Evening star., 1933-02-27
SURVEY D|SCL0SES
MIGRATION CAUSES
Change in immigration Laws
Held Factor in Movements
Within U. S.

The Presidents Research Committee
on Social Trends mace public yester-
day it, report on The Status of
Racial and Ethnic Groups" in which
1t attributed the spectacular migration
of Negroes northward to the drastic
changes in our immigration policy" and
declared this movement had manifold
repercussions upon the Negro popu-
lation."
The report also discussed examples
of lower health standards Of both the
Negro and foreign born, Indians and
others; the constant effort to advance
the cause Of cooperation and adjust
ment between all racial and ethnic
groups in the face of antagonisms and
the progress generally toward aSsim1la-
ton during recent decades.
Discussing the movement Of colored
people northward the report, written
by DR.. Thomas j. Woofter, jr.. professor
OF sociology and statistician in the In
stttute for Research in Social Science,
University of North Carolina, stated:
immigration was no sooner re-
etricted than the vacuum thus created
drew hundreds Of thousands Of South
ern Negroes from the farms to the In
dustrial cities, movement with mani
fold repercussions upon the Negro
population Deficiency of European
immigration also encouraged a flood
from our northern and southern neigh
bors. Canada and Mexico. 1t also
served to increase the movement from
the Territories. Puerto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines, to the continental
United States.
Wide Ramifications.
Naturally. such radical changes in
population have had wide ramifications.
Ehe quality and quantity of labor has
dustry have been affected. Problems
of health, dependency and delinquency
have been complicated in some COM
munities. The reduction in the rate
of increase in the population and the
substitution of people of different
standards of living has affected the
quantity and quality of goods con-
Dr. Woofter disclosed that one of the
principal effects Of restricted immi-
grafton has been the faster rate of in
crease in the colored groups-Negroes.
indians and Orientals. The result is
'less foreign white" and more colored,"
he reported, the rate of increase be-
tween 1920 and 1880 being set at 1877
per cent for the whites and 20 per cent
for the colored.
Since restriction of immigration be-
gan according to figures presented by
DR. Woofter, the proportion of immi-
grants from the newer and older
sources has been reversed" That is, in
the period 1910-1914, 20 per cent Of
our immigrants came from the "older"
Immigrant countries. mostly from the
Northern European nations except Rus
from the newer" immigration-Italy,
Russia, Poland and others. Under the
quotas in the period, l925-1929. 86 per
cent came from the "older" and IA per
kent from the newer" immigration
countries
The immigrants from the new
sources constituted As per cent Of the
European foreign born in this country
en 1910" DR.. Woofter stated. This pro-
portion increased to 81 per cent in 1920
and remained at that point in 1880. OF
the children of foreign or mixed parents
1B per cent we're of newer immigrant
parentage in 1910 and 80 per cent in
1920, the increases between 1910 and
1920 and decreases from 1920 to 1880
chiefly affecting the groups from Italy,
Russia and Poland"
Basis Of Discomfort.
DR.. Woofter, emphasizing the impor-
tence of the growing immigration of
Mexicans into the United States, point
ed out that in 1910 there were 100000
Mexicans or persons Of Mexican parent
Rge in this country, the number having
m RI lu IIy
"Of this million and a half" said
Or. Woofter, about $4,000 were EMU
merated in 1880 as white Mexicans' or
whose of Spanish descent, while the re-
manning 100000 were of Indian or
Negro descent"
The principal elements" in the Negro
migration situation were revealed by
Woofter as: % The long-standing and
deep-seated dissatisfaction with condi-
tions in the South centering around the
economic disadvantages of the tenant
Negro experienced in escaping from it:
ca discomfort with the school facilities
provided by Southern communities, and
S3) feeling Of insecurity in some COM
nunitieS because of inadequate protec-
ton for the life and property of Negro
citizens.
BY 1920 there were 7so 1000 South
ern- born Negroes living in the North
and West, 81 per cent Of the total. The
increase in the North was nearly half a
million from 1910 to 1920. or As per
cent Between 1920 and 1880 the in
crease was almost a million, or 63 per
cent"
Discrimination against the Negro on
account of his color continues to be an
important social factor in American
life, though the bitterness of former
days is lessening. according to DR..
Woofter. He pointed. however, to the
increase Of "the prejudice of Negroes
against whites due to an increasing dis
satisfaction with existing conditions"
Offsetting factors. stressed by DR..
Woofter, are educat ton. social science
research, which seeks to remove popu-
lar misconceptions as to the health,
morality and mentality Of the Negro,
and the Negro-white cooperation
movement.