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NEW NEGRO OPINION [[column 1]] Employment Greatest Need Howard U. Is Told CHARTER DAY SPEAKER LAUDS WORK OF NEW NEGRO ALLIANCE Dr. William W. Alexander (white) president of Dillard University, New Orleans, La., delivered a stirring address on the job situation among Negroes on Friday, March 2, at Howard University. The occasion marked the 67th anniversary of the founding of the school. Dr. Alexander, who is also director of the Commission on Interracial Co-operation, was introduced by President Mordecai Johnson as one of the Negro's greatest friends in the South. The speaker opened his remarks by saying that the employment question is the Negro's greatest problem, and after tracing the history of the colored men in the South during the past seventy years, Dr. Alexander concluded with the remark that the Negro needs to make a place for himself in industry as an American citizen, and not as a Negro. DEBUNKS NEGRO CRITICS "Those person who claim that the Negro has only a heritage of unskilled labor to his credit are totally ignorant of the true history of the black man in America," said the speaker. "On the contrary," he stated, "the Negro has acquired quite a reputation for himself as a skilled worker of a high degree, back [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] in the Reconstruction Days. In such fields as ornamental iron work, cabinetmaking, barbering, catering and the like he was recognized as being in a class by himself." DISPLACED BY WHITE WORKERS The speaker went on to show how, as the demand for working opportunities increased, white workers began to crowd Negroes out of their choice positions in the skilled trades. This factor, together with others, forced colored men back to the land. Many of them were able to purchase farms with their accumulated savings. However, much of the land which was sold to them was of inferior quality. Then came the added disadvantage, soon after the World War, of a steadily decreasing farm market, which caused such a decline in farm values that land ownership in many instances became a liability, rather than an asset, with taxes and upkeep erceeding the income which the land brought in. NEGRO IN INDUSTRY This was the signal for a steady exodus from the farms to the northern industrial centers. But the trip from a farm in Macon, Ga., to a rubber factory in Akron, Ohio, was the "longest trip anyone could take in this country. It covered more than 1,000 miles-it covered 1,000 years." The vast difference between life on a plantation and life in an industrial city has raised an adjustment problem which Negro leaders must do their utmost to solve. Systematic exclusion from the labor unions and from-- [[/column 2]] [[column 3]] certain classes of employment opportunities are barriers which must be broken down. Dr. Alexander cited several cases of factories in southern cities where white and colored men were peacefully working side by side at similar tasks, thus disproving the claim made by some people that Negroes and white workers should be kept apart in the interest of peace and harmony. PRAISES WORK OF THE N. N. A. Interviewed after the close of his address, Dr. Alexander stated that he felt that work such as the New Negro Alliance was doing would play a very important part in the Negro's economic salvation. "Someone must break the ice," he said, "in order to convince white employers of the Negro's capabilities. And after the ice has been broken the Negro must be sure to make god if the programs is to be effective." [[line]] N.N.A. Can Fight for Federal Workers By LAURENCE J. W. HAYES Intelligent understanding must be the basis of effective action. Throughout the six months of its existence, the New Negro Alliance has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is uniquely equipped for effective action on behalf of Federal employees of color. The president of Local No. 71, of the National Federation of Federal Em- [[/column 3]] [[column 4]] --ployees and Lodge No. 20, of the American Federation of Government Employees, the publicity directors of both organizations, and a ranking member of the Civil Service Reinstatement League are all outspoken in their approval of the program of the N. N. A. At least nine of the twenty-seven members of the Executive Committee are nephews or neices of Uncle Sam. A composite section of the aims the New Negro Alliance, as set fourth in THE NEW NEGRO OPINION, states that: "The New Negro Alliance aims to secure more and better jobs in (section 9) Federal and municipal employment, through the medium of accurate statistics and information, that they should open new opportunities to Negroes or augment those they now have." The National Federation of Federal Employees and the American Federation of Government Employees, through their national presidents, Luther Steward and E. Claud Babcock, respectively, has already summarized before Congress the needs of the Federal employees. In brief summary, the presentation made by the two aforementioned gentlemen calls for restoration of the fifteen per cent end of furloughs which necessitate overtime by employees who are not furloughed, appropriation of adequate funds to meet payroll needs, determination by Congress of tasks to be performed by the various agencies, and employment of sufficient help to do the work required. The N. N. A. heartily endorses Mr. Babcock's opposition to salaries based [[/column 4]] [[column 5]] on living costs, and his stand that the Government cannot defend reducing its own salaries of its employees, when it would criticize other employees for the same action. Particularly does the N. N. A. endorse Mr. Steward's stand on the ending of blanket impoundments; 30-year optional retirement; end of the prohibition against promotions and reallocations; repeal of the married person' clause; improved conditions as to annual leaves, and protection of the merit and classification system, particularly through the present danger of mixing emergency funds with that of permanent agencies. It is the policy of the New Negro Alliance to aid all workers of color to the best of its ability. Federal employees of color need this help. In joining the New Negro Alliance the individual Government worker of color can become effectively active in his own behalf. Scores of Federal employees attend the weekly Saturday night meeting at 7:30 at the Y.M.C.A. Go up and see them sometime. Be sure that you contribute your share in this initial campaign of the organization that has already brought $30,000 a year to the Negroes of this city in employment in jobs that Negroes have never held before! [[/column 5]] [[bottom half of paper]] [[column 1]] LINCOLN THEATRE 1215 YOU STREET, N.W. Phone, NORTH 3000 One Week Only, Beginning Friday, March 9 GEORGE RAFT in "BOLERO" WITH CAROLE LOMBARD SALLIE RAND THE ORIGINAL FAN DANCER REPUBLIC THEATRE 1343 YOU STREET, N.W. Four Days Only Beginning Friday, March 9 "The Last Round Up" WITH MONTE BLUE --- RANDOLPHE SCOTT BARBARA FRITCHIE The True Epic of the Border Legion Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday March 13-14-15 THE ANNUAL LAUGH FEST THE 4 MARX BROTHERS IN "DUCK SOUP" [[column 1]] [[column 2]] Broadway SUNDAY-MONDAY MARCH 11-12 Jack LaBae in "Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen" with Alice Brady, Dorothea Wieck TUESDAY MARCH 13 Buster Crabbe & Mary Carlisle in "The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi" Also Chapter No. 1 "Perils of Pauline" WED.-THURS. MARCH 14-15 Francis Lederer in "Man of Two Worlds" with Elissa Landi FRIDAY MARCH 16 "Secrets of the French Police" with an All-Star Cast SATURDAY MARCH 17 RAPLH BELLAMY in "BEFORE MIDNIGHT" Also Chapter No. 3 "Tarzan, the Fearless" with Buster Crabbe [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] ROSALIA SUNDAY-MONDAY MARCH 11-12 Fay Wray, Nils Asther, Noah Beery in "MADAME SPY" TUESDAY MARCH 13 Robert Armstrong in "Blind Adventure" with Helen Mack and Roland Young Also Final Chapter "Fighting with Kit Carson" WED.-THURS. MARCH 14-15 Spencer Tracy, Loretta Young in "A MAN'S CASTLE" FRIDAY MARCH 16 RALPH BELLAMY in "FLYING DEVILS" with Eric Linden SATURDAY MARCH 17 KEN MAYNARD in "Wheels of Destiny" Also Chapter No. 2 "Tarzan, the Fearless" with Buster Crabbe [[/column 2]] [[column 3]] MOTT SUNDAY-MONDAY MARCH 11-12 Back to the Land of KING ONG "SON OF KONG" TUESDAY MARCH 13 Victor McLaglen Edmund Lowe Lupe Velez in "HOT PEPPER" "Blind Adventure" with Robert Armstrong WEDNESDAY MARCH 14 WILLIAM POWELL in "KENNEL MURDER CASE" Also Chapter No. 2 "FIGHTING WITH KIT CARSON" THURSDAY MARCH 15 Buster Crabbe & Mary Carlisle "The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi" "Man Who Dared" FRIDAY MARCH 16 Bing Crosby, Marion Davies "GOING TO HOLLYWOOD" SATURDAY MARCH 7 BUCK JONES in "SHADOW RANCH" Also Chapter No. 2 "Perils of Pauline" [[/column 3]] BOOKER-T "The House of Hits" 1433 YOU STREET Held Over for 2nd and Final Week JOHN BOLES sings again, in "BELOVED" WITH GLORIA STUART [[/bottom half of page]]
