1940: Alabama

Area and Population.

Alabama's boundaries, unchanged since 1819, when the state entered the Union, encompass an area of 42,251 sq. mi. The 1940 census showed a gain in population of 7.1 per cent for the state as a whole, with 2,832,961; although 19 of the state's 67 counties showed a decrease in the past decade. The main loss of population occurred in the rural counties, though some of the agricultural areas of the state recorded surprising gains. The major increases were 17.4 per cent for Fayette County, 30.7 for Russell County, a 19.5 per cent increase for Mobile, and 15.9 per cent for Montgomery.

Population group ratios remain unchanged in that the whites constitute approximately 64.3 per cent of the total and the Negroes 35.6.

Birmingham is the largest city in the state and the third largest in the south, with a population of 267,583. Nearby iron, coal and limestone — necessary ingredients in making steel — year-round navigable waterways, together with railroads, highways and air lines, all contribute toward making 'The Magic City' a strategic center for the South.

Montgomery, with a population of 78,084, is the state capital. Surrounded by the splendid pasture lands of the Black Belt area, Montgomery is a center for packing-houses and allied industries, and is a thriving and steadily growing city.

Located at the head of Mobile Bay is the port city of Mobile, with a population of 78,720. It has constantly increased its shipping facilities and has become one of the most commercially important cities along the Gulf coast. Notwithstanding present European conditions the docks have continued to show an increase in tonnage handled over the wharves, both in imports and exports.

Education.

Alabama's school children (ages 6 to 20) attend 2,475 white schools and 2,413 Negro schools. Detailed classifications are as follows: elementary grades, white children 311,843 and Negro children 197,659, totalling 509,502; high schools, including both junior and senior classifications, 445,829 white pupils and 227,341 Negroes, with a total attendance of 673,170.

The Department of Education's outstanding achievement has been the placing in operation of the tenure law which provides for the retention of capable teachers, so as to protect their jobs from political control. The Department is undertaking to standardize school bus transportation throughout the state by owning the busses instead of contracting for their operation.

Alabama has also a practical program for teachers' retirement benefits. The teacher contributes 3½ per cent of his salary, up to a certain limit, and his return is based proportionately upon his years of service to the time of retirement. The state provides for the administration and overhead charges.

Agriculture.

In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, operating through its extension service, with the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Alabama has adopted a long-time conservation plan under the AAA program. The plan became operative December 1, 1940, and continues for a five-year period. As Alabama is the first state to adopt the following program much practical interest has been accorded the outline set forth below:

(1) Each participating farmer shall grow on at least 25 per cent of his crop-land, each year, certain erosion-resisting and soil-conserving crops.

(2) Proper terracing is to be done over a period of five years on all crop-land having a slope in excess of two per cent, which is not in permanent vegetative cover.

(3) On at least one acre of cropland out of 15, certain perennial soil-conserving crops shall be maintained or established during the next five years.

(4) On at least one acre out of 15, permanent pasture land shall be maintained or established during the next five years.

Farmers will be given credit units for carrying out each of these practices. A part of the net payments with respect to cotton, peanuts, tobacco, wheat, and potatoes will be conditioned upon their carrying out these soil-conserving practices.

Industry.

Alabama's industrial picture is one of constant expansion, with money being expended throughout the state, and in the creation of new industries including everything from ribbon factories to electrical power development. A new aluminum company in the Muscle Shoals area has spent $23,000,000; a steel company has spent $30,000,000; and additional millions are being spent in shipyards on the Tennessee River and at the Gulf Port of Mobile. Flour mills and cheese factories are being established in the Tennessee Valley. Apart from all this are the war defense industries.

Mineral Products.

Bituminous coal, Alabama's most valuable native mineral, was produced in 1939 to the amount of 11,995,000 tons, an appreciable increase over 1938, when 11,061,493 tons were valued at $26,769,000. Shipments of iron ore totaled 5,985,208 tons, a rise of 39 per cent over 1939, and having a value of $9,971,024. Production of coke was slightly in excess of that for 1938, at 3,854,505 tons; and pig iron was shipped in the amount of 2,717,502 tons, an increase of 727,160 tons over 1938.

Social Welfare.

Alabama began its welfare program early, with the establishment in 1918 of the Children's Welfare Department, which in 1935 became an official unit of the state Government, and is now known as the State Department of Public Welfare. Agencies administer its program through 67 county departments, each under a director chosen by the local public-welfare board. The 1940 expenditures for the department exceeded those of 1939, as increased revenues were appropriated for the purpose. The Department cooperates with the program of the various Federal organizations handling relief problems, and also with the U.S. Children's Bureau.

The state no longer operates an institution for the aged, but cares for such dependents through its Welfare Program, which contributes to a fund for their support by matching money made available by the National Welfare Board. This matching is on a fifty-fifty basis, county and state contributing one-fourth each.

Finance.

A slight increase in general fund revenues for the fiscal year was noted. Contributing to the total were Alabama Liquor Store profits which topped the three-million dollar mark, and the net Liquor License income which exceeds $235,000. Appropriations from this fund are made to the Department of Education and the Welfare Department. Gasoline tax collections are up to approximately an 8 per cent increase, indicating an increase in travel evidently by the state's own citizens inasmuch as state automobile licenses have also increased.

Legislative Matters.

As the Legislature of Alabama was not in session during the year 1940 the only matters of legislative importance were those referred to the people by way of constitutional amendments. These, of which there were eight, were largely concerned with bond issues, tax measures, and salaries, and were each approved by a comfortable majority in the general election held on November 5.

State Officials.

Governor, Frank M. Dixon; Lieutenant Governor, A. A. Carmichael; Attorney General, T. S. Lawson; Secretary of State, John Brandon; State Treasurer, Chas. E. McCall; State Auditor, Howell Turner; Superintendent of Education, A. H. Collins.

United States Senators.

John Hollis Bankhead, Lister Hill.