The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-01
Gives Specimen of Promises Held Out In Avertise- ments for Laborers
 From South ADVISES COLORED MAN TO STAY HERE AMONG HIS FRIENDS Pastor Relates Result of Special Trip Made Among Homes to See Living
 Conditions
By REV. DIR. GEORGE R. STUART Pastor First Methodist Church.

By REV. DIR. GEORGE R. STUART
 Pastor First Methodist Church. Since my transfer to the state of Alabama I have made a careful study not only of civic and moral conditions, but of the conditions of business and labor.
 On account of my interest in the colored race from an ethical and hu- mane standpoint, and on account of the general interest in business and business men, have given the ques- tion of labor and laborers some spe- cific investigation.
 I am impressed that the south is fac- ing proposition which if not properly and speedily handled will result in great damage both to the colored race of the south and to the business of the south
 For many years a flood of foreign pop ulation has poured into the United States and our rapidly growing industries have been able to utilize this labor.
 On account of the large number of col ored people in the south who have been available as laborers the foreigners have located almost exclusively in the north and northwest. The negroes, reared in the south, accustomed to it's climate and it's people, have been happy and con tented.
 Tho yyh years experience with the negro has learned how to use him. They thor oughly understand each other. This has made the labor in the south easy both for employer and employe.
 WAR GESTURES LABOR
 The European war not only stopped the flood of immigration, but has called home thousands who were laboring in the United States. This has greatly disturbed the north and northwest. During these prosperous times business has increased and laborers have not been available. The north and northwest, to meet theit distressing demands have turned to the southern negro and are offering all kinds of true and false inducements to get the negro to leave his southern home and go among people who do not know him or understand him and into a climate which does not suit him. and into circumstances which render him unhappy
 l have just made trip to carefully in- vestigate this situation. The most re- markable advertisement I have seen comes from Coatesville, Pa. which reads as follows:
 "Christmas is over. Two hum
 dred reliable cOlOred men Ono
 bOys) on big steel plant and shell
 factory. CoatesviIIe, Pa. Men com
 ing now will get good jobs.
 COatesvfl1e has five saloons. The
 weather is colder than Rich
 mond.i Thousands of cOIored men
 make SPA to $3O per week, or $3.75
 to $4 per day and up. We start
 you at the bottom and let you
 work yourself up. Any good man
 will be promoted from time to
 time. Railroad fare advanced to
 job absolutely free If you go to-
 day. Note: We give you steam
 heated houses to stay in free,
 shower baths free, lockers free.
 Give you meal tickets. We have
 our own mess halls and sell food
 at cost to you"
 EXAMINE THE HOUSES
 Note the critical wording of this adver- tisement. I determined on reading this ad to go to Coatesville, Pa, and examine these steam heated houses with shower baths and to investigate for myself the exact conditions under which the negroes are working in Coatesville. MT. Charles Houston, one of the owners and proprie- tors of the Lukens Steel plant In Coates vile, Pa, is my warm personal friend and a strong advocate of temperance and very superior Christian gentleman. .I no- tified him of my coming, was entertained in his home and had the opportunity td examine the situation.
 I found that Mir. Houston had nothing to do with this advertisement; that he was opposed to saloons, presided at the temperance meeting and introduced me to a great audience to speak against sa- looms. However, he was employing hum dreds of negroes who had been brought to Coatesville. He stated to me that he thought something like 1500 had been brought there within the last year and that about one-third of them had re- turned.
 NEGROES WERE SEGREGATED
 I examined their location, the houses in which they lived, and the manner in which they were treated I found that Mir Houston. who is noted for his hu- mane treatment of all employees, was giv- ing the negro perhaps better treatment