Hughes Asks For Whites' Assistance In Negro Problem

Langston Hughes, noted American Negro poet, stressed the still urgent need for a solution to the current problem of racial oppression in this country, in an address presented at Agassiz Hall Tuesday night.

For the past dozen years, Hughes has waged a fierce campaign to bring the Negro problem to people's attention rather than let it be hushed up. "People say there's going to be even greater strife after the war," he stated, "but why don't they do something about it instead of just waiting for it to happen?"

In addition to reading nine of his poems, Hughes spoke of his life, and gave opinions on the Negro problem and the writing of poetry. Commenting on poetry, he asserted that the only way to achieve perfect self expression is to allow thoughts to flow out freely, regardless of rhyme of rhythm.

Describes Travels

After a brief introduction by Theodore Spencer, associate professor of English, Hughes launched into the long saga of his life--working across Europe, washing dishes in Harlem, attending Columbia, traveling to Mexico and experiencing various other Ulyssesian adventures. "This," he said, "is an answer to the question of how I write my poetry."

Until the late twenties, Hughes was merely a wandering vagabond, occasionally writing poems but seldom submitting them to news or magazine editors.

Following his "discovery" by Vachel Lindsay, who read some of his poems at an appearance in Washington, he was awarded a scholarship to Lincoln University. Since then, Hughes has earned his living by writing poetry.