Issue Number:12

Date: 10/21/1933

p. 01, c. 01


The Forgotten Man


The National Recovery Administration, a plan devised to increase the purchasing power of the country, has been somewhat beneficial. One has just to glance at the business notes of any morning paper to find this to be true. The hours of labor have been modified by the codes and minimum laws have been drafted and passed. The first part of the program is over, the introduction has been made and now, evening papers scream to us, "buy now!" High pressured speakers urge us from platform and radio to "do our part", and even the motion picture stars take turns at brief intervals between an evening's program at the theatre, to preach the virtues of N. R. A., and the necessity of keeping the dollar rolling.

Yes, the first step is completed, but the average Negro looks at the proceedings half amazed. He reads the papers advice to buy now, he hears the counsel of distinguished speakers, urging him to "do his part", but he cannot understand step number two of this program. For him, it is a little advanced, perplexing. He finds his chief means of livelihood, domestic labor, agriculture and of course miscellaneous, unaffected by codes that will adjust his working hours or his pay envelope. He is barred from certain jobs displaying the N. R. A. sign because the minimum wage allowed under the code is more money than he needs to live on. His clothes, his foodstuff, and his fuel amount to twice the price that they were twelve months ago, his chances for existence are fewer, his hopes are darkened by the wing of the Eagle, rather than brightened. He sees those of his race dismissed with the coming of the Emblem and substituted by white workers, he desolately notes that winter is approaching and the line of unemployed, among his groups, is becoming longer. Suddenly, it dawns upon him, that he is The Forgotten Man in all of this recovery talk, and he ponders over the second step. He wonders too, how soon it will be when he may be given a chance to convalesce under the recovery Codes.