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STUDENTS’ OPINION
February-March, 1943
Dr. Sherwood Eddy, renowned traveller, lecturer, and noted author, is
shown lecturing to a large audience in Robert Hall Lounge on Morehouse
College Campus. Dr. Eddy was the guest of Morehouse College.
Page Four
Morale Building
Men are leaving our campus every
day to join their comrades on the
field of battle. Some of them will re
turn, others won’t. With 15,000 men
a day being drafted, comparatively
speaking, there will be very few of
them returning to our, or their na
tive land. Between February and
May there will be very few men left
to carry on the work of Morehouse
College in her endeavoring to prepare
men for their undergraduate work in
their particular fields. Like death,
we are sorry to see them go but we
don’t know who is next to go to join
them, but we do know that the arrow
is coming closer and closer to each
of us, that have been quite fortunate.
Men of Morehouse, this is a chal
lenge to us. A challenge to hold and
maintain the standards and traditions
of our beloved school. If we crack in
our attempts, we will not be living up
from reputation, nor will others be
lieve that the Morehouse spirit still
exist.
• 1
As Dr. Mays, along with others,
has told us many times on his pic
turesque and inspirational talks in
chapel, that it is our patriotic duty to
carry on our duty and uphold that
which Morehouse stands for, while
our dearest and close friends are dy
ing in blood on the battlefront. It is
our duty to realize the seriousness in
the matter, that confronts us as civ
ilians in this great Army of Morale
building.
One of the many ways which we
the men of Morehouse can do this is
by aiding and assisting the soldiers
at A. U. dormitory in giving them in
spiration, courage and preserverance
to carry on under the strain that they
must bear. We must realize that soon
we will be in the same predicament
and that hospitality, and kind deeds
demonstrated to us will be highly ap
preciated. Then again we never know
when we will need favors done for us,
and who is to do it for us.
Let us men pledge our support, in
dividually and collectively to guard
our country and Morehouse in the
building of morale in every way pos
sible here as well as on the battle
front. Let us remember that the man
in olive drab was once a civilian like
you and I, and has loved ones at
home for whom he is sacrificing his
life. Let it be said that the men of
Morehouse met this challenge with
vitality both as civilians and as sol
diers. Like anything else they put
their hearts and soul into it, as they
did in the past and will continue to
do in the future.
My Concept of
Democracy
In times of stress and strain when
we are faced with the problems of
war and peace, we want to know what
we are fighting for. When our men
enter the armed forces of our coun
try, they should be taught, if they
don’t know, what it is to be a sol
dier who will defend Democracy.
From recent class discussions about
the ideals and practices of Democ
racy, I have been led to investigate
“what Democracy means to me.”
There are several authors whom I
have consulted to give me a thor
ough understanding of the term “De
mocracy.”
Now we ask the question “what is
Democracy”? Some say that it is
the rule of the people, by the people
and for the people, while another says
that it is a form of government which
gives equality and freedom to its
subjects as long as their rights don’t
interfere with the rights of others.
But there is still another which says
that “it’ is a mode of associated liv
ing the capital stock of which is the
inherent dignity of man—” But dig
nity can’t be enjoyed unless there is
some intelligence. Then intelligence
is improved through the education of
the subjects. This will help to elim
inate all persons who are deemed un
fit to remain in the democratic so
ciety.
But we can’t over-look the tendency
to decrease the powers of the minori
ties. Carefully looking into the va
rious ideas of Democracy, I can say
that Democracy is the handmaid of
peace, that she will attend no other
mistress and that a democracy of any
type can’t exist until there is first
peace.
In fact Democracy, as an ideal, is a
way of life which provides a moral
standard for personal conduct. Con
sequently Democracy becomes a per-
son-to-person matter. Well, some may
argue that Democracy is an ideal; I
say that it is true. But, I also say
that life is not real unless we have an
ideal for which to live. A man with
out an ideal is like an animal which
seeks to satisfy the physical drives.
Although we have never achieved full
Democracy in practice, we are pro
gressing in that direction. It may also
serve as a beacon that illuminates
the road to political, social, economic,
and industrial progress. Finally, I
say that we must let Democracy live,
for without it our hopes of freedom
will be lost.
Segregation and the
Post-War Peace
To be segregated or not to be se
gregated is not the most serious
choice which the Negro people have
to make at this time. There are
many who in the United States would
like to see the United Nations lose
this war rather than see the Negroes
have equal rights. They know that if
the war is won by the United Nations
there will be some things that must
change. Some of the people in this
country and others would like to see
this war won without the participa
tion of the Negroes, thus eliminating
the black man from even an ineffec
tual and dubious share in the peace
that will follow.
One of the most adequate mediums
for letting the whites of this country
and other countries know that Ne
groes want to participate in this war
and share in the peace to follow is
the newspaper. “The newspaper of
the Negro is primarily an organ of
protest against white injustice. It
came into being as such, has con
tinued as such” . . , states Mr. J. A.
Rogers, a great journalist. I fully
agree with Mr. Rogers. Negroes
should and must protest against white
injustice if we are to have equality
in the Post War peace.
The NAACP is helping the Negro
to obtain social and political equality.
In many states, teachers have been
raised in salary because of the part
taken by the NAACP. If the NAACP
is successful in its 1943 program,
Negroes will be able to vote without
paying poll tax. The organization is
also pressing for legislation abolish
ing the poll tax and imposing anti
lynch law. The Urban League is do
ing its share by helping in the hous
ing problem of the Negro and also
in the regulation of wages and em
ployment in defense plants and other
government projects.
The first thing that Negroes must
do is to find confidence in themselves.
They must learn to trust one another
and clear their minds of the idea that
they can not do anything without
the approval of the white race. Sec
ond, they must learn more about pol
itics and its operation. They must
get in the habit of voting in every
kind of an election. More Negroes
must run for more public offices.
Third, the Negro must learn to invest
his money in more colored businesses.
Those Negroes who have money could
organize more cooperations in order
to be in competition with white busi
nesses. Fourth, the Negro should
send more of his children to high
school and to college
With the cooperation, trust, poli
ticians, investments, and leaders of
the Negro race, Negroes can rest as
sured that in the Post War peace
there will be segregation or preju
dice. But remember, they must start
today. Tomorrow may too late. They
must be prepared. They will be pre
pared. Liberty and justice is some
thing that all the people on this earth
will share in—no class, color or creed
shall be denied their rights.
Students Suggest Solu
tion for Race Problems
As Morehouse men, we are prepar
ing ourselves so that we may best
serve our race and humanity. Among
our major problems will be that of
race. Nearing maturity, We should
seriously begin our thinking along
this line.
We should be thinking in terms of
using the coming age we are building
as a basis for sacrifice to clean up this
race “mess” which is holding us back.
“Going out' on limbs” for what we
know is right will be necessary.
There will be bloodshed and more
bloodshed before we begin settling the
situations we find ourselves in. Bloody
revolution was necessary before the
Colonies gained freedom from English
oppression. Bloody civil war led up
to the Emancipation Proclamation to
benefit victims of the Southern slave
system.
Am I about to say that’ the Amer
ican Negroes should openly revolt in
order to gain freedom? No, for that
would be certain suicide. But fight
we must, wedging in here and there,
standing out to show that we know
what we are after, and remaining
nilitant despite all attempts to the
contrary. We must prepare to vote
by educating ourselves politically! we
must direct our purchasing power into
channels that will utimately mean
conomic security for us.
Another important factor is spon
taneous amalgamation. No race
should force itself on another race.
Towever, races, or racial groups
should be free to mingle with any
ether groups as they feel so disposed.
Mutuality shall always be present.
All men are human. Any restrictions
not from God are not to hamper their
progress.
Perhaps it is true that people of
the same racial lines will tend to be
together as a national thing. On the
other hand, close friendships cut
across racial lines. Intermarriage as
between races is often desirable. Why
should man-made barriers interfere
7
THE MAROON TIGER
A Boy’s Letter to His
Sister
Morehouse College,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Dear Sister,
War and all of its auxiliaries, sub
sidiaries, and tributaries spell HELL.
Nothing is more devastating; nothing
renders more pain, choas, misery,
vice, suffering and death than this
horrible monster which is today pro
jecting its tentacles all over the
world, effecting you, me and every
body. We try to make ourselves com
placent by establishing U. S. O.’s, by
paying salaries to service men, by
supporting the families of men who
had to leave their homes to go to
war, and by scores of other gestures
which boast morale; but we cannot
evade the premise that war means to
kill and be killed. We cannot forget
that many of those dear to us shall
never return; that others of those
dear to us shall come back to u», but
as living dead; that others of those
dear to us shall return unharmed. We
can only hope that our love ones will
fall in the latter group.
Do we have a right to be thankful
that bombs are not falling in our
cities in the United States as they are
in other cities of the world? Do we
have a right to wish selfishly that our
brothers, fathers and husbands will
not be forced to shoulder arnis in
this gigantic struggle? Are we more
righteous than those people of France
who know what it means to be
bombed, to be hungry, cold and with
out shelter? Are we more holy than
a young wife like yourself who has
experienced the loss of an ideal hus
band, a loving brother, a kind father,
a true friend. Are we? Have we
merited our privilege of not having
been bombed? We Americans are no
more righteous, no more holy, no
more grateful than any of those peo
ples to whom war has shown its ugly
face. It is just chance that our fate
has not been the same as others of
our allies.
Realizing that our merits past,
present or forseen don’t account for
our status relative to other peoples’
in warring countries, we have a duty
and a devotion to a universal cause.
We must try not to be selfish, think
ing only of ourselves, our relatives
and our close friends; but we must
strive to think of everybody in the
world who has relatives and close
friends as we do. We must think that
all people are PERSONS and have
souls and feelings as you and I; that
everybody everywhere hates this
damned war.
When Jesus was faced with a crisis
which was more profound than this
huge crisis, he prayed to the Father
and said that he was willing to with
stand anything if’lt was CTod’s will.
So sister, don’t you cry. Don’t
worry your pretty head grey about
what course this struggle shall take,
just put’ your hand in God’s hand and
step out into the darkness with this
prayer on your lips.
“May Thy Kingdom come on earth
as it is in heaven.”
Your brother,
James Jackson
Soldiers Feted in Pre-
Valentine Party
At Spelman
The soldiers of the clerical school
stationed at Atlanta University were
feted in a Pre-Valentine party at
Spelman College. Beginning at 3:00
P. M., the pulsating heart beats of a
bevy of scintilating beauties, adorned
in their finest gowns appearing as
the quintessence of divinity began
their entertainment which proved to
be a gala affair.
Miss Read and the administration
of Spelman College should be com
mended for being the first in the
affiliated institutions to undertake the
responsibility of giving such an elab
orate affair and of extending the en
tertainment to five hours rather than
the traditional two hours. The men
of Morehouse feel that despite the
fact that Atlanta has a U. S. 0.
Center the collegiate atmosphere and
cultural patterns of Spelman College
can do much toward building up the
morale of the soldiers.
We salute Spelman for going all
out for patriotism.
“D’s” Versus “F’s”
One thing I cannot quite agree with
on the subject of marks is the “D”
vs. “F” question. If a student makes
a “D”, he passes a course without
any credit, spoiling his chances to
graduate with honors. If another stu
dent, however, makes an “F”, he is
given an opportunity to take the
course over, thus erasing his old
record. I think this system is very
unfair. The student who is able to
pass the first time ought to be able
to take the course over too. Surely
a first passing deserves more respect
than a second.
with the divine aspects of human na
ture?
So, Morehouse men, may I suggest
that, in regard to the race problem,
we focus our attention on ultimate
bloodshed to some extent, and spon
taneous amalgamation. Let us con
sider sacrifice—even of some of our
individual lives, that posterity may
look upon us as showers of the way.
Let us reaffirm our belief in life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
regardless of race, color, or creed.
War Production
Board
Operations of The War Production
Board are many and extremely intri
cate. Their operations are virtually
blanketed with many thousands of
forms such as Form PD-25A, P, M,
S, S-l, S-lb, etc.
Under this barrage of forms, the
operations of this vital agency could
hardly be seen and appreciated by
the average layman in the ordinary
avenues of life. Maybe at times such
an agency might have appeared to
tally as awkward looking as the
floundering of a wounded octopus.
But let me assure you that there was
some definite design to this flounder
ing octopus.
It is evident now to those of us
who are in a position to watch their
movements as it was those in control
of the agency at the start.
Prior to our advent into World
War II our defense expenditures were
approximately in excess of $12,000,-
000,000. But by the end of October,
1942, our total authorizations am
ounted to twice our national income,
$220,000,000.
To change from a peace time econ
omy to a war time economy with
these prodigious expenditures in the
shortest possible time required, and
still requires, the complete national
coordination. At the very core of this
stupendous task is the priority sys
tem. The original purpose of prior
ities was to give “preference” to key
manufacturers in obtaining essential
quantities of raw materials to fulfill
orders for war equipment and sup
plies. Shortly after the inauguration
of the priority system, scarce mater
ials.had to be conserved, first, by cur
tailing, and then by halting the pro
duction of hundreds of consumer com
modities. The manufacture of numer
ous consumer commodities was ceased
in order that we might get an in
crease in ships, tanks, guns, anti
tank guns, etc.
This is the over-all job of the War
Production Board, to make efficient
order for war out of our existing
“hit and miss” “profit and loss” sys
tem, to treat nine-tenths of our pro
duction as a single industry and a
single system. World War II is a
war of iron, steel, aluminum, copper,
metals, and production as well as a
war of human flesh, “blood, sweat,
and tears.” We are fighting enemies
to whom conquest and war are the
very business of life, the objectives
of human existence.
With various types of controls au
thorized for its use, our War Produc
tion Board flounders on with a spe
cific goal in view. It has inventory
control over manufacturers of war
equipment and supplies. These con
trols are expressed by the “M,” “L,”
and “S” forms issued by Mr. E. R.
Stettinius, Jr., Director of Priorities
Division of the Office of Production
Management. National inventories of
vital raw materials were controlled
and sought by the “P” and “M”
series of priority control. Inventory
control of retailers and wholesalers
is expressed by order “M-67” and
“L-63.”
These controls very clearly express
our recognition of the fact that our
wealth in inventories is critical.
Such is the task of our War Pro
duction Board. There is small wonder
that it seems so vague and incoher
ent to “Mr. Layman.” It is a nation
wide movement seeking to conserve
and to allocate most efficiently first
basic raw materials for war purposes,
and then of inventories of manufac
turers, wholesalers, and retailers for
civilian use.
In the next issue I will analyze
Office of Price Administration.
Negro History Week
History! !—records of man’s past activities—“clamoring echoes rever
berating through the centuries, demanding the present to give recognition
for past contributions. History is illuminated, like candles on a Christmas
tree, by the records of individuals.”
The country in which we live, “wild, virgin, sheltering the tribes of
Indians prior to its discovery,” has a composite history to which Negroes
have added outstanding contributions. Since historians of other races have
failed to include facts about these contributions, it behooves us to herald
our own accomplishments.
As Carter G. Woodson conceived the idea of dedicating the second week
m February to the celebration of “noted achievements of men of Airican
ancestry,” so shall we commemorate and cite footprints left by Negroes.
.Many of our children will be learning for the fipst time that the same
spirit of adventure which gripped the heart of Columbus, inspired Alonzo
Pietro, captain of the “Nina,” to search too, for a new route to the East.
They will blink with wonder and amazement when they discover that with
Balboa, who discovered the South Sea, went a Negro, Nuffo de Olano; that
when Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean there were thirty Negroes among
his helpers who carried the boat timber over mountains and jungles to
build a settlement.
When our children become cognizant of the part Negroes played in the
exploration of America, when they learn that Estevanice (1539) was the
only man who spoke fluently the language of the Indian tribe in the Seven
Cities of Cibola, and that his death by the hands of the Indians made possible
.the discovery of Arizona and Mexico, they will smile and point with pride
and inspiration, and feel that they “belong.’ ’
The North Pole will not seem so remote when Brown Americans learn
that Matthew Henson sailed with Admiral Peary and when they hear that
Henson assisted in placing the flag of the United States over the North Pole
they will surely feel that they are a part of this American life.
Not only has the Negro figured in exploration and colonization but also
in industry. Jan Matzeliger invented the Shoe Lasting machine, but un
fortunately died before realizing its importance. Granville T. Woods invented
an incubator, air-brakes and a telegraphic instrument by which messages
could be sent between moving trains (1900-1910).
Then there are Negroes who, in one way or another, have left and are
leaving their footprints on the sands of time and the essence of their
accomplishments stamped upon our memories: Crispus Attucks at the Boston
Massacre; Phyllis Wheatley, the slave poet; Sojurner Truth, the abolitionist;
Booker T. Washington, who upon entering Hampton was given a test on
cleaning a room—his cleanliness represented his Godliness—he later finished
and founded Tuskegee Institute; Mary McLeod Bethune, who, like General
Armstrong, transformed a log cabin into a first-rate Junior College—
Bethune-Cookman. All tell the story of progress.
Now is the time, Brown Americans; take inventory, see where you stand
and release our children from bondage. If you are reproached fight every
inch; for, confidence in a race is one of its greatest assets. Do not let the
memory of A. Phillip Randolph, Thurgood Marshall, William Hastie, and
Dorie Miller go uncultivated.
If Marian Anderson finally sang in Constitution Hall, if Duke Ellington
played in Carnegie Hall, and Paul Robeson reached the peak of success on
Broadway, so can the millions of our future men and women accomplish
their aims with persistence and courage. Are you going to celebrate Negro
History and leave it at that? FOR BROWN AMERICANS, EVERY DAY
SHOULD BE NEGRO HISTORY DAY.—The Hampton Script, Hampton
Institute.