The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-05-17
TO RE-,
TURN NEGROES
TO THE SOUTH
CHICAGO ASSN Of COMMERCE
ASKS SOUTHERN CITIES,
"ARE YOU IN NEED OF
NEGRO LABOR.
(The AssocIaled Negro Press)


Chicago, May 15.--Ehe people Of
Chicago are much concerned about
the motive OF the Chicago Associa-
ton OF Commerce In telegraphing
to all the larger southern cities and
inquiring OF the commercial bodies
in that section whether they have
any employment opening Of any kind
for members Of the race,
Coming, as 1t does, IN connection
with concerted effort on the part
of all the daily newspapers and the
leading civic organizations Of the
community to look into the Chicago
Negro problem" there Is some sus-
picion on the part of the thinking
people as to whether there may not
be some white folks ID the wood
pile
one citizen stated: 'You know.
you have % keep Your weather eye
on the white people. So often we
think they are going and they are
coming. Really, many of them are
quite clever, or at least would have
it so appear. AS matter Of fact,
there are some white people that I
would not trust behind rain drop"
The copy Of the telegram sent to
Southern cities reads:
"Are you in need Of Negro laborT
Large surplus here. Both returned
soldiers and civilians Negroes ready
to go to work. Can you send re-
sponsible parties to interview Ne
grOes and make suitable selection
and arrangements for locating them
in job where needed for your Sec
ton? Soldiers bureau ready to pro-
vide office facilities and cooperate
in every way possible.
(Signed) r. B. Beach,
CHICAGO ASSN OF COMMERCE..
This telegram is being received
with varied degrees OF enthusiasm in
the South. and the story concerning
the search for openiH ge" Is being
played up and written up in the
customary Southern fashion Of ac-
cepting gingerly suggestions ema-
mating from the North. white or
| otherwise. Some of the headlines in
various newspapers are amazingly at
variance with the facts in the case
The Creenville, Is. CO Pi imont has
this caption: Negroes in Chicago
Facing Starvation" The Columbus
(Ga,) Enquirer has this head: "Chi-
cago Has Surplus of Negroes; Cculo
i Columbus Use ThemT
I The Enquirer proceeds to say
after the telegram:
In the event the local Com
merce organization decides to ac-
cent the offer of the Chicago
body, a representative viii be
dispatched to the Windy City
with instructions to pick out only
Southern Negroes wbo have ven
I tured UP North IN search Of the
promised gold mines. No Northern
Ne,roes to inclucate Northern
:, notions into the min65 Of the
I, Southern blacks will be brought
South
81 Careful, investigation by the As
sociated Negro Press discloses th'
fact that there are some OF the rae,
out Of work, just as there ara thous
nnds Of whites, but mere has beel
, no request On the part OF the mel
out OF work to have the Chicag'
!, Commerce body telegraph south Il
, find work. AS a matter OF fact, Their
j is not only general disposition no
: to return South, Dut there are hun
/ dreds Of people from the South com
ins North. II is regarded as bi
? of presumption on the part Of th
i Chicago body and r.. B. Beach to tr,
l In this matter to get rid OF the Col
: ored in Chicago is on the thres
: hold Of the greatest building re
I yival In the history Of the city, an
/ II is believed by all thoughtful peo
pie that the demend for labor In
few weeks will far exceed the sup
!, ,lply.