Of the three thousand ninety-two arrests during 1916-1917, one thousand
seven hundred and sixteen were discharged without fines, again
demonstrating the petty character or the lack of evidence on these
charges.
It is not difficult to find an explanation for the tremendous increase
in arrests on charges of suspicion, disorderly conduct and the like.
The colored migrant, timid, friendless and unknown as he is when he
comes from the South, easily becomes an object of surveillance. The
railroads were bringing a train load of black workers practically every
day. Many come to Pittsburgh with the desire to remain here, but the
labor agents want them to go further east. Workers of this class either
try to get away from the labor agent, or, being separated from him in
the general confusion prevailing at the stations, are stranded and
left without resources. As strangers they know nothing about the city
or its ways. They are but lately come out from communities where they
have known only oppression, and in many cases their exodus has been a
secret one. It is not remarkable that men in their state of mind should
be looked upon by the police as questionable characters and arrested on
the charges of being suspicious persons, or should fall into the hands
of the law for various other reasons.
The marked increase in drunkenness is not surprising either. From an
analysis of the housing and lodging situation in Pittsburgh the reader
will realize that these migrants have no place in which to spend
their leisure time except the street corners and in the saloon. In
practically all rooming houses beds are run on a double shift basis.
A man may stay in his room only when he sleeps. On awakening he must
surrender his bed to another lodger and go elsewhere. There are no
recreational facilities provided him by the city. Only one place,
the saloon, welcomes him with open doors, and even this dangerous
hospitality is denied him except in the Negro quarters. That the
stranger should not embrace the only means of relaxation offered him in
his new environment would be incredible.
_TABLE NUMBER XVII_
_Showing the age and sex of the persons Arrested in the two Stations
from December 1, 1914 to June 30, 1915 and from December 1, 1916 to
June 30, 1917._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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