Evening star., 1923-04-27
MIGRATION RAISES
NEGRO MORTALITY
Concentration in Cities of
North to Have Vital e.
feet on Race.

Onicials OF the census bureau believe
tho general movement Of southern
negro farmers to northern Industrial
centers. shown by a recent survey Of
the Department Of Agriculture, II con-
both upon the labor supply in the south
and upon the negro race itself
Analysis by the bureau of the negro
population statistics of the 1920 census
shows marked tendencies toward in
terstate migration and concentration in
cities. the movement receiving its first
impetus in the demand for unskilled
labor during the world war. During
tho decade ended with 1920 nearly 1885,
600 negroes removed to cities in the
south Atlantic states, and nearly the
Same number to cities In the east north
central states. The increase in these
cities. averaging nearly 80 per cent in
the number of negroes. affords a vivid
statistical picture OF the call OF the
great commercial and Industrial centers
for more unsklled labor.
Might Return South.
"Were foreign immigration to be
resumed in tho future on scale COM
mensurate with immis ration from
1890 to 1900 or during the period
Immediately preceding the war" the
census bureau analysis says. 'It is
reasonable to suppose that the negro.
less In demand because of the greater
labor supply. would drift back to his
former environment. But immigra-
tion. for the first sime in federal his
tory. has been restricted. and II this
restriction continues and unskilled
labor in prosperous times becomes
again at a premium. is the negro to
respond to the demand as during the
war and continue to increase in urban
centers during tho present and sub
seQuent decade at rates resembling
those shown during the war period?
effect upon the labor supply in the
south (and thus upon southern in
dustry and agriculture) and upon the
negro race itself will be very marked.
In every one Of the northern states
negro deaths in the five years, 1915
1919. outnumbered births; in the
southern states. in general. the con-
ditfonS are reversed.
Throughout the north and in the
cities OF the south negro deaths are
more numerous than negro births-in
fact. southern cities are even more
unfavorable than those OF the north
TO natural increase. In 1920. for tho
hrst time. the proportion of white
children to white women exceeded
that OF negro children to negro wom-
en-. the difference being AZ per 1000.
At the present time the proportion
OF children to women among southern
negroes is only about f1ve-sixths Of
what il is among southern whites.
Change Has Effect.
These changes will doubtless prove
to be closely connected with the rapid
urbanization Of negroes between 1910
and 1920. The rural negro population
decreased in that decade by nearly
one-fourth Of million. or 3.4 per
cent. while the urban negro popula-
tion increased by seven-eighths of
million. or 32.7 per cent. Under these
conditions the swarming of negroes
into cities north and south and the
sharp fall in the increase of all Amer
lean negroes are related almost as
cause and effect.
''If the rate OF increase between 1900
and 1920 be projected through the
rest of the century without change. it
would yield at its close about 90
500.0 900 as the maximum limit of negro
population. II also seems reasonable
to anticipate that the negroes. who in
1890 were more than 19 per cent or
nearly one-f1fth Of the population OF the
country and now are about one-tenth.
are likely by the end OF the century TO
be not more than one-twentieth.'
FAu0PS RACE MTcRATI0N