wg it13I - - w weather Fair and Cooler VOL. LIV No. 10-S ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, JULY 16, 1944 I iT wi T T /"T AT wr- i -aw -- _ PRICE FIVE CENTS I INISE19 NEGROES NOT WANTED Racial Prejudice in War Found As Explanation Reds Begin New Offensive in South Of Old Poland, Near East For Plant Labor Lack By STAN WALLACE Special to The Daily SOUTH LYON, July 15-Two racial prejudices-one against Negroes and the other against Nisei Japanese-have divided this Michigan community into two hostile camps and have tied war produc- tion at the Michigan Seamless Tube Co. into a knot for the past month. William McHattie, president of the company, reported production off more than 35 per cent and attributed it directly to a shortage of more than 150 laborers. The War Manpower Commission (WMC) offered to send 150 Nisei-American citizens of Japanese descent-to alleviate the situation and the announcement brouiht hostile reaction from the United Steel- workers Union Local 1900 (CIO).' Cries of "I wouldn't work with any kind of Jap" and "we'll walk out the minute a Jap comes in" sent the management into hurried consulta- tion with the Union grievance committee which voted solidly against any such move. This crisis occurred about a month or more ago and a substitute program involving the importation of Negro workers into the plant sent the townspeople of this otherwise peaceful community into a furor of discussion. Cracker barrel groups were seen in every barber shop, tavern, and drug store in town and the 1,500 citizens of this "wartown" took sides. The townspeople-retired farmers and merchants for the most part, took a stand when plant officials impressed upon them the urgency of maintaining production as favoring Nisei while they refused to consider Negro workers. Union Takes Stand Against Nisei The men in the plant-all union members-consist of local citizens who have made this their home for many years with a strong element of Southern whites from Kentucky and Arkansas. They made it clear that they would "walk off the job if squint eyes" were brought in. After the WMC sent a directive to the plant to abide by govern- ment regulations prohibiting discrimination in war plants and after officials of the War Relocation Authority, the U. S. Employment Service and the Army Air Forces emphasized in a general plant meeting the necessity of continuing full production, the union-with misgivings-only last week agreed to "tolerate" Negroes. The management of the Michigan Seemless Tube-winner of three1 Army-Navy E's for production achievements in the past-found itselfi pressed by the War Production Board to meet production quotas whilet at the same time they faced the seemingly impossible task of placatingt all interests here in an attempt to recruit workers. Mayor J. B. Calhoun said he thought the community would accet Nisei for they feel that they won't remain here after the war, but thats they wouldn't consider Negroes because of what they called "the perma- nacy of their settlement".t One irate citizen aired his opinions in the local drug store yesterday for all who would listen:t "What do we want niggers here for? They will only make trouble and want to go everywhere us white folks go. They will stay aroundc and just think of my kid sittin' next to one of those **! ! !" in the school-a house. No sir, no niggers for this town.t One union member, hot and tired perhaps from working tenc hours in the rolling department because of the shortage, beliger- ently asked, "Aren't we fighting those yellow Japs? We don't want1 to work with any of them."v Aware of the opposition of the union to the importation of Nisei, theS WRA investigated the situation on the spot last week, pronounced "it preg-c nant with possible violence", and withdrew its approval for settlement Friday. Plant Strives for Increased Production "We aren't interested one way or another who works in the plant", McHattie stated, "all we want to do is produce at full capacity and get on with the war." The only thing that we can do is bring negroes into the plant and that will be done as soon as the U. S. Employment Service can recruit them, he said. Last week one Negro signed up in Ann Arbor to work in the plant but when he arrived in South Lyon Friday and saw that he would be1 the only Negro in the entire city he turned around and came home. 1 The weekly newspaper here, The South Lyon Herald, reported a statement this week by Robert M. Cullom, area supervisor for WRA,' discussing the withdrawal of approval for Nisei here. "We found the officers and grievance committee of the local steel workers union solidly opposed - and when William Miller, president of the union, said that while he would oppose it, the possibility of violence was very serious. We had no alternative but to withdraw approval." Cullum's statement did not entirely remove the possibility thatP Nisei may not apply and be employed by Michigan Seamless, but het said efforts to recruit them from relocation centers would be stopped.T It was reported that more than 50 who were on their way to Souths Lyon had to be headed off.t "This hostility to the Nisei is hard to understand inasmuch as theren are around 50 of them working on nearby farms and there hasn't been any noticeable difficulty with them in town," McHattie stated.f Future Violence Seen Improbables Another aspect of the situation was reported by the Herald which stated that its investigations made it quite certain that no violence woulds develop if the Nisei arrived, but that the citizenry would feel quite strongly if Negroes were imported and that the Nisei would be preferred. Since October part of the deficiency in manpower has been made up by importing Kentucky and Arkansas "hillbillies" and they are f being housed in a Federal Housing Project a quarter of a mile from d the plant.5 These Southerners lined up solidly with the Union and rumors in the= project indicated that half of them would move out if either Nisei ors Negroes were brought in.t John Horton, president of the tenant's council, opposed the pro- posil, but said he spoke only for himself.v As matters now stand, the Union is solidly opposed to importationa of Nisei, would walk out if they came, and reluctantly agreed to Negron workers; the townspeople oppose entrance of both racial groups into the community, would prefer the Nisei, and would have to stretch their toler-o ance a long way to admit negroes.S FDR's Mate Still Uncertain Democrat Leaders See Open Fight By The Associated Press CHICAGO, July 15-New contin- gents marched onto the Democratic convention scene today ready for what their leaders said would be a wide-open" battle for the vice presi- dential nomination before a decision is reached next Friday. Fresh arrivals included Democratic chairman Robert E. Hannegan and two of President Rocsevelt's Admin- istrative assistants-James M. Barnes and Jonathan Daniels-and reserva- tions were made for six cabinet offi- cers tomorrow. But a much-adver- tised expression of a White House at- titude on second place still had not made its appearance. No News Yet Supposedly bringing an expression of the President's views, Hannegan went into seclusion on his arrival from Washington. His assistants said he was "not ready to talk." There still were indications he had with him a letter from President Roosevelt to the convention, which opens Wednesday and is expected to, renominate the chief executive for a fourth term Thursday. Convention delegates expect the letter to voice a preference for Vice President Henry A. Wallace as a run- ning-mate but to leave it to them to make the final selection. While. there was no confirmation that the national chairman carried a rough draft of the party platform, resolutions sub-committee members said he might have some suggestions on its content and brevity. Connally Is Advisor Hannegan aides announced that Senator Tom Connally of Texas, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, had agreed to serve as an advisor to the platform sub-commit- tee because of his "long experience and expert knowledge in the field of foreign affairs." Hannegan put up at the Blackstone hotel where the manager said reser- vations had been made tomorrow for six members of the president's offi- cial family. Allies Strike at Scattered Points I Pacific Area I By the Associated Press Flaming rivers of oil were sent gushing down on Japanese in the Boela petroleum center of Ceram Island in a blazing answer by Allied fliers to an enemy broadcast hinting that Superfortress airmen had been executed for bombing Japan. Guam. is bomnbed WASHINGTON, July 15-(AP)- American warships and planes yes- terday shelled and bombed Guam Island, former American naval base south of newly-conquered Saipan in the Marianas, the Navy reported to- night. Gun emplacements and the air- field at Orote were hit during the two-way attack. Four Japanese planes were de- stroyed on the ground, the Pacific fleet headquarters announcement said, adding that our planes ran into "moderate" anti-aircraft fire. Gen. Douglas MacArthur announc- ed today attack planes flying in force from recently captured air- dromes off New Guinea split open storage tanks in the hills of the Dutch East Indies island and the streams of oil enveloped "the whole target in flames." MacArthur's bombers came out victoriously in air battles over Yap and Palau, and joined cruisers and destroyers bombarding 45,000 Nippo- niese foot soldiers regrouping for an- other smash at American lines on the northern New Guinea coast. A spokesman said the intense bom- -Daily Photo by George Shideman DISPLAYING THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABORS--These three Michigan coeds exhibit proudly part of the results of their cherry picking activities. They are left to right, Nora MacLaughlan, Dottie Leonard, and Ruth Dworman. Yanks Advance To Outskirts Of Axis Lessay Big Drive Imminent In Sector Near Caen SUPREME HEADQUARTERS AL- LIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, Sunday, July 16-(AP)-U. S. troops rolling up the German western flank in an unspectacular but relentless advance yesterday smashed into the outskirts of Lessay and the fall of that Axis coastal anchor town was expected soon. German broadcasts said a big drive was imminent in the British-Cana- dian sector around Caen on the east- ern end of the Normandy front, and a field dispatch from that area said German demolition crews had begun blowing up smokestacks in the facto- ries of Colombelles, three miles northeast of Caen. Such wrecking usually precedes a German with- drawal, but this dispatch said there were no other signs that the Ger- mans were pulling out. The capture of Lessay on the west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula probably would force a German with- drawal of several miles on a broad front. 155 Army Men Harvest 59000 Quarts of Cherries _ russia Nazi Grodno Is Outflanked Success All Along Front Announced By the Associated Press LONDON, July 15.The Russians onight announced sweeping gains on the north central Niemen River front, outfianking the German for- tress of Grodno and reaching within eight miles of the Suwalki border of East Prussia, and the German com- mand announced that a tremendous new Soviet offensive had begun in the south of old Poland. The Russian midnight communique announced successes all down the Baltic-White Russian front, begin- ning with the capture of Opochka, 24 miles east of the Latvian border. The Russians announced Friday night they had taken the railway station and were fighting in the streets. Moscow Silent Moscow was silent on the southern Polish front. Westward in the big bulge- that reaches along the lower Latvian bo- ler and deep into eastern Lithuania, the Russians announced extension of their outfianking maneuver against Daugavpils with capture of Onikshty and Pichany, railway towns 60 miles west of Daugavpils. West and southwest of Wilno the Red Army moved less than 199 miles from Kaunas, reporting the seizure' Af the railway junction town of Kai- siadorys and Alytus, 32 miles south f Kaunas. The Germans said three days previously that the Russians had taken Alytus, but the Soviets remained silent until their broadcast communique tonight. River Line Reached In possibly the most significant development of the day announced by Moscow, the communique said Soviet troops had reached the Nie- ren River line on a 75-mile front north and south of Alytus and had rossed that historic water barrier at many points. This put them less than eight miles from the Suwalki triangle that was annexed to East Prussia in Septem- er, 1939, and placed Russian soldiers well northwest of Grodno, which al- eady was in the process of being out- lanked from the southwest. Allies Occupy Hleights Along 25 Mile Front ROME, July 15.-(U)-Doughboys brought the great prt of Liorn into artillery range from the moun- tain positions three and one-half miles away today and in a sweep along a 25-mile front occupied all important heights nine miles from the Arno River guarding Florence and Pisa. It appeared that Livorno, potential base for a grand assault on the Gothic line above Florence and Pisa, could not be held much longer by the battered German fourteenth army, now in full retreat. Advances were general along the 160-mile front except in the center, where British Eighth Army artillery was banging away at the bottleneck Dlmo Pass, barring the way to Arez- :o. This highway center on the road to Florence was in sight of advance Geements. German positions south of the Arno appeared hopeless, and it was possible the enemy's retreat would not halt until he had drawn back as much as 15 miles at some points to the heights northeast of Pisa- across the Arno. Doughboys following the withdraw- al moved up to the coast to within three and one-half miles of Livorno at one, point last night. See ALLIES OCCUPY, Page 8 Executive Council Chosen For Union Aimed t o w a r d "strengthening VMichigan spirit and further serving he student body", a new Union ex- ecutive council was selected for the summer. New members are: Dick Freeman, administration; Glenn White. ubli- In a response to a volunteer call, termed unprecedented in campus history, more than 155 Army men from units stationed on campus har- Bomber .plant Shut as Crane Men Lheave Jobs Special to The Daily YPSILANTI, July 15.a- Charges and countercharges were in the air last night issued by both union and company officials as more than 18,- 000 workers were idle yesterday at the Ford Willow Run Bomber Plant here. , In a statenent to The Daily last night Walter Quillico, president of Bomber Local 50, United Automobile Workers (CIO) charged the Ford Motor Company with forcing produc- tion workers to sweep floors when there is a special clean-up depart- ment and also with flagrantly violat- ing seniority rights as provided for in an agreement with the union. "It seems queer to me that the See BOMBER PLANT, page 8 vested cherries yesterday afternoon- liked their work-and some are go- ing back today to continue the work. In five hours work yesterday after- noon, the Army men harvested more than 300 crates of cherries--5,000 quarts and the orchard manager said he thought they set "some kind of speed record." "I don't know what we would have done without them," Herman Franz- blau, proprietor of the orchard, beamed. "If they hadn't offered to help out in this emergency, we would have lost that much of our crop,'' he added. "We can be doubly proud of these boys," one of the officers comment- ed," they are not only in the Army. but they gave up their only free time to further aid the war effort." The Army boys' participation in the harvest yesterday was the climax of a five recruiting campaign di- rected by the Daily and the Wo- men's War Council-a campaign that resulted in 13 coeds volunteering for Thursday and 12 more students for Friday. To finish the day, the men re- turned to the Quad to find cherries for dinner. 'Conference on China Planned Outstanding Guests To Appear Here in August A picture of China's present and future will be presented in a con- ference on China, scheduled to be held at the University Aug. 2 through Aug. 5 when outstanding speakers, including State Department guests from China will lecture. Sponsored jointly by the Institute of Pacific Relations and the Sum- mer Sessions of the University, the conference sessions are planned es- pecially forheducational and other leaders of the country, and will be open to the public. Dr. George Shepherd, advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek; Dr. Arthur Hum- NewsHighlights By The Associated Press Nazis' French Rail Lines Disrupted .. . IRUN, SPAIN, July 15-Germans admitted today that because of badly disrupted rail lines in France they may be unable to bring three trainloads of British refugees to the French-Spanish frontier for a British- German exchange of interned nationals. * * * * Flying Bombs Hit London Again.. . LONDON, July 15-A fresh flurry of flying bombs looped into the London area and southern England today, one of them smashing several buildings, burying a number of people in the wreckage and inflicting casualties. * * 4 * Poland Fears Encroachment on Lands.,.. LONDON, July 15-With the Red Army steamrolling across old Polish territory, the Polish government-in-exile called tonight for United Nation's support against any arbitrary incorporation of those lands into the Soviet .