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H 3 0 I X NOOH V IV 3H1
youth takes a hand
The Institute on Religion and Economics, sponsored
by the Atlanta Intercollegiate Council and the Georgia
Coordinating Committee, proved to he the planting of
good seed destined to bring forth much fruit. The dele
gates and members of the Institute assembled in the
beautiful and convenient exhibition room of the Atlanta
University Library building. The sessions opened Fri
day evening, April 12th, with an address by Professor
J. R. Huber, of the Department of Economics of Emory
University. Professor Huber delivered a splendid ac
count of the hand in hand growth of religion and eco
nomics, as two extremely vital aspects of our social struc
ture. He illustrated the unfortunate trend apart that
these two phases of man’s activities have assumed and
suggested more thought on the part of all to bring them
once again into close relations.
Saturday morning, following, the group assembled to
hear a discussion of the subject, “A Program of Social
Security.” Mr. Forrester B. Washington, Director of
the Atlanta School of Social W ork, took the floor and
gave us a masterful picture of our social set-up; its
latent defects and causes; what our governmental in
stitutions were seeking to do in the face of undetermined
opposition, and what must be done if the very structure
of American civilized life shall not be destroyed. Mr.
Washington’s experience as a social worker, and his
acquaintance with internal improvements, as Director of
Negro Work of the FERA—which he recently saw fit to
resign—made him exceedingly capable of bringing an
enormous amount of information.
At the afternoon session. Professor T. J.Cauley, of
the Department of Economics of the Georgia School of
Technology, delivered the featured expression of the
afternoon on the subject, “Farm Problems.” Professor
Cauley pleaded for a new agrarianism which would be
so self-sustaining as to be quite divorced from urban
interests. He said that there must be ownership of the
land by those who tilled the soil, and only after this
was accomplished should the masses of rural Americans
enjoy the good life. He also emphasized the need of
reform in certain Federal policies which would react
favorably upon the agricultural sections of the country,
especially the southland. Professor Cauley received
quite a deal of opposition to his “pastoral agrarianism,”
but would not be moved an iota from his convictions.
The Saturday evening session was centered around the
radio address of Secretary Henry A. Wallace who spoke
from the Atlanta Auditorium. His subject was “Jeffer
sonian Democracy.” The hearing of Mr. Wallace’s ad
dress was preceded by a devotional service led by Miss
Ruth Vinson, of G. S. C. W., and informal discussions of
the coming Kings Mountain and Blue Ridge Conferences,
and of the Student Delegation to India which leaves in
the fall of this year.
On Sunday morning at 9:00 o’clock. Professor Wil-
leam Dean, of the Department of Economics of Atlanta
University, lectured on the combination subject: “The
Unionization of Labor” and “The Wage Differential.”
Mr. Dean’s clear-cut analysis of the two subjects was
a good example of his scholarly achievements. Ac
cording to Mr. Dean, labor must be permitted the use of
its most effective weapon, that of effective organization—
but added, with decided emphasis, that the traditional
habit of our labor organizations in keeping out a large
portion of the workers—in nearly all cases, Negroes,
would be suicidal in effect. The same suicidal conse
quences of our labor practices are evident where indi
viduals are being ruthlessly exploited through the wage
differential. In support of his contention, Mr. Dean
cited numerous examples to show that Negroes, in partic
ular, especially in the field of personal service, were be-
being compelled to use every ounce of their ingenuity to
survive under the crushing practices of the system under-
whicli we are living. A fitting summary of his discus
sion would be to the effect that particularly in our
southland all of the people would have to be elevated
if any of the people would have the benefit of high
standards. A professor at the University of North Car
olina was quoted as saying words to the effect that “the
South has been so busy keeping the Negro in the ditch
that it had not found the time to lift itself out.” An
“intelligent” South, such as ours, will certaiidy look
into the truth of such an assertion and seek to profit
thereby.
After a short period of intermission, when quite a few
names were placed on a petition to Congress in favor
of the Costigan-Wagner Bill against lynching, the as
sembly took seats again to hear words in summary of the
Institute by Mr. Claude Nelson. Mr. Nelson, in his
interesting and captivating fashion, discussed for the
group ways and means of making the Institute of imme
diate benefit. Perhaps his strongest point was in a plea
to let ourselves become so absorbed by the truth that
we should be quite unable to refrain from sharing the
same in good thoughts, and more important, in good
deeds. Mr. Nelson reacquainted us with the fact that
there are certain fundamentals underlying our human
activities that are just as applicable at home, at school,
and in our every-day student, as anywhere else, and that
the best way to insure future good use of these princi
ples is to begin to apply them now. Mr. Nelson, in
closing the meeting, read a prayer which symbolized all
the hopes of active humanity.
Those in attendance at the Institute were students from
Spelman College, Emory University, G. S. C. W., Gam
mon Theological Seminary, Agnes Scott College, More
house College, and Atlanta University. Augmenting this
assembly of students were members of the affiliated fac
ulties. and of Morris Brown College, which had also
students in attendance. Everyone who attended any of
the sessions went away feeling a nobler aspiration in
his heart, and I dare to declare that this conference, in
formal and small as it was, shall prove to be one *jf
the most worthy adventures of its kind. It was a thrill
ing experience to witness youth at work on national and
international problems, and vitally pertinent questions
in regard to social adjustment. Youth takes a hand to
carry on.
TOO MANY NIBBLES
Flapper Fanny and Red Lyte were indulging in a
bitter quarrel after going together all winter.
“You’re not so hot,” scoffed Fanny. “There’e as good
fish in the sea as have ever been caught.”
“Yeah. I guess that’s right,” said Red. “But don’t
forget, kiddo. the bait’s r.ot what it once was.”