The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-02

ton to other sections of the
Negroes in the South, it must
will satisfy at least the more
ant and highly race-conscious
group. Otherwise 1t is reasonable
to assume. both from the facts Of
the immediate past and from the
present mood of Negroes. that they
will leave the section in great num-
bers.
There are roughly 10 million Ne
sroes in the region and 80 million
whites, so that Negroes constitute
a quarter of the total population.
In some Of the southern states. the
proportion is as high as third
or a half. while in certain counties
OF the deep South, there are three
Negroes for every white.
BY contrast, Negroes make up
only 9.8 per cent Of the total
United States population: only IL
per cent of the New England COM
munity; and onyl 4.8 per cent Of a
great Middle Western state such
as Illinois
Negroes are obviously an over
whelming fact in the economic life
OF the South. They are not only
labor but they are cheap. ubiqui-
tous labor that does the heavy
work OF the community and is,
generally speaking. docile.
SOUTH'S LOW WAGE SCALE
RESTS nm NEGRnR2
The South is a section of low
cost labor. Wages there are gen.
orally below those of the rest OF
the country II has long maintsined.
that for various reasons. il could
not compete with richer. more ex-
perienced. more highly industrial
lied sections Of the nation il il had
20 pay the same wage scales: and.
faced with uniform Federal wage
legislation, il has sought wage dif-
terentials weighted in its favor.
At the risk of oversimplification
and without taking into account
various economic factors that have
handicapped the South's growth
some imposed from without and
me stemming from conditions
Within. one may say that il is
largely the presence OF Negroes
which has made possible the low
wage scales of the South. Immi-
grants did not 90 South in consid-
cradle numbers before the Clvll
War. because they did not want 10
compete with free labor.
There Are other considerations
The South has leng been bitterly
opposed - labsr; when g. has net
prevented them fre0 starting. II
has tried - haugeytng them. Herr
The Negro unwftt1ngly bas played
. vsluah1e roSe Ter TIE anti
unisnases. kxciuae4 frsn tne wnfes
mans sniees. scene. sccussemes y
meIo Ascer Ano .ew "e "a
uvlns' nc n.s os.e . 49,
Ill.,. .Ss,.,. ish.u.h hv
sro~M OIL s ro. ."...-.S III a..
so ~ S,...Ss =. -
'e .Ss 49,
80. .I ns;s.sh,H 49, =,
N to,I go ~. ..;nn no,,Id
$3.50, .hsn,. ~. s;t,,a,;or ~
$500, nan;on;.r go ,on.
,.ssss nhich - sny so,,,bern ;ndTs.
.r;a,is,. 49, so,,sh, - nerna,nat.
~, ~ sround the, ,h.;r ;rdustries
onrid %, o,haru,;s. axis,
~
X Is eouaiiy ciesT that sles'
part OF southern ihous'Ilal,d 49, AZ Va
tural productivity oepehos upoi'
Negro labor. =.
As CONSUMERS I'es
Important place III lne e@oilo".,>
life OF the SCUM ior 'ney ouS piou,
ues mace uele oi NM. ~ aN
disirlouleo oy UeH N.s
lnousanos o. Sou'hen i.' -. 49,
support ,henisel,es ~
custom OF Nesioes. arc . ,n ~,
ehshts III urn snees w. 80.
munl'ies as noi'ie e""is '''N w.
payer
rlnsil!' al'lous.t we. oes W 81,
p IN genera Eote, 'hes or ..sN
as cluZehs ioI Ptopoi 'ioiIa'
seh's'ioh IA Solsiess, Hee.
give he SCUM po'lNiNaI -.
Wn'eh IL ~ouio no' nav - =
'hem-a power "ii'eh nI"Nes 49, go :,
Whi'e sou'nern 'oleF tne e4uai -.
Streheu Oh t"o Vi ul'V VIVA
We, heroes have long been leav-
ing the south in great numbers
and. unless there Is change In
their situation. IL Is safe to assume
that they will continue to leave
At perhaps an accelerated rate after
the war.
II is madness 10 assume as native
fsscistS do. that 10 million Negroes
will attempt TO improve their lo'
by resort to arms. In democracy
such as ours, Negroes nave 'he
right to seek. and may seek !egS-
lation that VIII put them on .
parity with other citizens. bu' laws
cannot De effective unless they' are