Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-10-28
NEGRO EXODUS
FROM SOUTH IS
CAUSE Of SCARE
Departments of Justice and
Labor Are Making Careful
Investigation of Alleged EIeC-
ton Colonization Scheme,
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! Washington, oct 27,-BOth the de-
Dartment Of labor and the department
Of justice are watching closely the
migration Of southern negroes to
northern industrial centers. The legal
| officers hope to check possible cleo
I ton frauds, while the labor authori-
| ties are interested primarily in pre-
v-ttiH s-hcrv s~leF.l ~B~Icymnt 50
vice from being used to further mi
grafton schemes
Attorney General Gregory, in add
ton TO general instructions recently
given to federal district attorneys in
advance of the elections, has ordered
a special inquiry into complaints that
negroes are being sent in considerable
numbers to doubtful states under
promises OF work at high wages. Dis
trict Attorney Miller at Louisville has
been ordered to report the names,
town and destinations Of all negroes,
or any other possible voters, going
from Kentucky, Alabama or any 9th
er part of the south, passing through
Louisville i'm suspicious numbers, 9th
or district attorneys in the south and
in middle states are understood to be
under similar instructions.
Decline to Talk.
Department Of justice officials de-
cline to talk on the ground that it
might interfere with the governments
plans, and all reports and CORE
spondence are being withheld from
publication The attorney general
conferred today with his assistants on
election frauds In general. lie is Civ
ing the matter his personal attention
and under his direction special agents
of the department are at the call of
every district attorney desiring assist
ance. So far complaints have reached
the department of alleged frauds or
attempted frauds affecting candidates
for federal offices in Indiana,
Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New
York and Missouri
The department of labor let It be
come known that it had Assued or
ders designed to prevent the use Of
the federal employment service in as
sisting the migration Of large numbers
Of negroes from the southern states
Assistant Secretary Post said the de
partment had no intention of becom-
ing a party to schemes which might |
be devised for the purpose of lower |
ing wages or breaking labor strikes,
At the same time, 1t was made clear |
that in cases where investigation /
proved 1t to be al fact that skilled la /
borers We're being hindered because !
Of lack Of unskilled assistants and !
where there was legitimate work for /
negroes, efforts would be made to Sc /
cure them just as any other class of !
labor would be secured
Much information regarding the
migration has been collected. In the
south, complaint is made that the ne
groes are being taken to the north
with promises of much higher wages
ma that if continued, a serious short
age of labor may result. The labor
department. was represented today as
ceiling that any laborer is justified in
going to that place where wages are
pest, and that the place he leaves can
'emedy the situation by raising the
scale
The American Federation of Labor,
according to Secretary Frank Morri-
ion, also is watching the movement of
negroes, with the idea that if it is
rot a scheme to get votes it is a
scheme to get cheaper labor than is
lNaila HE at pTpgont -
Representatives of the federation
AVE been asked to observe and report
IN all large movements of negro la
l0r