The Denver star. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1913-1963, 1916-11-18
CAUSE OF UNREST AMONG
COLORED LABORERS SOUTH

Wilson Jefferson, in concluding in
the Evening Post Of New York an
exhaustive discussion of the effect Of
the European war upon the colored
American, says: To get a glimpse of
the possibilities wrapped up in Negro
labor one has only to Investigate the
more progressive Of the manufactur-
ing cities of the south. Birmingham.
Ala, depends almost wholly upon the
negro for its unskilled and semisktlled
labor. Nashville. Atlanta, Memphis
and Jacksonville do likewise. But In
all of these towns. save in some In
stances In Birmingham. wages are too
low. housing conditions are poor and
the advantages for recreation and
pleasure exceedingly limited.
1t will be from these localities that
Negroes will emigrate to the middle
west and east and to localities where
wages are good and where there are
opportunities for pleasure and self I'M
provement. No class of labor remains
satisfied indefinitely under oppressive
conditions. The Negro laborer is no
exception to the rule. He has tried
the south. He is willing to try the
east and middle west All he has
awaited is a genuine call, based upon
q real and lasting need.
This movement eastward and west
ward OF unskilled Negro labor will
both directly and indirectly help the
professional Negro. The younger ele-
ment Of Negro workers, those of ambi-
ton and Of some training In the
schools. will be constantly emerging
from the unskilled to the semiskilled
and skilled classes. with a consequent
increase in their payrolls and bet
terment in their methods of living
This will give the Negro profession
al man a hold in many not strictl!
Negro communities and will give him
what a few of his colleagues now pos
sess In the larger centcrs-a clientele
that will be Of all colors and Of al
races. 1t will allow those Of markei
natural ability to rise higher in tbci
profession than they would If limitc'
In their practice to only one race an
class.
A decidedly better treatment OF til
Negro, both in the north and in tn,
south. will grow out of this scattcrinf
of the race. The old condition grew
out of the fact that the demand for his
labor has been limited and the suppl,
unlimited. Other influences. some sin
lister and some not SO sinister. have
worked against him. In the south Il
has been that old and seemingly inerad
ical prejudice which would give to hin
only those things which the white maj
did not wnnt.
Not infrequently the ostracism tina
came to the Negro in the east and mid
die west came by virtue OF the fac
that In religion. In race and sometime
In politics he has been an outsider. 1
is not unnatural in the small communi
ty for the priest to intercede with th'
employer for his flock and for those o.
his persuasion. Neither is 1t out o.
the ordinary for the politician to de
sire to control jobs out of the narrow
range of political appointments
Closer ties still are those of race ant
language and nationality. The Negr'
heretofore. with merely sentiment OF
his side. has not been able to overcom,
these barriers But. II all signs fai
not. the conflict now raging will 81
lessen the effectiveness OF these ngcn
cics that the black man will not fine
| It difficult to win II place and hold Il
In our larger Industrial and economi,
scheme of things.