the immortality of By Rav. M. W. Williami the soul dispells pessimism and gives peace and asiirance to the individual who has accepted Jes us Christ as the Author and Fin isher of Faith. Faith in the resurrection of Christ is the ground tluor on which millions of homes stand to day who have received messoges that their loved ones have passed from existciicy in this life only to experience a tuner and h.ippier life. We have just read "f a 22 month old child dying after the best medical care our government could provide. The father went overseas 3 months before he was born — ha.s never .seen his child. But the Resurrection of Christ makes it possible fur this father lO so LIVE in CHIRST that he can see his child In the sreat beyond. When wo look at this lesson and note the rsvabes of death and de struction sin leaves* In carrying on of war our faith is liable to weaken. This is especially true in our morale life. This Christian Church should exert its whole in fluence today to strengthen the faith of the weak. If individual members would do more individ ual work — telling other that Je- hUS Chiist died for rur siiw and roi-e again and lives that our souls may live, many who liave not be lieved would be saved. For aft.r iill your joy comes i'* helping oth ers to se- Wpliat you tiave sien and experienced. Tlien too. if the Christian Church behoves in the immortality of .souls (We believe it does) it must use every source of its power (as it runs the race* to remove re strictions and evil conditions which crush tho hiiirnn soul’’: of men It may se“m dark and ri'- mote, but if we exncise love, pa tience and faith the gl. rious dawn will appe;ir and we shall finally Jriumph ‘As I live ye .«hall live." IvVSTKR, 1)43 BY KI TH TAYLOR "LOilD, make me an instrument of Tliy peace; WluTc there is haired, let me sow love. Whore thro is injury, pardon; Where there is duubL faith Whore there is despair, hope; Where there is sadness, joy." The prayer of St. Francis of As sisi _ which I copiei* from a reli- tsious calendar a Methodist friend of mine sent me -in itself i.s one of the finest Elaster messages. For what is Easter tut the feast of resurrection? The raising of the spirit above the trials of the flesh— the fulfilirrent of tho law of love. It was the resurrection in the body of Him who said; "And the second and greater commandment is like unto it — Thou shall love thy neigh bor as thyself.” To bring peace we must do as St. DO YOU AGREE ? Fr.incos iirayed. "Where there is iiatred. let me ?ow love," I.el us keep ortr own thoughts clear of hat- ud and anger. Let us look with eyes of love upon our brothers. •’Where there is injury, pardon" h is hard to forgive an intentional wrong done. Vet — few people are meaningly cruel. Ignornace ami careks.sness are back of most of the ot ll in»‘n do. And cannot we try to .say as He said: "Fhather. forgive them, for (hey know not what they do." "Where there is doubt, faith." We .si> "In CikI we trust." Bui is Ih.n iii.imii Must not we. if we truly till I l-:un how (n trust oiii hiotnir man? • Where there is despair, hope." There i.s always tomorrow — and flic .‘-'uti will shine again no mat- (or how ^eep the midnight seems. He. whose heart has faith, can nev- -r be wilh iut hope — without the light of belief in a beneficient God (vhu in due time will show the path way to a better day. "Where thyre is sadness, joy." Faster is (he promise that "weep ing may endure for a night, but joy ruineth in the morning." No matter how great the sorrow, the promise i>f resurrection brings strength to the failing heart. All these things we pray this Eas tertide — but not for ourselves alone. We pray "OUR Father" and our prayer must be for all men everywhere. Only in this way may we keep Easter. "Save the Barnyard Babies" thru^ sanitation and good care dujj early weeks of growth. Tl^ shortage can be helped ing baby pigs, calves^