The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-01-24
University Column
TIE WAR AND SOUTHERN
PROBLEMS

Perhaps few college men realiz,
the tremendous changes which tn
war is bringing about in the South
Almost every phase Of life is feel
ing this influence. In no place /
this change more marked than il
the supply Of labor.
The war has opened a great new
industry for making munitions
Thousands Of men and women hav,
been crowded into these plants. Til,
places Of manual labor vacated b,
these white workers have been I'LL
ed by colored people. Hence nearly
half q million Negroes have gone
North during the last eighteen
months or two years.
This means that thousands Of
acres of land in the South are lying
idle because there are no laborers
TO plant and cultivate the crops
This is costing the South millions
each month. Doctor Branson, OF the
University Of North Carolina, said
last summer in an address delivered
at the Blue Ridge Association, that
we were quarter OF billion dol
lars poorer in crop values in 1917
because of the Negro Migration.
This large migration of farm la
borers means higher farm wages
on account of scarcity of supply.
Rise in farm wages means rise in
labor power in mills, factories and
all other industries. which in turn
means increase in cost OF production
and hence increase in living ex-
pense for every last man. But high
er wages is not the only reason why
Negroes are going North. II you
read Negro papers or hear Negroes
speak you will find the trouble goes
deeper: Listen TO this indictment
published in a Negro paper as an
open letter from a Georgia Negro to
Governor Brown. speaking of the
labor agencies who have lured the
Negro North. He says: First, the
mob violence and the lynchers;
second, injustice in the courts;
third. paying first-class railroad
fare for fourth-class service; fourth,
insults to their women and them
selves on railroads and street cars:
fifth. insults in public places. eleva-
tors and on the streets; sixth, the
right TO vote and TO bear arms in
defense OF their State denied:
seventh, poor pay for their labor on
the farms and public works, while
convicts are often used TO do the
work free labor should be doing;
eighth. poor schools for their
children; ninth, no agricultural
schools for their children, while
they are taxed to pay for such
schools for the children for their
white friends; tenth. taxation with
out representation in the manage
ment Of the government; eleventh,
no representation on the juries;
twelfth, in some cities and towns,
no parks, Fairgrounds. or swim
ming pools for their children, yet
they are taxed TO provide such for
the children of their white friends;
segregation into the
sickly parts of the citise where the
streets are poorly kept and often
neglected; fourteenth, poor encour-
agement for their efforts to do right:
fifteenth, the white Church and its
in the State, so far as
have been able TO learn. ex-
,ept in a few cases Of spO-
radio nature in the Southern
Methodist, Southern Presbyterian
md the Episcopal Churches, is silent
md passive on these wrongs. These,
Mr.. Brown, are few Of the labor
agents, who are taking our colored
PEOPLE away from Georgia and the
south. Deep down in your heart,
10 you blame them? Can you blame
hem?"
We college men ought TO be the
lrst TO understand these conditions.
We ought 10 know the facts. We
iannot afford TO miss our chance to
lelp our Southland in this hour cf
,reat need. Every man OF us should
tudy first hand what this migra-
ion OF Negro labor means and should
10 our best to meet the situation.
The call OF the hour is for clear cut
Get some books and read
N the problem. Ask some man 10
peak in your college. Start a study
,roup led by some professor. Get
'usy il you want TO help your nation
n an hour Of need.