ABSTRACT

In the 'thirties, apparently, Americans doubted if there would ever be any place for more workers in American industry. Cotton growing in other countries was slowly increasing, and the increase became substantial in the decade following the First World War. American cotton production, except for annual fluctuations, remained fairly constant during this period. Still during the 'twenties American-grown cotton represented more than half of the total world production. Meanwhile domestic consumption had ceased to increase. But it was during the 'thirties that the over-production problem really became serious. In view of the quantitative significance of the labor displacement during the 'thirties, one would have expected to find widespread evidence of unrest among the sharecroppers. The one-third of the American Negro people in Southern agriculture, who will still at the end of the War be in the bottom layer of the American economic system, has tremendous interests at stake in the new agricultural policy of America.