The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-19
SOUTH AND NEGRO EXODUS

SOUTH AND NEGRO EXODUS
In connection with much that has
been written of late about the negro
exodus from the South to the North
and East during the last few years,
and especially since the World war,
there are some interesting facts which
should be kept in mind. One of the
reasons for the exodus, which, by the
way, has not been serious so far as
concerns the South's progress and in
terests, is the mistaken idea, developed
in the minds of negroes largely by
labor agents, of larger wages obtain
able,in the North and East by reason
of labor shortages in those sections.
Experience of negroes who left the
South has demonstrated that this is
largely hoax, when necessary living
costs in the sections are compared.
The negro is in reality better off from
a dollars-and-cents standpoint in the
South than elsewhere, and large
percentage of those who left the South
have returned as soon as they could
save enough on which to get back.
An Alabama newspaper, comment
ing on the exodus, its causes and eff
fects, truly says that one thing the
negroes who leave the South overlook
is that "here they have the friendship,
encouragement and support of the
white people, who really have an in
terest in their welfare, whereas in the
North they are thrown largely among
people wholly out of sympathy with
them and who take no trouble to show
them either encouragement or kind
ness" While statistics as to the death
rate of negroes in the South and North
cannot be taken as fair comparison
because so few negroes going North
are married and fewer still are
carrying their families, it is well
known that the more rigid climatic
conditions in the North are not suit
able for negroes who are unaccus-
toned to cold weather and in most
instances unable to supply the neces-
sary protection in clothing and other
wise to care for their health properly.
Such losses as the South has in
Cured from the negro exodus have
been far more than offset by addi-
tional capital and skilled labor coming
to the South, and by the fact that
labor disturbances are few and far
between in this section. Moreover,
the South has made remarkable pro-
gress agriculturally, as we'll as indus
trially, within the last few years when
the negro exodus has been heaviest
During the World War, farm produc-
ton and enrichment in the South were
unusually large, a period when large
percentage of both negroes and whites
record was achieved because of greater
diversity in farming, more scientific
methods, increased efficiency in mar
keting, and greater application of in
telligence all along the line. Statis-
tics are not usually interesting to
many, but a few comparisons will il
lustrate the net gains the South has
made irrespective of any negro move
ment to oteher sections. In 1908 the
South spent. $2O4,225, 900 on public
education, while in 1920 for the same
service $963,678, 600 was spent. In
1909 capital invested in manufacture
ing in the South was. $685. 1927, 900;
in 1919 the amount was $685., &c.,
600. Manufactured products in the
South in 1909 were valued at $3,15S,-
5000; in 1919 they had increased to
$9,SOs,114,OOO. The value of farm
products in the South in 1910 was
$3,915, 100000; in 1920 they had
reached the enormous figures of
$9,365, 100000. Capital invested in
the South in 1914 was $3,49S, 939, 900;
in 1920 it was $685., SAG, 900. Bank
resources considerably more than
doubled between 1914 and 1920. The
value of all property in the South in
1914 was $4,000, 100000; in 1920 it
had grown to 100000 900. The
percentages of increases in all these
fields of activity during the periods
given were considerably larger in the
South than in the rest of the United
States. These are the latest compare
tive figures we have at hand. Pro-
gress in the last few years will show
in. many instances. even larger in
creases in production and wealth of
this section.
The negro would do we'll to remain
where prosperity is so rapidly expand
are multiplying.
REALIZING THEIR DANGER
Raports from, Wachin Uton indicate