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[[image: military men/civilians posing for photo in V-formation]]
[[caption]]
These 26 persons from the base CO to the barber, have done their share to produce finished airmen out of all recruits who come to Lackland AFB

The logic of the "Cold War" demands complete integration of Negroes in all defense forces.

AS PRAISEWORTHY as are the moral and the ethical grounds for giving to all Negroes full rights in our Armed Forces, thee are even graver considerations which make integration mandatory: The very security of the nation is at stake.

The "Cold War" now being waged against Western Democracy by world communism is making wide use of examples of anti-democratic treatment of Negroes in America to win the allegiance of darker people all over the world. The allegiance of more than seven hundred million is weighing in the balance. Segregation, denial of opportunity to Negro Americans spells tragedy for America in the "Cold War" of ideas. America cannot afford anything less than complete integration in her Armed Forces.

If the "Cold War" becomes "Hot" then there is even greater reason for the fullest utilization of all available Negro man-power to save the nation from utter defeat and chaos. Faced with the need for the highest technically trained fighting forces this nation can produce, it would be little short of treason to America to retard in any way the fullest utilization of Negro man-power.

It is against this background of clear necessity that one sees the Truman Administration through its Department of Defense move into high gear to carry out its program of equality of treatment and opportunity for Negroes in the Armed Forces. Much remains to be done. There are still military Commanders "Over-prejudiced in Grade." But the race is against time. And time is short. U.S. Armed Forces in 1950 must march forward to compete integration for all of American races.

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* The story you have just read is the largest project of OUR WORLD has ever attempted. To complete it, six staffers, working round the clock for 294 man-days, traveled 34,500 miles by plane, car, jeep and weary foot. In ten military installations, they shot 3,600 flash pictures, used 2,200 flash bulbs.
Field Staff: David Hepburn, Wilbert Blanche, Major J. Robinson, Richard Saunders, Warren Gardner and Phil Stern.
Home Staff: Harold Brown, Alvin E.White and Rhonetta Batson
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OUR WORLD June  PAGE 35