Phoenix tribune., 1919-05-24
gAegya WELCOME LADIES OF THE FEDERATION aVaaaa
CHICAGO TRYING TO
GET RID Of SOME OF
IT'S SURPLUS BLACKS
(By Associated Negro Press,

|
(6y Associated Negro Press)
Chicago, May 21.-The people of
Chicago are much concerned about
the motive of the Chicago Association
of Commerce in telegraphing to all
the larger southern cities and inquir-
ing of the commercial bodies in that
section whether they have any en-
ployment opening of any kind for
members of the Race.
Coming, as it does, in connection
with the 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 in the wood
pile"
One citizen stated: "You know, you
have to 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 l would not trust
behind a rain drop"
The copy of the telegram sent to
Southern cities reads:
Are you in need of Negro Labor?
Large surplus here. Both returned
soldiers and civilians Negroes ready
to go to work. eCan you send respon-
sible parties to interview Negroes and
make suitable selection and arrange
ments for locating them in job where
needed for your section? Soldiers
bureau ready to provide Office facili-
ties and cooperate in every way pos
/ sible
| (Signed) r.. B. BEACH,
I Chicago Assn. of Commerce. :
This telegram is being received with
varied degrees of enthusiasm in the
! South, and the story concerning the
search for openings" is being played
up and written up in the customary
Southern fashion of accepting ginger
ly suggestions emanating from the
North, white or otherwise. Some of
the headlines in various newspapers
are, amazingly at variance with the
facts in the case. The Greenville
Is. C.) Piedmont has this caption:
Negroes in Chicago Facing Starva-
tion." The Columbus (Ga.) Enquirer
has this head: Chicago Has Surplus
of Negroes; Could Columbus Use
Them?"
The Enquirer proceeds to say. after
printing the telegram:
4 In the event the local commerce
association decides to accept the offer
of the Chicago body, representative
will be dispatched to the Windy City
with instructions to pick out only
southern negroes who have ventured
4 up North in search of the promised
gold mines. No northern negroes to
inculcate northern notions into the
minds of the southern blacks will be
brought SOUTH"
Careful investigation by the Asso-
ciated Negro Press discloses the fact
I that there are some of the Race out
/ Of work lust as there are thousands
of whites, but there has been no re-
! quest on the part of the men out of
work to have the Chicago Commerce
body telegraph south to find work. AS
a matter of fact, there is not only
general disposition not to return to
the South, but there are hundreds OF
people from the South, coming North,
1t is regarded as bit. of presumption
on the part of the Chicago body and
i"R. B.. Beach" to try in this manner
to "get ridr of the Colored people Of
Chicago. Chicago is on the threshold
Of the greatest building revival in the
history of the city, and it is believed
by all thoughtful people that the de-
mand for labor in a few weeks will
far exceed the, supply.
---r-O-----T
/ "The whole period of youth" said
! Ruskin, 'fs one essentially of forma-
ton, edification, instruction. There is
not an hour of it but is trembling with