FACTS ABOUT
"THE BIRTH
OF A
NEW NATION."
BY
G. WALTER LYTLE
MAY, 1919
iforeworb
TEMPERING OF JUSTICE WITH MERCY
[iV October 10, 1918, at Auburn, N. Y., Secretary
of State Lansing said in the course of Ms
speech:
"The new era born in blood and fire on the bat¬
tlefields of Europe must be a Christian era in reality
and not alone in name. The years to come must be
years of fraternity and common purpose. Interna¬
tional injustice must cease. All men must be free
from the oppression of arbitrary power. Unreason¬
ing class hatreds and class tyrannies must come to an
end. Society must be organized on principles of
justice and liberty. The world must be ruled by the
dominant will to do that which is right.
"To those noble Americans, our friends and
brothers, who have made the supreme sacrifice and to
those who have dedicated their lives to the cause of
their country, to the brave men of the allied nations
who have so gallantly died that liberty might live,
we owe a debt which imposes on us the obligation
of making certain that their service and sacrifice have
not been in vain. They fought and died fighting for
a better world. It lies with us to do our part to mak9
it better.''
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
In the Midst of a New Nation.
The Captive and the Cross.
CHAPTER II
Jamestown and the Slave.
Ephraim—His Prophecy—"Freedom"
A Kentucky Deal.
CHAPTER III
Brotherhood.
Identification of a Mixed Race.
CHAPTER IV
At the Judgment Bar.
The Slave Master's Repentance.
CHAPTER V
Combinations in Restraint.
Segregation.
Compulsory Foreign Mixtures.
CHAPTER VI
Newspaper Clippings of the Race.
A Newspaper Biography.
CHAPTER VII
Negro Conscription.
CHAPTER VIII
Extracts of Sayings by Race Heroes.
Negro vs. World Democracy.
CHAPTER IX
War Diary.
Retrospection.
PREFACE
Knowing the injustice inflicted upon certain portion#
of United States citizens on account of the publication of
books, and the presentation of moving pictures designed
to injure them, the writer uses the records of tradition to
give the world some of the reasons for the above mentioned
outburst of fanaticism.
The Clansman,, the Leopard Spots, the Birth of a Na¬
tion and such rot was not given to the world by idle minds,
but rather by persons whose keen sense of darky relation¬
ship has touched a tender spot within them and caused
them, like "Judas and Peter," to cry out against their own
kith and kin.
A jealousy and hatred built up on the kind of preju¬
dice that was sustained through a system of fear, is unde¬
sirable in any nation. The result of the present war for
World Democracy will prove that the moral and national
cowards will have a very small place among real men,
whether these men be of a dark or light skin.
The publication of vitriol books against the citizen¬
ship of the Negro has the appearance of an old saying:
'' There's a nigger in the wood pile somewhere.''
These Negroes there is so much fuss about were orig¬
inally subdued foreigners, captives, brought to America
and subjected to every common cruelty within the annals
of history.
The female portion in their subjugation were fraught
with the unexpected trial of constantly giving birth for the
sake of these giants of ancestry. The systems established
by our forefathers at the time of their first excursion into
the Virginia shore, had no opposition or much restraint as
to servants.
The evolution of time during these centuries has
proven that the seed of mixed blood planted at that early
age has been moulded and remoulded until the present
century brings us face to face with a nation of people,
where a large portion of them are unable by the closest ob¬
servation, to establish, a direct line of blood totally elimin¬
ated from the Slave Servants of 1620.
The sun shines equally upon the just and the unjust.
The evolution of time even from the advent of our Lord
and Saviour has not changed this divine attribute of God.
There is no act of inconsistency or of evil intent, but
what will re-act in sure response to its promoter, whether it
be an individual or a nation of individuals.
If in the form of a curse it will surely re-act as a
curse. No wonder that certain men who have made a busi¬
ness of vilifying one portion of the United States of
America as against the other, have reaped unpopularity.
They have become undesirable citizens, as the result of their
practices which have spread over the Universe.
The unpublished history of happenings that have
transpired in the United States covers up or hides impor¬
tant links of material evidence that would dampen the
ardor of the many agitators who are constantly promoting
acts of violence by the strength of their race—prejudice
within the borders of the greatest country on earth.
This book is published in the interest of mankind. We
believe in ''Equality and Justice" before "Just Laws" for
all men.
CHAPTER L
In the Midst of a New Nation.
The Captive and the Cross.
CHAPTER I
In the Midst of a New Nation
Can you imagine the complete undoing of the Captive
Slaves as they looked upon those Anglo-captors with won¬
derment ?
The very glance of their mysterious captors would
make them tremble with fear. What a change!—Taken
bodily from a land of free sunshine and plenty, which was
their God-given home, to a prison in the "Hold of a Sail
Ship," being unable to make an appeal for mercy in a
language that could be understood by these intruders.
This was only a fore-runner to the great haven of rest
that was to be granted to their offsprings of real and mixed
blood of the future.
Now Christians, let us sing:—
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps on the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Our God in heaven surely was at the helm of the boats
that took these poor way-faring beings into a long and pro¬
tracted slavery.
We feel sure that the readers will say, after reviewing
what real heart-breaking hardships two hundred and forty
—11—
years of subjection to the severest Taskmasters meant, that
such a people who have suffered thus, and never turned
traitor to this same country, deserve every ounce of the
"World's Democracy" that the United States Government
can have bestowed upon them.
No one knows the exact number of slaves brought to
North American shores by the different traders, for it is
easy to be seen the cunning devices planned by the men of
powerful nations was the means of entrapping boatloads of
natives from Africa.
The ignorance of the captives made them an easy prey
for the Anglo, and in the course of time the coast of America
was dotted with real African plantation workers.
'' The landing and herding of humans as cattle was the
first fruits of Tuition in the "Birth of a New Nation."
It must have been a great sight to those high up in the
heavens and a most mysterious sight to the Indians of
North America as they half hid among the rocks and trees
to see the first amalgamation of white and black spirits or
races on Virginia shores.
It is true that once in centuries before, a certain black
Queen had visited King Solomon and was feted. They also
made a big fuss over her, but this new voyage was of more
significance to mankind than any happeneing since the
coming of Christ, whc while here put the result of a thirty-
three-year life, in preaching "Universal Brotherhood and
the Fatherhood of God in Heaven" and on earth. This
amalgamation of races was the nucleus of the Birth of an
entirely "New Nation," upon whose shores all peoples and
bloods would come and dwell, and who, after being ce-
—12—
merited together by this brotherhood that our Christ
taught, would rule this New Country in Peace.
The peculiar circumstances about the slaves was their
constant multiplication which was from two sources;—
namely, "By boatloads ftfom foreign soil" and "By
natural birth in America.'' Thus they rapidly multiplied.
The conglomeration of slaves were herded together to
dig their way into civilization. Marking time with the lash
of the whip, these poor souls blundered on in darkness until
God, in His own way and time, interfered to the extent
that the product of the centuries rebuked its former act
and finally by putting on record what we of this century
cherish "The Declaration of Independence," started out
to remortalize and remodel, not only the black man, but all
men.
THE CAPTIVE AND THE CROSS
There is no extensile proof as to the religious senti¬
ment of the first herd of human beings brought over as
cattle in 1620 by the wicked and designing traders. The
slave's acts of submission and application to work being
accomplished in such a short time bespeaks the fact that in
their instinct they had the attribute of obedience to higher
powers.
It was not long until the slaves evinced a liking for the
cross and the mere sight of it meant a glorification to them.
From sunrise until dark these black foreigners, being
captives, were compelled to constantly apply themselves to
the work before them.
There being no system of education in vogue, that is,
education to read and write, and develop the mind, as well
—13—
as the hands and the heart, this constant application solely
to work acted as a preventative of self-reliance. The out¬
come of such a life was that the black foreigner did not
have a chance to even think.
His future was a blank. There was no beyond. This
condition went on until the mass of ignorance and its be¬
trothal "Crime" had possessed great portions of the new
nation. Mountains of sin and degradation had piled up.
As the people grew in numbers, greed for possession grew.
"Man's extremity is Christ's opportunity." Little by
little the light of the soul crept in and the power and in¬
fluence of the holy gospel of God and of Jesus spread in
the hearts of these black foreigners.
They prayed and toiled and wrestled with the spirit
of Christ, according to their knowledge of God. Here and
there a captive grew to manhood and through some unseen
force rose to the surface of intelligence and asserted
himself.
All along the road of centuries that followed, lies
somewhere, the bones and dust of brave-hearted African
descendants who died for the cause of freedom.
These examples of sacrifice touched the heart of Abra¬
ham Lincoln, and without a doubt the effect of the Birth
of this New Nation was the controlling cause for the pres¬
ent war for the "World's Democracy."
—14—
CHAPTER II.
Jamestown and the Slave.
Ephriam—His Prophecy—
"Freedom."
A Kentucky Deal.
CHAPTER II
JAMESTOWN AND THE SLAVE
On the 10th of April, 1606—James I, King of England,
granted charters to two separate companies called the
"London and Plymouth Companies" for settling colonies
in Virginia. * The London Company started out in De¬
cember, 1606, with a colony of one hundred and five per¬
sons to commence a settlement near North Carolina. By
stress of the weather they were driven about and Entered
Chesapeake Bay.
They went up a river that they called "James River"
to a peninsula, May, 1607, and commenced the settlement
of Jamestown. This was the first permanent settlement
in the country.
Several charters were granted by King James to the
company for the government of the colony, and in the year
1619 the first legislative council was convened at James¬
town, then called James City. This council was to help
administer justice, and also to advance Christianity among
the Indians.
On March 2, 1622, the Indians committed the most
bloody massacre on the colonists recorded in the annals of
our country. (See Mr. Gordon's history of the American
Revolution, vol. 1, p. 43.) It says: "A well concerted at¬
tack on all settlements destroyed in one hour, and almost
at the same instant 347 persons, who were defenseless and
incapable of making resistance.'
—17—
The Indians were subtle, crafty and vicious, which ne¬
cessitated a sure defense by the colonists.
It was an awful oversight that the black slaves were
looked upon as things without a soul, and that no attention
need be given to the subject of the administration of jus¬
tice, or the advancement of Christianity in their behalf.
For almost two years these slaves had toiled on the
tobacco plantation without one hope or ray of light for the
future. God called but the colonist would not hear. It
was an extremely high price the colonists paid for their
existence in this country.
One would think, after reading some of the horrible
massacres by the Indians, how much safer the Anglo-Saxon
would have been, to have brought his black brother to
America's shores chiefly as his guardian, rather than in
the role of a chained slave. Chained to ignorance and
drudgery and horrible disadvantages.
As a brother and guardian this black companion could
have helped stay the hand of the mighty and crafty Indian
to a greater degree than was his slave privilege, besides
he would have had the advantage of education and proper
association, which bond, tying the two foreigners together
(the Anglo and the black), would have set up a bulwark
that no invader could have overcome.
If it were not for the great mountain of prejudice—
Oh! what might have been?
The author of the "History of the Valley" of Vir¬
ginia, by Samuel Kercheval, year 1833, revised and ex¬
tended by W. N. Grabill, Woodstock, Va., 1902, says in the
introduction of this history of the Shenandoah Valley, on
Page XII, as follows: "It appears from early historians
that Negroes were first introduced into our State from a
—18—
Dutch ship in the year of 1620." "0 woeful day for our
country—to use the language of Mr. Snowden, this was 'an
evil hour* for our country." It truly brought "new gin*
and new deaths" to the new world.
The present generation have abundant cause to de¬
plore the unhallowed cupidity and want "of all the finer
feelings of our nature, manifested in this baleful and un¬
righteous traffic. It has entailed upon us a heavy calamity
which will perhaps require the wisdom of ages yet to come
to remove. That it must and will be removed there can be
but little doubt. History furnishes no example of any
part of the human race being kept in perpetual slavery.
Note—This same author goes on to say, as follows:
"Whether the scheme of sending them to Africa will ulti¬
mately produce the desired effect can only be tested by
time; it is, however, most 'devoutly' to be desired." Mr.
Snowden is an author of a "History of America." Such
sarcasm as this author expressed in regard to the Negroes'
removal "devoutly to be desired."
As weak and feeble as this seemingly religious expres¬
sion was, just so weak and so feeble were all efforts in the
centuries or generations of these same misinterpreters that
followed.
God in His all-wise providence kept this hated and un-
cared for black slave in the midst of the toiling masses of
this new country.
It was through Him the real "Birth of a New Nation"
was to be verified.
It would be no mean book of historical facts if the
"brave acts of the slaves would have been recorded by the
colonists, especially in the making of the boundary lines
of the old original Virginia.
—19—
Many of the black people gave up their lives in de¬
fense of the people who had them held as chattels in slavery.
The Negro slave paid an exorbitant price through la¬
bor and even sacrifice of life in defense of the fields of
Virginia during his first two and one-half centuries in
America, but only received in return "a cursed bondage."
VIRGINIA'S DEBT
Give back to him to whom belongs—
* The worth of all his hire,
Who stood the same in lash or songs,
Through slavery hell-cursed fire.
The ground and all by common right
Is but his deed and fair.
The slave was cheated in this fight
For freedom, everywhere.
Don't withhold the common debt
Of gratitude to man
Who once was slave—this nation set
Him free by slavery's ban.
You owe him land, yea—more above.
Your existence plead with him.
Through brutal knocks, instead of love
You plied your strength of sin.
Be brave—pay up—the land is his
Virginia:—Dare be true
To all your freemen now who's flag is
The Red, the White, the Blue.
—20—
EPHEAIM—HIS PROPHECY—"FREEDOM"
Ephraim had a marked experience. Just 170 years
after the landing of the Mayflower he was born in a cabin
in Virginia.
He was the seventh son, therefore came within the nu¬
merical wonder of the Bible, for many great things occurred
in the sevens.
At seven days of age he was practically left alone for
hours at a time, which accounted for the many wrinkles in
his face when he grew older—he cried so much for tkat
black mammy.
At seven years of age he was doing chores for ole
Massa and Missus, and also a little "eve droppin' " be¬
sides.
Ephraim saw Jots of things he was afraid to tell and
other things he almost broke his neck to relate to somebody.
Ephraim's mouth hung like it wanted to tell, which
accounts for the fact that in after years he was quite a
linguist, especially on the supernatural.
Ephraim sat right up front when a child at all the big
secret spiritual or religious meetings which were conducted
by the old fathers and mothers in Israel. Many a time
he had seen them shout, also sing until the stove pipe wab¬
bled itself a tune with a grating sound.
The inspiration caught at these meetings always left
a desirable impression upon all the. attendants, because in
the dark days the way of the transgressor was hard. You
were termed a transgressor if you were found congregating
too often in very large numbers.
—21—
The still nights fraught with fear for trembling hands
and feet could have caused many a catastrophe had it not
been for the influence that Mandy or Zach had over the
bloodhounds that rested in the rear of Massa's house.
Ever since the first aggregation of slaves had uncon¬
sciously found a something within them that caused them
to wonder and fear when they saw the great moon come to
view in the night, surrounding itself with myriads of stars,
these slaves and all other slaves had a reverence that was
with the supernatural. Assisted by some peculiar force
they gradually became fervent people to pray and sing and
worship the God they could not see, but whom with every
thought, they could feel.
The result was that the prevailing pastime for the ma¬
jority of slaves was seeking spiritual edification. They
stole away in the still night to an appointed meeting place
to seek Jesus.
The audience never went begging for a spokesman nor
the meeting for a spiritual witness.
It was at a very early period that the slave felt the
necessity of freedom. His fear of the conscienceless Mas¬
ter kept him completely cowed and unfit for what he most
deserved.
Eph kept his ear to the ground and heard secretly
that slavery must stop. He had thought of a thousand
ways to turn himself loose from the bonds of slavery, but
after praying over it had decided each time to wait on
the Law'd.
"Freedom"—His Prophecy
It was in mid-summer of 1860, Ezra and Ephe were
straggling along in the dust when they came to a cross¬
road. The old sign was an extended painted crossann
—22—
with a finger pointing and telling the distance to nearby
old Virginia towns. Culpepper had her shrewd slaves,
but among the wise ones was her old hero, Ephraim.
This pretentions gentleman had so impressed his near
relatives and friends of color to the extent that he was
proclaimed a learned man and no person would dare think
otherwise.
Whether his knowledge along certain lines was ob¬
tained in secret from the upper world, or by some inborn
power of defining situations through general observation,
or maybe, greatness to predict some truth was thrust upon
him, anyhow, Ephe stopped dead still in his tracks when
he came to these particular crossroads.
Looking up at the sign Eph began to mumble: E-nee,
Mee-nee, E-nee Bar; E-nee, Mee-nee, E-nee, Bar—Massa
Abraham Lincoln gwine to sot all de cullud peeples free.
(It goes without saying, to tell the reader that Ephe's
friend, Ezra, was terror-stricken! at the pronouncement.)
Ezra stood there with mouth open, lips hung, those
flat nostrils extended and legs slantingly reverted at a seri¬
ous angle while he half stooped with eyes buldged—after
slightly recovering he fairly yelled: "Man—what you say
suh?—Read dat readin' again."
Eph, with an air of victory, slowly turned his head
round far enough to give his friend, Ezra, an inquiring
glance and said, " Wha' dats you sez—Ez?"
Ezra requested as before, "Read dat readin' agin."
Ephraim started all over for he had made believe so much
on so many unbelievable things that he really got so he
believed himself after repeating things:—
"E-nee Mee-nee E-nee Bar; E-nee Mee-nee E-nee Bar
—23—
—Massa Abraham Lincoln gwine to sot all de cullud peeple
free."
By the time this second reading was finished Uncle
Ezra was bout to quit the world. He believed that Eph
had power to read—although he knew there was no
earthly way but perhaps some supernatural way for him
to acquire the knowledge.
Ezra was still reverted in that half-stooped position;
of course more heat was generated. By this time great
beads of sweat stood on his forehead, his iieck was ex¬
tended until the sides were even and on a straight line with
his ears.
Ezra fairly howled—"Man! Man! If I could read
like you I' wouldn't stay here nor go no whar else, I'd jes
clime up ah tree and get out of the world.''
No wonder Ezra felt like he wouldn't stay here nor go
nowhere else, but just climb a tree and get out of the world.
'Tis true his prayers had ascended on high and great croco¬
dile tears had "dropped to de flo" as he appealed fervently
to God for help for freedom.
Little did Ezra nor 4,000,000 others around him fhinlr
that thq God of freedom was going to liberate them in the
near future. Ezra's language to Eph was quite befitting
to his feeling of the impossibility of the situation.
Although it was his dying wish to be free, yet some¬
how the way looked dark, no matter who prophesied thin
freedom.
Ezra just felt like flying out of reach of everybody
when he heard Eph utter the freedom phophecy. *
Both these faithful slaves who belonged to the planta¬
tion of Mr. had come into thq light of day about
the year 1790 and were enjoying their seventieth year.
After battling through ignorance and drudgery, with lives
staged in superstition, there was poor chance to acquire
knowledge of a definite character upon which to base a real
opinion.
A Kentucky Deal, Beminiscience of Slavery,
Dixon, Isaac a/nd Liza
The boy, Isaac, was about twelve yeara of age and was
almost totally employed as messenger and luggage boy for
a Kentucky gentleman (?), whom fori want of a real name
we will call "Massa Dixon."
One niorning the master called Isaac and told him to
make ready to go to town that day. After shining the
Kentuckean's boots 'and adjusting other trivial matters
they started on their journey. On the way over the
plantation a stop was made at an humble slave cabin and
Isakc entered and broke the news that "Massa Dixon was
on de outside" waiting to take Liza along to town. This
created consternation in the little cabin. There was noth¬
ing to do but send Liza along, as it meant almost sudden
death, on a good-sized flogging to question the waiting vul¬
turous demon, Dixon. He had his morning drahms and
was fit as a ijddle to do anything, especially to a poor help¬
less slave girl. The beautiful mulatto girl, for such was
Liza, came out the cabin door trembling as if about to enter
on her last solemn march to the graveyard.
Had she known what was in store for her she would
have died rather than went along with Dixon on that event¬
ful trip.
Dixon had formulated a great desire for this poor
slave girl, and was willing to face eternity to accomplish
same.
—25—
The girl, who was comely and a fully developed speci
men of womanhood, was taken to town. Following Dixon
they entered a building at the corner of — Street,
where a two-story frame shack with rickety stairs con¬
fronted them. Isaac began to feel as though things were
not straight and shied on the job. At the sharp command
of his master to "Cum awn," Ike bolted into line and be¬
gan to climb the stairs, followed by a poor soul almost
dead with fear.
They were placed in a middle room at the right-hand
side of the building, with no light, except what crept
through the large old-fashioned transom over the door near
the hall stairway.
After being away a few hours, Dixon came back and
released Isaac, sending him on an errand to Mr. B ,
which would take about one hour.
In the meantime this devil entered the room where
poor innocent Liza was huddled and demanded that she
take off her clothes.
Isaac was so wrapped up in mystery over the whole
affair that he could not resist the temptation of tip-toeing
in them bare feet within hearing distance to listen to the
fate of this little girl.
During Dixon's absence after they had first landed at
the old rickety mansion the girl and Ike had quite a con¬
versation which finally was concluded on the following:
That Liza was to be sold to some enterprising pur¬
chaser or else Dixon meant her bodily harm.
Ike had not been listening a very great while until he
found out the proper conclusion. Ike heard the following:
"Massa Dixon! Please don't! I'se only a little girl; Massa
—26—
Dixon! Please don't! I'se only a little girl." Then with
a piteous appeal Liza said: "Please God, help me! Please
God, help me!"
The yillian wrestled with the child who fought him
like a tigress. She finally decided to scream if it cost her
her life, and she did so, the awful sound of which drove Ike
down the stairway with his knees shaking together. By
this final resistance, the girl was able to hold this master
devil, Dixon, off for that day.
He left her with clothes torn and her body wrenched,
in a locked, desolate room. Dixon, beaten at his own
game, decided to bring the wench (as he called her)j to his
own terms at all hazards. After taking on more of the
favorite brand he consulted his then, whisky brain, and
decided to have his way or sell her.
This wonderful Kentucky gentleman (?) rambled over
to a neighboring farm and among other things proposed
was the sale of a beautiful mulatto girl with "ahead price"
of ($1500.00) fifteen hundred dollars.
Liza was sold and shipped further South.
Poor Isaac, with the burden of this remembrance, re¬
ceived many a knock. His Massa in a way was contented
to have something happen that would cause him to run
away and be a fugitive from slavery.
Dixon believed Ike smelled the rat, so one day while
^he and his lovely wife were out walking along the canal,
this boy Ike was coming in the opposite direction, but on
a straight line to pass by them.
The boy was on the inside next to the canal.
Massa Dixon, taking advantage of the situation, ex¬
pressed his dislike for the little "Nigger" to his lovely
wife. When the boy arrived opposite the couple, the
—27—
woman showed out her hand and pushed the little slave
boy in the canal.
This was done on the pretense that the boy had not
removed his hat on approaching the couple. Ike, in
reality, was pushed when he had his little hand up to the
rim of the old torn straw hat which adorned his head.
This lad got out of the canal alright and one week later
was off to the North where he lived ever afterwards.
More than fifty years have passed and this boy, Isaac,
is now prosperous, having had three sons in the war to bat¬
tle for "World's Democracy."
■—28—
CHAPTER III.
Brotherhood.
Identification of a Mixed Race.
CHAPTER III
BROTHERHOOD
Much talk has been given to the subject of Universal
Brotherhood, but there is hardly any instance where the
real Christ-like spirit of brotherhood is shown so warmly
since the days of President Lincoln, as in Massachusetts
Governor, McCall's message to West Virginia's Governor,
Cornwell, on the extradition of a Negro who was charged
with crime.
The essence of this brotherhood shown by Massachu¬
setts Governor is what has determined the great success
and moral and spiritual advancement of the states north of
the Mason and Dixon line.
No sane man believes in committing crime and it is
hard, to decipher how portions of people in different states
have consented to become parties to acts, that can consist¬
ently be judged as crime.
Decision from stalwart men like Governor McCall will
tend to put a hold on rashness and give many weak-minded
persons a chance for serious sober thought and save them
from unnecessary disgrace.
It is alarming to know the extent this sacred duty of
man, called "Brotherhood," has been cast aside by so-
called National citizens before the very eyes of high
officials.
To those who continue to father and perpetuate in¬
justice will be meted injustice and the day is not far dis¬
tant when the final reckoning will come. T'will be well
—31—
for many of the people to review the Ten Commandments-
Our country calls for unity of purpose and mind. Our
success and future lives depend on this kind of unity. The
Stars and Stripes that go to make up our Nation's flag,
represents all that is good and pure and cemented in itB.
fold is the cause of Universal Brotherhood.
How dare any of us confront that grand emblem, Our
Flag, which is your flag and my flag, with crime on our
hands and prejudice in our hearts?
No good can follow such evil. It will be refreshing to
refer the reader to Governor MeCalTs letter to West
Virginia.
The Twentieth Century Governor
Refusing Extradition of a Negro
Governor McCall's Letter—State of Massachusetts—
To Governor Cornwell of West Virginia.
A true construction of the Fourteenth Amendment to-
the Constitution of these United States. Letter, December,
1917:—I need hardly say to you that a failure to honor a
requisition is no new thing, nor does it constitute any
affront to a state.
Precedents exist in great numbers. Only a short time
ago this commonwealth denied a requisition in a less seri¬
ous case upon somewhat similar grounds, but for reasons-
less strong than those existing here. In that case the de¬
fendant happened to be a white man.
NO TWO-SCALED JUSTICE
Justice should not use two scales, but if two measures;
are employed then the more lenient measure should be;
meted out to the poor and the weak.
—32—
A white man would be tried by white men, but rarely,
if ever, do we see a member of his own race on the bench,
among his prosecutors or in the jury box.
It seems proper for me to add that a Governor of
Massachusetts, who would refuse to apply the meanest
black man in the land the same rule he had just applied
to a white mail, would be unworthy to represent the com¬
monwealth and would dishonor all the traditions of her
glory.
RELATES ONLY TO FAC^S
"The decision, your excellency, was reached in no
spirit of hostility to West Virginia, nor was it general
arraignment of her jurisprudence. It related only to the
facts as they appeared in this particular case.
"Massachusetts has nothing but warm friendship for
"West Virginia. The inestimable service which your com¬
monwealth rendered in the struggle for the Union, the
hearts of the people of Massachusetts will hold in imperish¬
able remembrance.
"Standing at the gateway between the North and the
South and the East and West, with her great history and
the sterling character of her people, may I suggest the
noble opportunity before West Virginia to render a still
more splendid service to the country. When we are nobly
contending to make the world safe for democracy, she can
help us show our spiritual fitness for the task by leading
the way to make America safe for common justice, and by
the inspiring influence of her example, she may contribute
greatly toi the doing for ourselves of what we are striving
to do for the world, and firmly to establish here the way of
justice and the law.''
-33--
What a wonderful letter to the people of the nation,
and we would to God that the whole Negro population of
the States could be massed before this Governor's mansion
And sing that short meter:
'' Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian' love
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above."
Eastern Justice Fays Hotelkeeper for jjiscnmination and
Practices Against Which America is Now at War
A lengthy and interesting decision, one that will go a
long way towards settling once and for all the disputes
arising from discrimination of Negroes in certain public
cafes and restaurants, was rendered a few days ago by Jus¬
tice Wauhope Lynn, presiding in the Seventh District Mu¬
nicipal Court, St. Nicholas Avenue and One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth Street, New York, N. Y.
The case before the court was one involving a civil
suit of five men, two of them Negroes, and three of them
residents of Harlem, all of whom had brought suit through
their lawyer. Fred Francis Weiss, of 2 Rector Street,
against Edwin Hotz, proprietor of a cafe and restaurant
at 740 Eighth Avenue.
Each contended that Hotz showed discrimination
when they visited his place to have a few drinks recently,
with the result that Justice Lynn at the conclusion of his
interesting decision, awarded each of them $100, that being
the minimum penalty by law for the indignity and discrim¬
ination placed upon them on the day in question the court
said.
—34—
The Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs were Louis Dean, white, of 18 West One
Hundred and Fifteenth Street; Raymond Matthews, white,
of 128 West jOiie Hundred and Sixteenth Street; Shepard
N. Edmonds, colored, of 2301 Seventh Avenue, and Wil¬
liam Vodery, colored, 241 West Fifty-third Street. All are
engaged in the theatrical business.
The four actions were separately brought against the
same defendant t» recover the penalty provided by Section
40 of the Civil Rights Law.
According to the testimony submitted by Attorney
Weiss his clients went to the cafe on the afternoon of. April
18, last. They approached the bar and Edmonds asked
the three others in the party what they were going to have.
The two white men ordered whisky, and when one of the
Negroes ordered a drink and asked a nip of ale with beer
each was informed by the bartender that the price for each
drink would be 50 cents; then the two white men asked the
price of the whisky they had ordered, and the bartender
replied that the price would be 50 cents also.
One of the four, a colored man, refused to order any¬
thing, and after drinks were served to the other three and a
dollar bill had been tendered in payment, the bartender
took! out 75 cnts for the round. Dean and Matthews testi¬
fied that they had been served with whisky before in the
place and had paid 15 cents a drink.
The Court's Decision
Justice Lynn's decision in part followed: "I am satis¬
fied that the two colored men were discriminated against.
It also appears to me that the bartender did indirectly re¬
fuse, withhold from, and deny to the white men full and
—35—
equal accommodation for the reason that the patronage of
the colored men in their company at the time was unwel¬
come and objectionable."
The case presented an atmosphere of sharp discrimina¬
tion against all of these men, directly against the black, and
indirectly against the white for being in company of black
men. This defendant has forgotten his duty to the public.
He has been licensed to keep a public inn, and the state laws
compel him to treat all who enter with absolute fairness.
The black man did not choose his coming among us.
Unlike all other immigrants he was forced on our shores
and made a bondsman of force and chained and shackled.
I must condemn all attacks upon the black man's right as
civil invasion. Might must no longer dominate our deal¬
ings with one another. Right must be the only rule to
guide us, and when we hold our hearts and minds open to.
justice, we will be fair to all humanity.
The World Is Awake
This world's war has awakened new thoughts regard¬
ing the whole human race. The sharp lines of racial dis¬
tinction have become less and less marked, and we are
learning from the sad story of the world's troubles that
race, religion and color have been plunged into one common
struggle against a brutal tyranny.
The black man is here to stay; he forms a healthy, vig¬
orous portion of our population, and in time will compare
favorably with many of the races we have absorbed from
Europe. The Irish gave to "Washington's army many of
its best men. France opened her purse and Lafayette
drew the sword. The persecuted Jew, who found no wel¬
come in any other clime, joined too and gave financial sup-
—36—
port and men to enable the colonies to equip and man their
armies.
Unity of Black and White
Our flag to-day is being upheld in France by our black
men, united with their white brothers in resisting an
appalling attack upon all civilization. We suppress these
ancient and intolerant notions of superiority of one race
ever another. We must drive out of our minds this poison
which ill becomes us and which keeps us backward in the
great advance of the world's civilization.
The whole defense of the defendant is a flimsy evasion
of the law."
Identification of a Mixed Race
Note—'' The secret fire of a boiling passion caused the
transformation of 'A Black Race' to an indefinable 'Race
of Varigated Colors.' "—Lytle.
In the first two centuries of Slavery people were born
that bore strange resemblance to men of different European
nations, and on account of the mixture of bloods, naturally,
were every hue under the sun. There Were lily white,
cream white, yellowish white, brown, ebony black, a black
that was weaker under the surface of the top skin which
gave the top skin a lighter glow—at a distance you could
see there was a difference in color from the deep studded
black.
The women gained lighter skin more quickly than the
men, this being due to a regular process of nature and
climatic conditions.
The season of color 'revision was continual and as if
by some omnipotent decree has never ceased, the most im-
portant era being the century preceding the Civil "War of
1861 in th United States of America.
A great many families of slave holders from across
the Mason and Dixon line have their trail of black de¬
scendants.
This state of affairs has caused a growth of cosmopoli¬
tan people that will not down, and never can be eradi¬
cated, whether they are legal or illegal off-springs, and jus¬
tifies itself through the fact that these people are blood re¬
lations of foremost families of the South Land of the
United States. They are also connecting links to the blood
of foreign nations. Among them are found half-breeds,
quarter-breeds, eighth-breeds and one-sixteenth-breeds of
all descriptions; there being Irish, Scotch, Spanish, French,
Welsh, Indian and African, and a very low per cent of
German mixture.
The peculiar part of this transformation of a once
pure black African people is, that there are less race men
with African blood in them than with any of the other
bloods.
The great infusion of bloods had full sway for cen¬
turies uninterrupted and the terrible unavoidable mixtures
that have resulted is one that cannot be denied or removed
in many centuries.
The on-rushing youthful Southerner of to-day is surely
cognizant of the fact that, although it is unpleasant for
him to take 4 retrospective view of his ancestors, he finds
himself blood related to the cast of people he so much de¬
spises.
If God, the Father of all mankind, has destined a
thing or circumstance, and it has come to pass in such a way
as to link the blood of all nations together, then we, as a
—38—
people, will have to be content to further this brother¬
hood of close relation and accept his version of amalga¬
mation.
The die has been cast so deep that we are helpless to
determine when and where we shall run into this blood mix¬
ture of races, the outcome being that as long as a man or
woman marries descendants of the old puritan families of
the United States, they are often becoming a proselyte to
the very thing they hate, "A mixture with the blood of
black people."
Hidden in the flesh is a sting
That blood to blood can only bring;
Man just acts, but God ordains.
His word supreme, it all contains.
The boiling cauldrons of hate, malice, prejudice, un-
kindness and disfranchisement, leading up to the senseless
mob with its death-dealing destruction, is but the reminder
of the willful acts of impropriety of a once powerful and
entrusted people. The smothered cry of a soul whose hu¬
man body is surrounded in flames from the crackling under¬
brush, or whose body was dragged through the streets to
out-of-way places, then maltreated, swung from a tree and
shot full of holes, is but the answer to the unwise method
of -association during slavery days, when they had it within
their power to make these servants a peace-loving, God¬
fearing, separate people and taught them by example to co-
mingle only with the people of their own race or blood.
Each act of proselyting when co-mingling with these
African and semi-African servants brought their victims in
—39—
closer touch with the wants of the master until the serv¬
ants' wants were identical with that of the masters.
His appetite for drink and women still maintain in cer¬
tain low breeds, who, if traced back fifty years or more,
will have been found to be a blood relative of a most wicked
slave master, whose sins were too bad to wear out in one
or two generations.
Any nation or set of people, who are made up of souls
that forget God in their natural living, will suffer at some
appointed time. When any evil has run its course,
whether it be something contrary to the laws of the land or
contrary to the brotherhood laws of Jesus Christ, that evil
must and shall make an accounting to the perfect source.
God is perfect and forever will be, no matter how im¬
perfect we are.
Tradition hands down the story of the Anglo masters
forcing themselves into illegal connection with their
slaves.
( Note—There were many people in thfe early part of
slavery whose top skin had strayed away considerably
from the black and were a light color, spoken of as a mu¬
latto.
As is natural, the first point of contact was instituted
by the male members of the dominant race. It is known
that the beautiful complexioned females of the tribes or
sects were singled out and led as lambs from the fold, to
the slaughter of the only thing outside of their eternal
soul, which God gave them, "their virtue." This act of
uncalled-for violence was the cause of great mountains of
sinful prejudice which predominates even unto this day.
—40—
The first results of these illegal unions were the es¬
tablishing of blood relation and it is safe to say that no
single individual could live long enough to ever determine
the extent of these unions, nor will the secret knowledge of
these relations be obliterated by the prejudice set up in the
reconstruction stories of Dixon and his Leopard's
Spots, etc.
Some men lived openly as man and wife with the
woman which by title was their slave and proceeded to raise
a mixed family of sons and daughters. This class of
slave master was of a reputable breed and did not care to
besmirch his record. For ten miles in one locality all the
people were related, and went by the name of G .
Some of these children came of white color (looking
like pure Anglo children), and some were yellow, brown,
and others black.
In some cases the children that were light, with beauti¬
ful complexion, had the real African features and stubborn
kinky hair. Others of the children were from light brown
to jet black with perfect formed American typed faces
and good straight hair.
Some of the remnant of this wonderful family of mixed
people are living somewhere in the States, and tell with
pride of the harmony that existed on the farms, where they
all resided adjoining each other.
The sins of the father shall visit even unto the third
and fourth generation, and many opinions are that, on ac¬
count of the great numbers of inconsistent acts of slave
masters, the blood mixtures of races will not outrun it¬
self until after the Angel, Gabriel, blows the warning
trumpet that judgment is at hand and earth time is no
more. The pollution is beyond repair, for it does not take
an expert psychologist to drop into most any little town or
—41—
large city, cast a glance about at the passing show of hu¬
manity, and see, unerringly, all the living evidence neces¬
sary that the mixture of bloods is thorough.
But alas! These things were not all brought about in
the South Land. Thousands of unions of the two races
have taken place all through the North since the ending of
the Civil "War.
There were different causes: Some were through con¬
stant association that just naturally developed into real
love matches. Some were on the account of living in the
country, a sparsely settled district, the family being iso¬
lated, making conditions such that would allow the union
without being censured on account of color. In this lat¬
ter case the great requisite that was considered was hon¬
esty and trustworthiness. Very often Sam was taken in the
family and, given full privileges because he filled these re¬
quirements, as a hard working, honest fellow, or vice-versa,
Dinah, as a pure, decent girl, as the case may have been.
In many villages and towns there have been many mu¬
latto unions with whites, and their offsprings (who are
mixed bloods), somewhere in the United States, are sit¬
ting tight as members in lodges, church societies, and in
city and state positions of influence among the Anglo-
Saxon.
The Birth of this New Nation of these United States
brought with it the coalition of all races into a reckless in¬
fusion of all bloods. Truly this is a democracy—Thank
God.
This information is taken from actual knowledge of
facts, but what man would be traitor enough to disturb
the equilibrium of his country by telling on the man or
—42—
woman of mixed blood that is enjoying these suffrage
privileges.
It is true this class of citizen has put himself or her¬
self in the position of being "half free" and "half slave,"
yet it would be no worse than being segregated for the very
breath you draw.
Being part of a true democracy, why not enjoy the
common association of true brotherhood? "Why not? They
have the color and no other requisite is necessary to the
satisfaction of most ordinary people, in fact, these ordi¬
nary people with little brains are the most ardent kickers
for segregation.
It is a remarkable camouflage. Just think, these sup¬
posed to be smart citizens, are actually accepting the unreal
or mixed Anglo for the real Anglo and are perfectly satis¬
fied with the deal.
"Ignorance is bliss;
'Tis folly to be wise.''
There were men of high degree and some legislators
in this country, wKo, by blood right, had Negro relations.
Some still remain.
The system of Southern domination being builded on
fear, could not forever keep or cause to be kept, Certain se¬
crets. The slave people, when freed, took their secrets
with them.
A Commandment
For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third
and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing
mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my
commandments.
CHAPTER IV.
At the Judgement Bar.
The Slave Master's Repentance.
CHAPTER IV
At the Judgment Bar
Part 1.—Introduction.
Part 2.—Vision of the Harvest.
• Part 3.—The Slave Master's Repentance.
Part I
Introduction
One is satisfied after due investigation that the real
prejudice a black man holds is the kind that cries out
against malice and hatred that is being constantly imposed
upon him and his people.
It fe a case of righteous jealousy. Being jeealous of
his people's welfare and safety in a free republic, not a
jealousy because of distrust in his country, for no hearts
beat truer to the Union of these United States than the peo¬
ple whom God and President Lincoln emancipated at the
psychological moment.
Can anyone draw a truer picture of the groveling mass
of humanity fleeing northward like ravenous beasts, un-
cared for, unprotected, despised, rejected, after years of
servility being faithful to their seducers, the men who
against all decent laws of civil life, kept them in mortal
fear and in ignorance of all uplifting forces.
What a misnomer: All these people being taught to
obey only the stern glance of a hardened master with his
—47—
cat-o-nine tails persuader or his twisted rattan club. Being:
born into a great country like this under such hellish con¬
ditions was enough to produce a race of hardened criminals
such as thousands of their masters or overseers were, but
like-unto other slave periods, Jesus was at the helm and
there never was a time since the year 1620 that the great
God of the universe had intended to let those conditions-
survive very long. Never was it intended these Negro-
slaves should stay ignorant, and weak and cowardly.
To the contrary these people have outgrown the mul¬
titude of masters in all sciences except the particular force
that gave their master the upper hand, which was to be
criminal.
Part II
The Vision of the Harvest
, "The Reflected Shadow of Slavery in Heaven"
What a vision judgment's moving picture of slavery is
to the mind's eye: See the thousands of plantations. Pic¬
ture the number of slave owners, slave drivers, overseers,
seducers and murderers, prowling and pandering and way¬
laying a helpless people.
Thousand of slave pens and the accompanying auc¬
tion block.
When moved in numbers see the slaves being hauled
in cattle cars or driven along the dusty roads like sheep
or hogs. The halt, the lame, the blind, the white, the near
white, the yellow, the near yellow, the brown, the near
brown, but more often the black.
Imagine the curious minded people as they are taken
here and there in one, two, three, six, ten and twenty lots
or more. See that mother or father with tear-dimmed eye
and sorrowing heart going to be auctioned off to the high¬
est bidder, and as the case very often was, to be sent miles
distant from all that was known to be their* family. With
bowed head and aching hearts they take their medicine in
deep humility.
See the same mother or father nights before petition¬
ing the throne of God to free them in some manner. Some
how, Lord!—Thy will be done!
Oh God! The heart-rending scenes that are taking
place all around the old auction blocks.
See that beautiful complexioned girl coming, being
half led and half dragged towards the auctioneer.
She does not like to disobey, yet she is loath to go
away from those whom it is said are her parents. Her
mother has whispered the secret of her life into her ear,
and there is a dread that she too will be a victim of the
same circumstances. See the snap of the buyer's eyes as
he scans his victim from head to foot and says (after feel¬
ing her about the body as you would an animal), "I think
I will like her and will take her at your price."
The exchange of ownership is made, and later a new
planter's family is started (?).
See over there in the cotton field a mother be-labored
with a black-snake whip because she has complained of
being sick. A little further up the cotton row, if you will
look closely, you will see a new born babe, prematurely
brought to the world on account of the brutal lashing re¬
ceived by its mother a short time before.
How many such children were born into the world
"scorning human existence" on account of ill-treatment at
the hands of those vile speculators.
—49—
Picture the crowded cabins, but please overlook the
sanitary conditions. See the medicine man and the con¬
jurer, soothsayers, singers, musicians, liars, thieves and
gamblers.
The slaves that have had time to muse were quick to
imitate, so the good traits and bad traits fastened their
fangs in the hearts of these people as readily as it was
perceived among their owners.
What will the harvest be when the forces of heaven
are lined up to dish out to each fellow his recompense for
the deeds done in the body while tramping old mother
earth ?
The Lazarus crowds will not have such a poor show
when the exhibit takes place.
Some poor slave will say to Jesus, the great com¬
forter :
"Dear Lord, I struggled through all the misery of
slavery, beaten with many stripes and suffered untold pri¬
vations. By my obedience and affection for this master's
children (pointing to the slave master, a scowling scoun¬
drel), I gained their favor, in so much that they taught
me secretly my letters and when I began to read and write
a little bit, this man found it out and (showing his right
hand), had me\ brought to the rear of his house to a chop¬
ping block where my fingers were chopped off."
Still another victim will drop into line and show the
blood marks on his body, where, after being heavily be¬
labored with the butt stock of a thick black-^nake whip,
he was lashed until the crimson blood flowed freely—all
because he made a slight protest against his pure and only
daughter being taken from him and sold at auction, as
were the master's cattle and horses.
—50—
Another victim steps forward, and pointing with a de¬
termined gesture to a band of rebels, said, "Being born
into slavery in the Valley, State of ,
and being conceived under peculiar circumstances connect¬
ing the master of the slaves, I was not permitted to go
to the field and labor, but was reared in the home of the
master. 'Tis said I grew to be beautiful. This man
ruined me (pointing to the slave master), and I was moved
to a cabin along the railroad where in due tim& my son
was born. When this baby was about 12 years of age I
called to him and whispered that he should meet me at
high moon, 12 o'clock midnight, near the smoke house on
the old plantation, and by the grace of God we would make
our flight for liberty to the Union lines.
My son, who was a free lance on the estate of what
-vras his rightful father, being his image as all can see, (at
this juncture the woman brings forward the son and faces
the accused rebels), he was kept at the house, while I was
relegated to the log cabin under duress. This boy met me
at the appointed time and after traveling a few nights,
hiding by day, we came across a tree with a hollow trunk;
this we entered safely after covering our tracks.
It was not long until the band of villains you see
standing there (she points them out) came along with their
bloodhounds, whining and snorting, lashing the under¬
brush all about us, but thy mercy, dear Jesus, saved us
from these Human fiends." Cries of Hallelujah! Halle¬
lujah ! went up as far as the eye could penetrate.
The woman told of her final connection with the un¬
derground railroad forces where Anglo-Saxon Christian
hands delivered her safely within the Union lines.
—51—
This woman's speech before the judgmnt bar caused
great excitement. Many of the witnesses to the judgment
trial knew her son, not as the son of a slave master, but
as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cowering reb¬
els who once held brutal sway trembled as they were forced
to stand at the judgment bar and listen to these brilliant
true stories that meant their condemnation.
The son of this woman was brought forth because the
rebels had often sat within the sacred walls of what they
called a Christian church, and heard the following text
preached: "We shall be known as we are known, for we
shall be like him"—Bearing the cross of Jesus in his right
hand and holding it well up to view, this son of the former
slave woman faced the judgment assembly in all the bril¬
liance of a heavenly subject and began his narrative as
follows: '' When very young and just old enough to un¬
derstand to keep a secret, this woman, my mother, told me
of the circumstances leading to my birth (the slave mas¬
ter tries to slink away but is held fast by the judgment
guardian). That motherly love followed me night and
day, and I could feel the effects of those prayers to God you
have recorded there." (Here the son points to a book with
volumes of petitions, here and there you could see marks
that looked like drops of blood on the pages). The assem¬
bled host cried out, '' Glory! Glory!"
Prayer is the key that reaches heaven. The son went
on with his earthly narrative thus:
"We escaped to freedom after being hunted like a
partridge on the mountain. God provided willing hands to
assist us and care for us. I was but 12 years old and began
life under the supervision of the state of the Union." Thus
ended the story of a boy that lived and died as a soldier of
—52—
two wars. A soldier in the Civil War, 1861-65. A soldier
as minister in the Christian warfare.
Pabt III
The Slave Master's Repentance
And as the holy spirit meek
Of that lovely woman gazed
From the Father's throne on high
Into destruction's pit—A sin-siek
Soul whose voice was raised
To heaven cried with a sigh,
I deserve my fate, my wicked heart
"Was vile and full of lust.
If I from this place could depart,
I would in your God trust,
The innocent would not be hurt,
To defend would be my joy.
Yes, sing and pray and be alert
To help your girl or boy
The boiling flames, this awful sea
Of malice—hell-born strife;
My death knell rings—Eternity,
The price of a wicked life.
I've applied the lash
In anger 'cross the tender back
Of slaves—though wantonly rash
Each stroke brought misery—also lack
Of justice to my conscience.
Yet, merciless did I hack, hack, hack
Imparting hate as a last remembrance.
—53—
Poor slaves, poor slaves,
I wonder why; they did not murder me
In cold blood where I stood
As I blighted their liberty.
But worst, of all I fear
0 God—was the monumental sin
Committed against that woman dear,
The woman in the inn.
The devil's damning glare
But prompts his flaming imps to grin,
For souls are slaves down here.
Mercies' ladders in the sky beyond,
Way up in heaven's dome;
Too late for you—Too late for I
If destined to this home.
Home in Hades!—It's not a home!
It's prison, swift and strong,
A punishment where'er you roam
Among the devil's throng.
If I could give life's virtue back,
To her who looks on me,
1 would destroy sin, but I lack
The privilege—Eternity.
—54—
CHAPTER V.
Combinations in Restraint.
Segregation.
Compulsory Foreign Mixtures.
CHAPTER Y
Combination in Restraint
If it is to be the policy in the future, as it has been in
the past, for one set of American citizens to array them¬
selves against the other, causing unlimited prejudice and
needless strife, and if the highest morals of a great many
states in the United States are going to continue to pro¬
duce mobs, whose violence is on a par with the. rankest in¬
sanity, causing death to a special class of citizens who are
inevitably singled out for penalty on account of their color,
then it becomes necessary for these victims of color preju¬
dice to combine with that portion of independent respect¬
able free citizens, from a social and political viewpoint, who
know no color but are willing to accept and befriend decent
people if they have every other requisite to good citizenship.
In this free country it stands without contradiction,
that no respectable citizen should suffer on account of the
shade of his outer top skin.
Can any single individual in these United States give
a reasonable answer why the Christian portion of the coun¬
try does not champion a citizenship that knows no color
prejudice?
Is it because of their lack of confidence in the God they
serve, or is it plain rebellion on account of a wicked heart ?
Can a Christian rise higher in the cause of right and
truth than the God he serves?
What excuse will be offered before the tribunal bar
of God?
-57-
Bivalry among people or even nations when all are
bending every effort to promote justice for the whole of
mankind, is a blessed thing. It excites the proper kind of
interest and is a boon to humanity, but on the other hand
prejudice is just the opposite—"It is damnable.
The class of people that are being set aside as targets
for the rest of humanity will be compelled to combine with
powers that are most easily reached, and who will guaran¬
tee a fair trial in an honest battle for life. These powers can
be found among that class of citizens who in reality "love
anl respect the Stars and Stripes, Our Flag."
Political dopesters and partyisms must be cast aside
and a real choice made among men with whom beneficial
combination can be made, and this fact must always remain
so and never change, whether it be with a preacher, rabbi
or a priest.
Beligious scruples that have controlled a great per
cent of outf actions in the past will have to be hyphenated
for the reason that the majority of churches throughout our
country have repudiated us (in the North as well as in! the
South), and have said without fear of criticism that we
must and shall stay separate from all other portions of citi¬
zens, and must and shall suffer the indignities cast upon us.
The secret lodges and labor unions are openly opposed
to Negro progress and it is through these combinations we
are constantly harassed and almost industrially dead in the
country of our birth.
Our combination with men who believe in the universal
brotherhood of man will be a great lever toward solving the
inconsistencies that have arisen in this country since 1865.
Let the Negro combine to make our race 100 per cent
pure by going to and fro in the communities where we live
—58—
and by personal work discourage every semblance of wick¬
edness.
Let us refuse to recognize difference in privilege that
is set up by this one and the other one (through prejudice)
thereby demanding 100 per cent citizenship from our
neighbors.
Let us combine to be more constant and more loyal to
the flag of our country—"America."
My country, 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty
Of thee we sing.
"Let freedom ring."
Any Segregation of Races in U. S. Ruled Unlawful
Compulsory separation of the Negro and white races
in residential districts is a violation of the constitution, the
Supreme! Court held in a unanimous opinion, declaring in¬
valid the Louisville, Ky., segregation ordinance. The meas¬
ure, which prohibited persons of either race moving into
blocks in which a majority of residents were of opposite
color, is similar to ordinance now in effect in St. Louis, Bal¬
timore, Richmond and many other Southern cities.
"Such laws the court decided would not prevent the
amalgamation of the races as was claimed by the Louisville
authorities or prevent race conflicts.
'' Desirable as this is and important as is the preserva¬
tion of the public peace," said the opinion, "this aim can¬
not be accomplished by laws or ordinance which deny rights
created or protected by the Federal Constitution — Laws
providing for the separation of races in public conveyances
—59—
and in the public schools where equal privileges are given,
the court pointed out, have been upheld, but it is asserted
that such legislation must have its limitation and cannot
be sustained where the exercise of authority exceeds the re¬
straints of the constitution."
Note—The above decision was forced to be written
after two and one-half centuries of unwarranted slavery in
which defenseless people were outraged continuous in the
face of existing civilization. The people in favor of the
above segregation laws were the persecutors of the slave
people and it is a glorious victory for the decent people of
the United States to have a clean common sense and right¬
eous construction of the Federal Constitution, as regards
a free man's rights, given to the people.
The world is coming more and more to see that there
is a time when "patience ceases to be a virtue," which
was shown conclusively by the Supreme Court's decision
on segregation. It is to be hoped that the race persecutors
will accept Bobby Burns' Scotch verdict, "That a man's a
man for all that."
Prejudice is created by ignorance of God's law and the
common laws of brotherhood.
Ignorance as a curse is supreme. If the American slave
would have had knowledge of his strength and power to
overcome, those infidels of the previous centuries would
never have chained him to the corn and cotton fields of the
desecrated South Land.
Edwin Markham says: "The crest and crowning of
all good—life's final star—is brotherhood.''
To segregate or divide the places of abode as a common
matter within itself, done in a common spirit of true uni¬
versal brotherhood would not mean much of an offense to
—60—
any one class or race of people, but it is a dangerous weapon
to put in the hands of prejudiced or irresponsible parties.
It soon takes on the robe of domination along all lines,
thereby curtailing the citizens' freedom. Any rule or law
that puts a blight on the cause of freedom is not fit within
the confines of the United States of America.
Any portion of people that attempt to administer these
kind of special state laws are "Freedom Slackers." Such
people are too compromising to make the full-fledged citizen
that freedom's spirit calls for, and without«, doubt are the
Leopard Spot crowd feigning assistance in the "Birth of
a real, new, pure Nation" devoid of malice and hatred.
The Christmas carol of "Good will toward all men,"
does not mean what it reads to them. From the cowardly
attempts made to force segregation, this Godly song, as far
as they are concerned, may as well be published in a
language they will never learn to read.
Compulsory Foreign Mixtures
"On account of prejudice that exists towards persons
in this country this very thing has been one of the great
'levers' in forcing thousands, who though they are mixed
bloods, (yet are passable as Anglos) to marry into pure
Anglo families."
In many cases, in order to make sure of an Anglo
union, Negroes have actually married distinct foreign men
and women.
To ignore your racial blood is not the proudest thing
on earth to conceive, although this is a free country, but
as the American Golden Rule dictates, necessity is the
mother of invention.
—61—
By these unions there are myriads of children born into
this country that blood tests do not tell any tales on, for
the reason that the thin streak of black mixture becomes
thread bare and seldom carries with it any "colored" vi¬
tality. The pre-natal influence of the white predominance
in such cases as this one takes care of the after-life growth,
therefore another supposed to be pure Anglo family starts
to populate this country.
The one-sixteenth (1/16) bleod test golden rule of
certain leading men does not hold water, for there is every
evidence that to the ordinary prejudiced man, his only
hope can be to detect some trace of Negroism through the
color, or else through some other make-up that is quite sus¬
picious-looking to what is expected of the regular make-up
of an Anglo-Saxon person. This last argument will not
hold good, because of the fact that the regular Anglo men
• and women in many parts of this country have a similus
in color, language, hair and face, and body form to the
black citizen.
There are dark complexioned Anglos with good hair,
also with curly, kinky hair—straight limbs and bowed
limbs. Small features and large features, beautiful fea¬
tures and ugly features. The same proportion and vari¬
ations follows the light and real fair and the near white
complexions.
The mixture has gone so far that it is quite a task to
know when you are marrying some black woman's grand¬
child, or as recent events have shown, some black woman's
daughter. The question for all Vitriol race agitators to de¬
cide is "Who is who?"
While it is purely a piece of imposition and unlimited
gall for difference in color as to race prejudice to be
—62—
flaunted in book form, also on the floors of the Senate and
Congress of the United States, yet it all will bring this sub¬
ject of blood relation of the opposite mixed races more
plainly to view before the world.
It also shows to what extent certain people of the
country will go to blot out remembrance of association
with those over whom they had complete control.
It looks as though the father of all real brotherhood
decreed that if it was to be the purpose of certain men dur¬
ing slavery to mix bloods by taking advantage of a helpless
•situation, that they should be good and mixed. The merry
game went on, the outcome being, that to-day no correct
census of the different races can be defined, for the situ¬
ation has gotten beyond human control and as of a truth
4'Only God, our Father in heaven, knows who is who"
-when you take into consideration over a hundred million
people that populate the United States of America.
The word "colored" should be stricken from the roll
unless it can be clearly defined from a blood standpoint.
Paints are designated by colors. We colored the wall
■or house with such and such a paint. The dye factories
make things colored.
"Might it not be much clearer to the world to say in
reference to a man or woman: He or she is of a white
mix. He or she is of a yellow mix. He or she is of a
black mix, because 'Who is who' anyhow?"
Note—We publish in full an article that appeared in
the Baltimore American, Sunday, October 6, 1918, which
we believe will be interesting and instructive to the
reader:
—63—
Clipping From the Baltimore American
Sunday, October 6, 1918
By James R. L. Diggs, Ph. D.
Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Baltimore
An interesting article in' last Sunday's American
brings to our attention, in panoramic splendor, the hopes
and fears, the hardships and victories of the colored peo¬
ple in the midst of and over conditions they did but little
to create. Some of the assumptions by their weighty im¬
plications bear germs fatal to the progress of democracy"
and peace.
"The wise words of Governor Harrington we fully
approve. Our opinion is that he leads the war, governors
of the Union. The wisdom displayed in putting the state
in a condition of defense; Camp Meade's outlay $1,000,-
000 war fund, compulsory war work law, measures to ad¬
vance popular education and improve civil order, must
appeal to all men; and he deserves the tribute of a re-
nomination and election by the whole people without re¬
gard to party. If nominated no man has strength enough
to defeat him. He is, in his broad views, a man of the
Reverdy Johnson type, and we need the kind of service
he has given us. The writer did not vote for him in 1915,
not knowing the man or his purposes, and so wrote him in
the very letter urging a proper recognition of the colored
people.
Council of Defense
The Maryland Association for Social Service, of which,
the writer is President, and Rev. W. J. Winston is Secre¬
tary, first asked for the appointment of some colored men,.
—64
on the ground that the colored people had then, May, 1917,,
been taxed for war purposes, over $16,000,000, and that a
people thus taxed should have some share in the wise ex¬
penditure of the funds. Thei executive recognized the
justice of the plea and asked the writer with his officers to
prepare and present a list of men from which the appoint¬
ment might be made. This is the origin of the Colored
Section of the Council of Defense. The awakening social
consciousness of the colored people accounts for the fact
that our Governor has our most loyal support and full con¬
fidence.
Division of the Vote
The writer of the article in the Sunday American, Mr.
Brattan, suggests a division of the colored vote. If the
free expressions of many people mean much, the Governor
has already begun that division, perhaps, unintentionally.
Fairness, justice, proper recognition and mutual respect
will divide the colored vote Mr. Brattan, and remove all
reasonable apprehensions for the future.
Mr. Bratton presents the trite assumption of racial
superiority and implies that the black man should act
upon it.
His assertions are gratuitous and dogmatic. He ap¬
peals to millions of years of progress attained by white
men alone as builders of civilization, followed by yellow
men, while black men have done nothing. Upon this prem¬
ise he bases his views. We reject the major premise—the
million years' start, as well as the scholium in re the
views of anthropologists. Anthropologists are not agreed
<Jn the basis of determining race. In volume 62—Interna-
tional Scientific Series, the most distinguished English an¬
thropologists perhaps, Dr. Tyler points out the fact.
In the Ancient Days
Professor Boas, of Columbia University, has prepared
a work in which he shows that the blacks of Africa were
the first people to smelt iron, a very important fact. Modern
research shows that the most ancient civilization were Ne¬
groid and the ancient Hebrew Bible tends to confirm this.
From Genesis 10 :l-32 we find that Ham's and Shem's pro¬
geny wei'e the only builders of early civilization. These
are the earliest recorded civilizations, and they are Ne¬
groid, according to the records. The Hebrew name for old
Egypt is Mizraim, the name of a son of Ham. It is also
called in the Old Testament, the land of Ham. Her pyra¬
mids, monuments and obelisks were built by those people.
The feature of the heroes chiseled upon the great stone
memorials are Negroid, intensely so. It is now known that
a full-blooded colored woman was perhaps the first female
sovereign Egypt ever had. See Biblical and Critical En¬
cyclopedia—three volumes for verification under Egypt.
Out of the Bible
Nimrod, a son of Ham, built Babel, Babylon, Accad
and Nineveh, whence sprang Chaldaean, Assyrian and
other civilization. Gen. 10:10-11. Now, Mr. Brattan will
you tell us how the black peoples can be Hamites if Nimrod
was Negroid. The fairest presumption from the sacred rec¬
ord is that, even if he be a mythical personage, the civiliza¬
tion mentioned is not mythical, and the historian, Moses,
being himself a Semite, would not have taken from his own
people this credit and have given it to others, as he must
—66—
have done, and unjustly so, if Mr. Brattan is not in error.
A brother of Nimrod, Cush,'founded, through his descend¬
ants, Egyption civilization as did another of the same fam¬
ily. Canaan, found the Canaanitish and the Phoenician civ¬
ilizations. One may say this is all Bible, not science. We
grant it, but can you produce better evidence? "We await
this aid and wish it. Mythology is at least suggestive.
Homer says that when Zeus, the supreme deity of the
Greeks, became vexed with the strife of the gods on Mount
Olympus, he sought peace and quiet among the blameless
black-faced men of Africa (Book I, lines 421-327). Greek
conceptions of worth would make them conceive their gods,
seeking peace among the most civilized, rather than among
barbarous men. Describing African civilization again, he
says:
- "Egyptian Thebes, where are vast treasures laid up
in the house. Where are an hundred gates, and from each
gate go forth two hundred men with horses and chariots."
This is a picture of earliest civilization and the scene
is laid, even by "the grand old man of Scio's rocky isle"
not in Europe, but in the land of the children of Ham.
The history of the Sudan thus leads us back again to
Ehtiopia, that strange and ancient center of the world civ¬
ilization, whose inhabitants in the ancient world were to be
most pious and the oldest of men. From this center the
black originators of African culture, and to a large extent
of all culture, wandered not simply down the Nile, but also
westward. These Negroes developed the original sub¬
stratum of culture, which later influences modified, but
never displaced. (See Home University Library, The
Negro, pp. 47-49. Hoit & Co., New York). There is only
ojje species of man. (The variations are numerous, but
—67—
do not go deep. See Inter-Racial Problems, p. 31). We
are then under the necessity of concluding that an impar¬
tial investigation would be inclined to look upon the vari¬
ous important peoples of the world as to all intents and pur¬
poses essentially equal in intellect, enterprise, morality and
physique. (Spiller, Inter-Racial Problems, p. 35). James
Bryce says there is no ground for assuming that there ever
was such a thing .as an Aryan type of institution. (See
his Impressions of South Africa, third ed. p. 352). If
these high authorities are correct, Mr. Brattan is not. (Let
us dispel the notion that civilization is the work of one
race).
Absolutely nothing is gained by asserting race su¬
periority. ' If true, it can never be established by any fact
now accessible to man, and at any rate it will take care of
itself. We are too much under old spells. "Let the white
man be a paragon of culture and grace, while the black man
holds his secondary place," said a Southern poet.
On Race Mixture
What good purpose is served by this silly outpouring'
of race prejudice? It sets for the dominant notion of the
South, and is the essence of the false philosophy of race
adjustment. It has no place in reason, in morals or in the
realms of true democracy—it is false.
The question of race mixture raised by Mr. Brattan
seems not in order. The history of civilization shows that*
social classes find their own level. Human enactments
cannot control social growth to the exclusion of the higher
laws of social progress. It is not pleasing to mention some
things that are pertinent to this discussion, but truth is
impartial and must not be fettered. In 1870 there were
—6&—
about 400,000 mulattoes in this country. Forty years later
the Phelps-Stokes Foundation, in Southern universities for
the Study of Race Problems, reported the number as 2,000,-
000 in 1909-1911. We take the following from a scholarly
work by Dr. Ellwood, head of the Department of Sociology
in the University of Missouri, entitled Sociology and Mod¬
ern Social Problems, pp. 204-207. "Ever since the Negro
came to this country he has been having his racial charac¬
teristics modified for him by the infusion of white blood.
The census of 1890 attempted to make an estimate of the
number of Negroes of mixed blood in the United States.
The number was returned as being 1*132,000, but all author¬
ities agree that this number understates the actual number.
Experts in ethnology have estimated that from one-third
to one-half of the Negroes in the United States show traces
of white intermixture. He further says that the best blood
of the South flows in the veins of many colored people, and
that it was not a matter of vice but a state of polygamy."
The writer assumes no responsibility for the moral implica¬
tions here, he simply states facts, facts taken from Prof. Ell-
wood's writings.
Some Black Leaders
This doctrine of race inferiority fails when we consider
men like Frederick Douglas, Alexander Dumas, Booker T.
"Washington and the Russian Poet Pushkin, all of whom
were mulattoes, and E. W. Blydeen, Robert B. Elliott,
Menelek, late King of Abyssinia, and Benjamin Banneker
of our own state, a man who prepared the first almanac
published in America, was appointed on the commission
that measured the boundaries of the District of Columbia
and was lauded by Hon. John H. B. Latrobe, in an address
—69—
before the Maryland Historical Society in 1854, as one of
the most distinguished mathematicians of his day. These
men of pure and mixed blood, respectively, show that a
fatal cross-elassification is inevitable here, and that makes
any assumption of race superiority eminently unwise and
even ridiculous.
The Question of Suffrage
Mr. Brattan thinks a limited suffrage for literate col¬
ored men would have been better than to grant this right
en masse at the close of the war. How could this have
been done with our democratic theory of manhood suffrage
in operation for white men 1 It is easier to say how worlds
should be framed than it is to frame them. That, however,
is a question of the past.
True the war period marked the coming of larger op¬
portunities to the colored man for service, but this was
the consequence of conditions the nation could not control.
He could have done this work years ago, but the foreigner
was given the preference over him in the very institutions
his labor had helped to build; and not he, the loyal black,
was trained, but the men who in these days have given
the Germans much information about our forts, arsenals,
dockyards, waterways, even the data of our Geodetic
Survey.
This policy has-been noted now as almost suicidal and
President Wilson is slowly but surely reversing it. He is
far ahead of other Presidents of the republic in this mat¬
ter, and we crown him for this. The Romans learned that
discriminations were dangerous. Thus the Poet Virgil
makes Queen Dido say at the founding of Carthage, "Ty-
—70—
rian and Trojan shall be treated by me with no discrimi¬
nation."
This is all we ask and the sole plea of this article. The
colored man is not understood by many other people all
about him. He knows he is misjudged, but bears it pa¬
tiently. He knows the cry of social equality is a fiction,
a term without content and means nothing to either the
black man on the white man, and he puts a large discount
upon those who raise it. If it means access to social cir¬
cles against the will of those concerned, he has always been
opposed to it and ever will be. Id est nihil.
The Good and the Bad
Finally Mr. Brattan says that the chief necessity of
the race is discrimination, the differentiation of classes
among us, implying very strongly that there is no such
thing at present. I now understand why so many well-
meaning white people treat all of us alike; Mr. Brattan is
one of the most thoughtful writers and a true friend of my
race, but he is wrong here. If our white fellow citizens
will recognize the worthy members of our colored popula¬
tion the problem here would be solved. The ignorant
black man will accept your estimate of character values
before he will accept ours. He reasons from your longer
years of experience and education, and we cannot blame
him for this. We do not even chide him, but this places
a heavier burden of responsibility upon our white citizens,
and it pains us when we see them in error on questions
affecting the race and the general welfare. We know that
the interest of one people is the interest of the other. Eight
reason demands that we give our support to the same na-
—71—
tional, state and municipal institutions, that we all main¬
tain them and enjoy them legitimately.
No one should be offended at truth, nor be angered
because a citizen aspires to any place of honor, emolument
or profit in this great republic. One's place is limited
not by any mere accident of color, wealth, denomination
or politics as such, but by his own efforts to so develop his
character and powers as to merit the confidence of his
fellowman.
CHAPTER VL
Newspaper Clippings of the Race*
A Newspaper Biography*
CHAPTER VI
First Negro Legislator in New York is Installed
(By United Press)
NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 1918.—The first Negro to sit in
any lawmaking body in New York State was formally in¬
stalled in office today.
Edward A. Johnson, Negro Republican, from the Nine¬
teenth District, New York City, is a member of the 1918
Legislature.
Negro Exemption Rate Under That of Whites
(The Pittsburgh Sun)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1918.—Provost Marshal
General Crowder yesterday announced that statistics com¬
piled in his office show that colored registrants have a
larger proportionate acceptance for military service than
the white selected men and a lower proportionate exempted
list.
Colored Fighters in France Overwhelm Flock of Germans
(The Pittsburgh Leader)
June 3, 1918
When the Negro of the future tells of the great war
to -his children or his grandchildren, the names of Henry
Johnson and Needham Roberts will be mentioned in the
same breath with Generals Marsh and Pershing and Presi¬
dent Wilson, perhaps.
—75—
For Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts are heroes
and they are Negroes.
The story that will be told of Roberts and Johnson will
have in it these facts:
• A detachment of 24 Germans was about to execute a
well-developed coup against one of our important points of
resistance just west of Verdun. In the black-dark of No
Man's Land the patrol of Boches in a closely knit group
came upon Roberts and Johnson, two of the first American
Negroes to man the trenches in France.
The two Negroes gave battle. Each had a rifle, hand
grenades and a "bolo" knife. Four of the Boches were
soon accounted for, rifle bullets from the American pair
putting them out of the fighting, but the Huns closed in,
firing and clubbing their rifle butts.
Roberts was shot in three places and sank into the mire.
Flat on his back he continued to hurl grenades into the
group of forms which battled around him in the night.
Two of the foremost Germans leaped upon Johnson.
One went down before his point-blank fire, the other with
the butt of Johnson's rifle across his head. Johnson then
sprang to the side of Roberts, about whose neck were the
fingers of a German. That German was disemboweled with
Johnson's "bolo" knife. Johnson's wounds .by this time
were three, as were Roberts', but the two continued to throw
hand grenades and the remnants of the German patrol were
put to flight, one being literally blown to pieces by a gre¬
nade-Johnson threw.
Both have been awarded the cross de guerre by the
French general under whose division they served and the
gold palm of the French Army is to be awarded to John¬
son. Both boys are from New York.
—76—
The Crucible
( Copy of Editorial From The Pittsburgh Courier)
June 22, 1918
The average Southern white man in his propaganda to
discourage the better-thinking white- man of the North,
against an interest in the Negro, and in his display and use
of his natural hatred for the Negro, attempts to classify Ne¬
groes under one general head. He says the Negro is shift¬
less, incapable of trustworthiness, or honesty ; that he is
satisfied to live from hand to mouth, working only a suffi¬
cient time to gain sustenance from day to day.
He attempts to belittle the Negro's efforts to rise or ad¬
vance, and in the event that one does advance beyond his
fellows, he is speedily classed as a " sassy Nigger.''
Pittsburgh, and all other industrial communities, has
since the war began, had an opportunity to observe the
working Negro at close range, and under varying condi¬
tions. And, if the observer speaks truthfully, he acknowl¬
edges the injustice and unfairness of this general classifica¬
tion.
Heretofore, in most Northern communities the Negro
has formed but a small proportion of the population. Lack
of numbers has perhaps been responsible for any extended
or extensive survey into his general activities. But stress
of conditions due to the war, has changed the local com¬
plexion, and Negroes may be found today in vastly increas¬
ed and steadily increasing numbers in all industrial cen¬
ters. And these same conditions have virtually forced em¬
ployment of Negroes in lines of endeavor where heretofore,
aside from the position of porter, he was an unknown quan*
—77—
tity, tlras proving the falsity of the Southerner's patent
contention.
Existing conditions may be likened to a vast industrial
and commercial crucible in which Negroes of all types and
conditions are being refined into' capable, efficient, finished
artisans; trained to do work requiring ability and skill; to
labor zealously and honestly; to demonstrate to the world,
and especially to his detractors, the fact that beneath a
kinky head is a brain capable of thinking and acting intelli-
gentty; that beneath a tawny skin is a determination to ren¬
der conscientious service, for the wage received.
Nor does this condition exist in the industrial and com¬
mercial world alone. Negroes of advanced training are
doing their part along scientific and professional lines. And
'£ Over There" while we here at home look with longing and
anxious vision toward the distant east, Negro boys clad in
khaki are giving valiant account, each man for himself and
for the race; and Negro boys from the undeveloped and
scarcely civilized South Land, with that determination,
bravery and loyalty, which caused the blood of Attucks to
flow on Boston Commons, are gallantly doing their part to
firmly plant Old Glory victoriously, firmly and lastingly
on the devastated fields of martyred France.
Civilization Versus Race Prejudice
(The Atlanta Independent)
June, 1918
The American civilization represents the wisdom, suf¬
ferings and experiences of the ages; it represents man's
struggles from the earliest dawn of history down to the
present time. It has been built up at a great cost—blood,
—78—
persecution, experience, privation and suffering. It has
cost millions of lives—men and women have been burned at
stake for it. Ignorance and brute force have fought
, against right, truth and justice, and at times have triumph¬
ed. But truth and justice, like Banquo's ghost, will not
down.
We read of civilization's struggles in Europe during
the dark ages; of its final foothold in England, France and
Germany. We are told that after it had gotten well un¬
der way in these countries, that it became so tyrannical and
disregardful of the rights of the common people that many
left the old world and started a new civilization in Amer¬
ica, which was to be an asylum for the oppressed of all
nations and races—where man could enjoy civil and relig¬
ious liberty. We read of its struggles and hardships for
independence, and its final triumph, promulgating the
great American doctrine that, "all men are created equal,
and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
rights; among these—life, liberty and the pursuit of hap¬
piness. ''
It also enunciates the great principle that taxation
without representation is tyranny. These principles,
known as the American ideals, are the very essence of the
world's civilization. It represents all that is best, eliminat¬
ing most of the worst. No one can complain of these lofty
ideals. They commend themselves to the intelligent and
considerate judgment of mankind.
But in the midst of these lofty ideals, slavery flourished
for two hundred and fifty years—one race was made to
serve another, who called itself the superior race. Their
practice contradicted their theory, and this makes the great
issue in America today. The question that confronts the
—79—
American people to-day is: Can our civilization long en
dure if race prejudice is allowed to prevail ? As important
as the world war is to us, and the world's civilization, this,
question is paramount and far more reaching. Justice and.
fair play only apply to the white man. "When it comes to
the Negro, injustice, discrimination, and any kind^of treat¬
ment obtain. No-wonder then that we have mob violence,
lynchings and burnings of human beings at the stake. It.
is due to race prejudice; and race prejudice is the greatest
enemy to civilization—it undermines its very pillars; it dis¬
regards law and order; it strikes at the very vitals of life,,
liberty and property; it runs rough shod over the regular
order and system of things. What it has taken thousands
of years at the cost of blood and iron to build up, it tears,
down in a day. What regard has a mob for law? %It looks
on it as so many scraps of paper. Its whims and caprices
are the only law it recognizes.
When it comes to meting out to all men, without regard
to race or creed, equal and exact justice, it takes the hy¬
drophobia and runs rough shod over all the principles
which it has taken thousands of years for civilization to-
build up. The question then arises: Can our civilization
in the face of race prejudice long survive ? Will it not be
subverted from its very foundation? Will not the same-
fate befall us that befell Rome in her palmiest days 1 For
lawlessness begets lawlessness. This has been the fate of
civilization wherever ignorance, prejudice and race hate
have prevailed, and it must be the fate of America 'if race
prejudice with all its wickedness and contempt for law are
allowed to continue. Either it must be checked, or our civ¬
ilization, which has cost so much, and upon which mankind.
—80—
must depend to reach its highest destiny and achievements,
will be wiped from the face of the earth.
It was President Lincoln, the great emancipator, who
said: '' This nation was conceived in ilberty and dedicated
to the proposition, that all men are created free and equal.
We are now testing whether any nation so conceived and
so dedicated can long endure.'' This is the question exactly.
If white men are allowed to go unpunished when they vio¬
late the law, lynch and burn black men and women at their
own sweet will in defiance of law and order, what shall be¬
come of our boasted civilization which represents the wis¬
dom, toil and experience of ages ? It must perish from the
face of the earth and become a limbo of forgotten issue. It
is as much a question of what will become of our civiliza¬
tion. as it is the rights of the Negro. This is what our neigh¬
bors seem not to understand. They forget that if these ir¬
responsible white men are allowed to mob black men and
women they will sooner or later mob white men and women;
sooner or later they will lynch and burn white men and
women; for everything grows upon what it feeds. If you
practice lawlessness and injustice on one race, it will not be
long before you will practice it on another; and finally lose
respect for all laws, all men and women. Then our boasted
civilization is at an end. Now, which shall we have—race
prejudice, which leads to mob violence, lynchings and burn¬
ings, or civilization—the hope and salvation of mankind ?
Negro Loyalty Meeting
(St. Louis Globe Democrat)
June, 1918
The loyalty meeting held by the St. Louis Negroes in
the Coliseum was an enjoyable and a spectacular demonstra-
—81—
tion, but it was merely an expression of zeal. Nothing was
needed to establish the loyalty of the Negroes. They have
ever been loyal. The fidelity with which the slaves protect¬
ed the plantations and the families of their masters during
our Civil War was one of those supreme manifestations
whose memory cannot be blotted out by the isolated acts of
individuals of wicked and abandoned minds. The Negroes
have always been loyal to the government. A Negro anar¬
chist is inconceivable. That is what made German talk of
aid from Negro insurrection so absurd to Americans.
Negro blood has been poured out for America in every
war, beginning with Attucks, the first casualty on Boston
Common. There were individual Negroes who distinguish¬
ed themselves in several revolutionary battles. Perry had
black sailors with him in his victory. In the Spanish-Amer¬
ican War the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry Regiments were
conspicuous at El Caney and San Juan. The traditions of
the Tenth Cavalry were preserved at Carrizal. The First
French decorations given American troops went to Negroes.
Buffaloes, popular nickname of the Three Hundred and
Sixty-seventh Infantry, commanded by James A. Moss, the
leading military author of America, have been pronounced
by Maj. Gen. Bell the best regiment that has been at Camp
Upton, and this judgment has been concretely supported
by the best target record and other practical tests. Col.
Moss, a native of Louisiana, has served eighteen years with
colored troops and he recently declared, in an article in the
Outlook, that properly trained and instructed, the Negro
makes as good a soldier as history has ever known, "a man
who will drill well, shoot well, march well, obey well and
fight well.''
—82—
The St. Louis loyalty meeting was not intended to
•prove loyalty; it was merely an enthusiastic demonstration
of what everybody who has given the subject any attention
has known all along.
Five War Leaders Testify to Valor of Negro Soldiers
(The Pittsburgh Leader)
June 27, 1918
The Negro has fought with valor for the United States
in every war this nation has had. Here are a few tributes
to the Negro soldier by men who have led them in battle:
Com. Perry, after the battle of Lake Brie— "They
seemed to be absolutely insensible to danger.''
Gen. Jackson, after the battle of New Orleans—"You
surpassed my hopes. * * * The nation shall applaud your
valor."
Gen. Grant, speaking of the Negro in the Civil War—
"All have fought bravely."
Col. Theodore Roosevelt, speaking of the Negro troops
in the Spanish-American War—"No troops could behave
better than the colored soldiers.''
Gen. Pershing—"I cannot commend too highly the
spirit shown among the colored combat troops, who exhibit
fine capacity for quick training and eagerness for the most
dangerous work."
Negro Troops Prove Mettle as Fighters in Clash With Huns
(The Pittsburgh Sun)
July 1, 1918
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE.—
American Negro troops proved their value as fighters in the
line east of Verdun, June 12, it is now permissible to state.
—83—
The Germans attempted a raid in that sector, but were com¬
pletely repulsed by the Negroes. The Boches began a ter¬
rific bombardment at one minute after midnight, throwing
over between 3,000 and 4,000 shells from guns ranging in
size from 67 to 340 millimeters. The bombardment was
concentrated on small areas. Many of the shells made holes
from 10 to 15 feet across.
In the midst of this infetno the Negroes coolly stuck
to their posts, operating machine guns and automatic rifles
and keeping up such a steady barrage that the German In¬
fantry failed- to penetrate the American lines.
Only Two Wounded
The Americans miraculously sustained only two
wounded. Dixie luck was a-workin' with us," explained
one. "We all got knocked down lots o' times, but every
man got right up." During the attack the crew of a ma¬
chine gun was bowled over by a minenwerfer projectile,
which made a 15-foot hole 10 feet from them. They all
got up, remounted the gun and continued shooting until it
jammed. Then, despite the terrible bombardment, they
fixed it and again turned it on the Germans. This incident
was repeated twice.
Both French and American officers reported that the
Negroes performed like veterans. They obeyed orders
promptly, took risky duties voluntarily, and compared well
with the best troops on the west front.
American Army Musicians Playing in Paris
July, 1918
Music is almost a greater need of wartime than am¬
munition—for music is the essence, the inspiration, the very
source and sustainer of courage and morale. Our boys are,
—84—
therefore, never without it'' Over There. Photographs in
all the papers show an American colored band giving a con¬
cert in the garden of the famous Casino of Aix in Paris.
No Pro-German Negroes
(Christian Science Monitor)
Someone who has observed the progress of events in the
United States, since the declaration of a state of war be¬
tween that country and Germany, has reached a definite
conclusion that not a single pro-German Negro has been
found in the length and breadth of the land. It is also
stated that in many of the parishes of Louisiana every Ne¬
gro eligible under the terms of the selective draft law, was
not only willing, but eager to go to the front. In some sec¬
tions, when calls were made for volunteers, five times the
number asked crowded the enlistment places. These facts
form a chapter in the history of the American Negro worthy
of being preserved for reference when his social and indus¬
trial status is discussed as a national problem.
Z7. 8. Negro Boys Cited for Bravery
(The Pittsburgh Leader—By Associated Press)
August 16, 1918
With the American Armies in France.—One regiment
of Negroes in the American Army (number deleted by
censor) has had its baptism of fire on the fighting fields of
France and acquitted itself so well that the French com¬
mander of the sector has cited the whole regiment as worthy
of receiving the war cross. This regiment's repulse of the
enemy attack on the early morning of June 12 (possibly
—85—
at Belleau Wood or Bouresches) was briefly referred to in
the official communique.
A later and official report of the engagement brings
out interesting details and gives credit to the officers and
men for fine fighting qualities displayed in their initial
experience under shell and machine gun fire. The French
commander of that sector has given the regiment the high¬
est possible commendation for the results accomplished and
the splendid fighting spirit shown by the American Negroes.
For several days preceding the attack there were evi¬
dences that the enemy was preparing to strike a blow.
Two days before one of the main points held by the regi¬
ment had been subjected to a strong bombardment of nearly
100 shells, gas and shrapnel. Prior to the heavy enemy
artillery barrage occurring on the morning of the twelfth,
our advance groups heard movements apparently of nar¬
row-gauge track trains in the wood back of the enemy lines,
indicating they were getting ready for an attack.
Every preparation had been made for meeting the move
if it came. Besides the usual combat groups at the main
points of the line, a special machine gun section occupied
a specially chosen position on a small salient projecting into
the enemy line. It was accompanied by a combat group
detailed from reserve company and carrying riflles and
hand grenades.
It was 2:15 on the morning of the twelfth that the or¬
der to "stand to" was given and all combat groups and
the machine gun section took their fighting position. The
enemy artillery now opened a violent bombardment, en.
gaging in a "box barrage" five of our main groups and
the special machine gun position. The lines of this "box
barrage" are well defined on the ground, showing its outer-
—86—
circuit, with a considerable scattering of hits inside. The
shells were mostly 77's with some 155's, gas, shrapnel and
high explosives. One of our points received particular
attention, probably by minenwerfer, the craters of which
were two yards in depth and five yards in diameter. The
artillery bombardment was extremely violent at the start
and tapered off gradually until it stopped after thirty
minutes.
Meanwhile, under cover of the artillery, the enemy in¬
fantry began its operations, adopting the infiltering pro¬
cess by which detached groups are thrust forward at a num¬
ber of points, instead of moving in mass formation. One
group came on with two light machine guns, firing a rather
intense fire into our positions. Another group was esti¬
mated to be about 25 or 30. At another point on our front
a stationary patrol took position, firing with two small ma¬
chine guns. Now and then squads would dart forward
from their gun positions. Eight Germans came up to the
wire in front of one of our positions, and four others ap¬
proached at another point. Besides these assault groups
which reached our line, there were undoubtedly enemy
forces in assaulting columns and supporting columns which
were unable to enter the field.
The special machine gun group under command of
Lieut. L. E. Shaw was in one of the most exposed centers
of the fighting, being under terrific artillery fire and the
fire of two German machine guns. Lieut. Shaw handled
this very difficult situation with cool bravery. The enemy
barrage was so close that it was impossible to stand up,
and Lieut. Shaw controlled his guns by rolling from one to
the other. His two guns fired five thousand rounds.
Under this violent onslaught the men stuck to their
—87—
posts, carried out every order without hesitation, often
under galling fire, and showed a high degree of skill with
their weapons and coolness and courage. Bach machine
gun jammed three times, was partly disassembled an$
cleaned under fire, continuing in action throughout the
engagement.
One team fired fourteen clips when the gun jammed.
Reporting this to Lieut. Shaw, they were ordered to clear
the jam. While under intense fire of artillery and machine
guns they coolly dismounted the gun, remounted it and con¬
tinued firing until ordered to cease. The fire of this ma¬
chine gun section was doubtless wholly unexpected by the
enemy, and this fact, coupled with the effective fire laid
down, was chiefly instrumental in causing the withdrawal
of the enemy.
There were instances of individual bravery during the
action. Private Gaillard, with a small rapid-fire piece, was
unable from his position to get a good fire to bear upon
the advancing enemy groups, so he coolly and with entire
disregard of danger, mounted the parapet, and while enemy
bullets were flying around him, fired his rapid-fire piece
from the hip, first at one group and then at the other. Pri¬
vates Smithfield, Jones and George "Woods are especially
mentioned for their coolness in the face of violent shelling
when they dismounted them and continued firing until the
close of the action. Lieut. R. C. Grame was in command of
the group which received the brunt of the enemy fire, which
besides the barrage, added a heavy fire of large minenwer-
fers. There was no flinching; the group always worked
under perfect control, keeping all combat posts manned
though three men were knocked down by the explosion of
shells. Others commended for courage in the face of fir©
— -88—
are Corp. Frank Harden, Private H. D. Bown, Corp. Bean,
Sergt. G. A. Morton and Private Sanders.
From the elaborate artillery preparation, the size of
the box barrage and the extensive front occupied, the coup
de main attempted by the enemy was clearly intended to be
on a rather extensive scale.
"Whatever may have been the object of the attack it
was successfully frustrated. No enemy party succeeded in
getting within assaulting distance or any part of the line
except at one point and here they were quickly pressed
back and then driven off. The shell-torn condition of the
ground tells of the fierceness of the action. That the ene¬
my suffered considerably in casualties is not doubted, as
some of their groups pushed close into the machine gun
fire, but as their men fell they were carried off. The cas¬
ualties of our side were small and none of them serious.
The chief importance of the action was in bringing
this American unit for the first time under fire and demon¬
strating the steadiness and fighting ability of the men.
Census Report Shows High Native-Bom Ratio
What is probably the most exhaustive treatise on the
colored population of America ever published has just been
issued as a part of the United States census. It covers the
period from 1790 to 1915. N
Every fact which it would seem anyone might wish to
know about colored people is published here, the manner in
which they are distributed throughout the country and the
proportion living in cities and in rural communities, the
number who own their own homes and the proportion of
the rate that moves away from the state of birth being set
forth.
—89—
The idea that" the race is increasing faster than the
white population, sometimes advanced, is disposed of by the
statement that the increase of Negroes through the excess
of births over deaths from 1900 to 1919 was 11.23 per cent,
while the increase of whites was between 14 and 15 per cent,
the total increase of white, counting that due to immigra¬
tion, being 22.3 per cent.
One of the most interesting facts brought out by the
report is that in 1910 the Negro population was 99.6 per
cent native, while the white population was 83.8 per cent
native. The total Negro population of the country in 1910
was given as 9,829,763, or 10.7 per cent of the whole.
The Negro population of the South in 1910 numbered
8,749,427. The white population of the South numbered
20,547,420. Maryland is shown to rank thirteenth as to
number of Negroes in its population in 1910, with 232,000,
while Georgia led with 1,176,987.
A Curious Item in the Census Report on Negroes
(From New York Sunt)
"Negro Population in the United States," a census
volume now issued, shows that the nearly 10,000,000 colored
persons in this country in 1910 only 40,339 were of foreign
birth. Perhaps more curious is the statement that of those
only 473 were born in Africa, the source of the slave trad¬
ers' evil wealth. It is curious because, in spite of Congress
and of the co-operation between the American and British
navies to end what had been designated as piracy, slave
trading between African and American shores went on
practically to the beginning of the Civil War.
Stephen A. Douglas—to quote one witness unbiased on
at least this subject—declared that 15,000 slaves were smug-
—90—
gled into the United States in 1859. Indeed, it was in that
very year that Captain W. C. Corrie was expelled from the
New York Yacht Club for using his yacht Wanderer to
bring slaves from the Congo to Jekyl Island. Most of these
poor creatures were between the ages of 13 and 18, and
would now, if alive be between 72 and 77. If the slaves
were as active in other years of the late '50s as they were
in 1859, and the ages of their victims were as low, it seems
strange that there is not a more considerable number of
African born Negroes in America. It cannot even be as¬
sumed that the 473 mentioned in the census report were all
slaves. For all of that publication, they may have come
from Africa since the Civil War.
Perhaps there are Negroes who do not wish their sad
early history known, or who have forgotten it. Yet here
is an instance where the census taker might have picked up
some human information if he were not hampered by his
orders. To know that Negroes own a total of thirty-eight
acres of woodland in Adams county, Wisconsin, may be
important to somebody; but to know how many Americans
experienced all the horrors of slavery, beginning with the
rush on the Congo village, would be a great deal more in¬
teresting.
Negro Soldiers Proved Loyalty Despite Hun Efforts
to Win Them!,
Principal of Tuskegee Relates Experiences in France and
Asks for Races in South to Establish Better Feeling
To the Editor of Public Ledger :
Sir—Upon invitation of President Wilson and Secre¬
tary of War Baker, it was my privilege recently to go to
France and see and speak to many of our overseas Negro
—91—
soldiers. In the course of my visits I reached the front-line
trenches near Metz and came to the sector held by the
Ninety-second Division, which, as you know, is made up of
Negro troops. At a conference with some of the Negro
officers of this division I was told that the Germans, by
throwing literature into the lines held by Negroi soldiers,
carried on an active and subtle propaganda in an effort to
make them disloyal. The following is a sample of the liter¬
ature distributed: '' To the colored soldiers of the United
States Army: Hello, boys, what are you doing over there?
Fighting the Germans? Why? Have they ever done you
any harm ? Of course some white folks and the lying Eng¬
lish and American papers told you that the Germans ought
to be wiped out for the sake of humanity and democracy.
What is democracy?—personal freedom, all citizens enjoy¬
ing the same rights before the law. Do you enjoy the same
rights as the white people do in America, the land of free¬
dom and democracy, or are you rather treated over there as
second-class citizens? And how about the law? Are lynch¬
ing and the most horrible crimes connected therewith a
lawful proceeding in a democratic country? Now, all this
is entirely different in Germany, where they do like colored
people; where they treat them as gentlemen and not as
second-class citizens. They enjoy exactly the same privi¬
leges as white men, and quite a number of colored people
have fine positions in business in Berlin and other German
cities. Why, then, fight the German? Only for the bene¬
fit of the Wall Street robbers and to protect the millions
they have loaned the English, French and Italians! You
have been made the tools of the egotistic and rapacious
rich in England and America, and there is nothing in the
whole game for you but broken bones, horrible wounds,
—92—
spoiled health or death. No satisfaction whatever will you
get out of this unjust war. You have never seen Germany,
so you are fools if you allow yourselves to hate us. Come
over and see for yourselves. Let those do the fighting who
make profit out of this war. Don't allow them to use you
as cannon fodder. To carry a gun in this service is not an
honor but a shame. Throw it away and come over the
German lines. You will find friends who will help you
along."
When I asked these Negro officers what effect the dis¬
tribution of this literature had upon the colored soldiers,
one of them laughed and said: "We gave a double portion
of shrapnel, and it seemed to fire our boys with a new de¬
termination to lick the Hun. We were then about eighteen
miles from Metz, and if our commanding officers had not
ordered us to stop the boys had said that they were going
to eat supper in Metz that night.''
That was the reply which our boys made to this propa¬
ganda, which shows that the Germans were no more suc¬
cessful in their efforts to sow seeds of disloyalty among our
soldiers in France than they were to stir up discontent
among the Negroes in America.
Everywhere in France I found the Negro soldiers
anxious to return home, particularly those who came from
the South. I mention this because these soldiers are re¬
turning to their home communities with a spirit of loyalty
to the South and with the intention of becoming useful,,
law-abiding citizens. On the other hand, I find that there
is considerable apprehension among the Negroes that these
returning soldiers, in many instances, may not be received
in a spirit of co-operation and racial good will. The anxiety
has arisen mainly on account of the increase in lynching;
—93—
and the persistent rumors that the Ku-Klux-Klan is being
revived, "in order/' so the rumor runs, "to keep the Negro
soldier in his place.'' Personally I do not believe that the
majority of the whole people of the South are in favor of
terrorism or any form of mob violence. Editorials in South¬
ern papers and expressions from individuals confirm this be¬
lief. It appears to me, therefore, that now is the time for
calm counsel on the part of the leaders of both races to
see that the best sentiment of the South prevails.
In connection with the returning Negro soldiers, I hope
the white people and black people throughout the South
will utilize the same splendid spirit of co-operation and
racial good will which was developed in the common efforts
of helping to win the war. While the war was on white
people and black people co-operated in subscribing to Lib¬
erty Loans, in the purchasing of War Savings Stamps, the
production and conservation of foods and in other war-
work activities. From the various communities the white
and black soldiers were sent away with the same hearty
godspeed, and in many instances under the auspices of the
same citizen committee. The result of this working together
in these war-work activities brought the whites and Ne¬
groes into a more helpful relationship. It was found that
in every community there were intelligent Negroes whose
judgment and wisdom could be trusted and who gladly co¬
operated with the white people. It is the earnest desire of
all Negroes that these helpful co-operating relationships
shall continue. Therefore, in order to handle wisely the
problems which are arising in connection with the returning
Negro soldiers, I hope it will be possible in every community
for committees of white and colored to meet together and
discuss with absolute frankness the present situation. I
—94—
.am sure that out of these discussions there will come a bet¬
ter feeling of racial good will and a new desire on the part
of all to work together for the development and progress of
a greater South and a greater nation for whieh recently so
many of our soldiers, black and white, bravely laid down
their lives. ROBERT R. MO TON,
Principal, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama.
■Our Sildiers' Brilliant War Record, Including That of
Pittsburgh's Pride, the Three Hundred and Fifty-first
Fought Gallantly Under Colored Officers, 600 of Whom, in
Ninety-second, Outfought Europe's Seasoned Veterans
(From the New York Times)
Negro soldiers made a record as fighters in this war as
"they did in the Spanish-American and Civil "Wars. Fight¬
ing for the first time on the soil of the world's most famous
battlefields—Europe—and for the first time brought into
•direct comparison with the best soldiers of Germany, Great
Britain and France, they showed themselves able to hold
their own where the tests of courage, endurance and ag¬
gressiveness were most severe.
Colored troops fought valiantly at Chateau-Thierry,
Soissons, on the Yesle, in Champagne, in the Argonne, and
in the final attacks in the Metz region. The entire first
battalion of the Three Hundred and Sixty-seventh Infan¬
try—"Buffaloes"—was awarded the Croix de Guerre for
heroism in the drive on Metz. Most remarkable of all, they
received their baptism of battle in this attack; at the start
they won honors which veterans of many conflicts have
failed to capture.
In previous engagements of the war, for distinguished
—95—
service, three colored regiments as units were awarded tne
Croix de Guerre, which bestows on each member the right
to wear the coveted badge. When the fighting stopped the
Negro troops were nearest the Rhine.
Not until now has the story as a whole of the part
played by our Negro troops in France been available. The
total number of Negro combat troops was 42,000. These
consisted of the Ninety-second Division, commanded by Ma¬
jor Gen. Charles G. Ballou, and four regiments of the Pro¬
visional Ninety-third Division. To describe the colored
man as a fighter in a war which, because of the terrible weap¬
ons used, called for more pure nerve than any other war,
three ways present themselves to show the Negro individual
exploits, then in a regiment, engaged separately with white
troops, and finally, to show him in a battle in a division en¬
tirely composed of men of his own race.
Negro as Individual Fighter
Here is an individual exploit:
The Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Infantry, col¬
ored, fought in the Argonne. It became necessary to send a
runner with a message to the left flank of an American fir¬
ing line. The way was across an open field swept by heavy
machine gun fire.
Volunteers were called for, Private Edward Saunders
of Company I responded. Before he had gone far a shell
cut him down. As he fell he cried to his comrades:
"Some one come and get this message, I am wounded."
Lieutenant Robert L. Campbell of the same company
sprang to the rescue. He dashed across the shell-swept
space, picked up the wounded private, and, with the Ger¬
mans fairly hailing bullets around him, carried his man
back to the American lines.
—96—
For the valor shown both were cited for the Dis¬
tinguished Service Cross, and Lieutenant Campbell, in ad¬
dition, was recommended for a captaincy.
Another single detail, taken from this same company:
John Baker, having volunteered, was taking a message
through heavy shell fire to another part of his line. A shell
struck his hand, tearing away part of it, but the Negro,
unfaltering, delivered the message.
He was asked why he did not seek aid for his wounds
before completing the journey.
"I thought the message might contain information that
would save lives," was the answer.
Under the same Lieutenant Robert L. Campbell, a few
colored soldiers, armed only with their rifles, picked up
from shell holes along the way, were moving over a road
in the Chateau-Thierry sector. Suddenly their course was
crossed by the firing of a German machine gun. They tried
to locate it by the direction of the bullets, but could not.
To their right, a little ahead, lay a space covered with thick
underbrush; just back of it was an open field.
Lieutenant Campbell, who knew by the direction of the
bullets' that his party had not been seen by the Germans,
ordered one of his men, with a rope whcih they happened
to have, to crawl to the thick underbrush, and tie the rope
to several stems of the brush, then to withdraw as far as
possible and pull the rope, making the brush shake as
though men were crawling through it. The purpose was to
draw direct fire from the machine gun, and, by watching,
locate its position.
The ruse worked. Lieutenant Campbell then ordered
three of his men to steal out and flank the machine gun
—97—
on one side, while he and two others moved up and flanked
it on the other side.
The brush was shaken more violently by the secret ropfe.
The Germans, their eyes focused on the brush, poured a
hail of bullets into it. Lieutenant Campbell gave the sig¬
nal. The flanking party dashed up; with their hand gre¬
nades they killed four of the Boches and captured the re¬
maining three—also the machine gun.
On Hill 304 thousands of French and German soldiers
had fallen as the battleline swung back and forward, and
that this hill was given to the Negroes to hold shows that
as soldiers they had already won the confidence of the
French.
The regiment's first engagement was in the Champagne
sector, with Montoir as its objective. Here came the real
test; the colored men were eager to get into the fight. They
cheered and sang when the announcement came that their
chance had arrived—but the question was: back of their
enthusiasm had they the staying qualities drilled into
European troops through centuries of training in the
science of warfare?
Give Battle When the Moroccans and Senegalese Retreat—
Have Three German Airplane$ to Credit—Lost 1,478
The answer was that some of the heaviest and most
effective fighting of the day was done by the Negro regi¬
ment. From June 6 to September 10 the Three Hundred
and Seventy-second was stationed in the bloody Argonne
Forest. On the night of September 25 they were sum,
moned to take part in th6 Argonne offensive and were in
that terrific drive,, one of the decisive engagements of the
war, from September 26 to October 7. In the nine days'
—98—
battle the Negroes not only proved their fighting qualities
in an ordeal such as men have rarely been called upon to
face, but these qualities in deadly striking power and stub¬
born resistance in crises, stood out with such distinction
that the regiment won the coveted Croix de Guerre.
During the battle they aided in capturing 600 prison¬
ers, fifteen big guns, twenty minenwerfers, rounded up an
enormous amount of engineering material, large supplies of
artillery munitions, and brought down three German air¬
planes. For these achievements they were at once cited
for bravery and efficiency in the General Orders issud by
their French commander. The casualty list of the Three
Hundred and Seventy-second in this and the previous fight¬
ing carried 500 names of men killed, wounded and gassed.
Another regiment's record—that of the Three Hun¬
dred and Sixty-ninth, formerly the Fifteenth New York,
commanded by Colonel William Hayward, ex-Public Serv¬
ice Commissioner—reflects as high a credit on the soldierly
qualities of the Negro race. The Three Hundred and
Sixty-ninth was in the* Champagne offensive as a part of
the Fourth Army commanded by General Gourand, a few
miles west of the Argonne Forest. These are Colonel Hay-
ward's own words describing the! drive that tried out his
men:
''At 5:25 A. M. the assault was launched, an assault
that kept assaulting so far as our division was concerned
for twelve days, in which we crossed rivers, captured towns,
cut and climbed through acres and acres of barbed wire
entanglements, stormed bluffs, ridges, and hills for four¬
teen kilometers, all the way facing stubborn and terribly
effective artillery and machine gun fire.
—99—
"When we crossed the Dormois River, where it widen¬
ed into a swamp, the Boehe was shelling industriously,
and it looked like a hailstorm on the surface of the water.
I saw shells break from concussion when they hit the water
the same as on the ground. Much of the time we had to
lean over and shout into each other's ears to be heard.
"At the end of twelve days we came out with our di¬
vision, what was left of us, which included twenty officers.''
In the larger bodies of colored troops, from the regi¬
ment to the division, the participation of the Negro sol¬
diers naturally divides itself into two parts on account of
the way they were sent over. The Negro division, com¬
posed of drafted men, did not get into action until right
at the last, but individual regiments did. The four regi¬
ments that went over first were composed of old National
Guard units recruited up to the required quota. These
were the Three Hundred and Sixty-ninth, Three Hundred
and Seventieth, Three Hundred and Seventy-first and
Three Hundred and Seventy-second Infantry regiments,
afterward organized into the Provisional Ninety-third Di¬
vision. Until just before the last days of the fighting, how¬
ever, they were brigaded separately with French troops.
Three of these regiments, the Three Hundrd and Sixty-
ninth, Three Hundred and Seventy-first and the Three
Hundred and Seventy-second, have received the high honor
of the Croix de Guerre from the French government for
distinguished service. Sixty-one officers and men of the
Three Hundred and Seventieth have been similarly dec¬
orated.
Fighting Beside the French
Here is the fighting record of one of these regiments
sandwiched among the French forces—the Three Hundred
—100—
and Seventy-second. It was the first to go over. Prac¬
tically all its line officers, as well as privates, were colored.
They arrived in France on April 14 and went into
training with the French on April 28. On June 6 the Three
Hundred and Seventy-second was sent to the trenches just
west of Verdun, occupying the famous battle-swept Hill 304
and sections at Four de Paris. At the very last the Three
Hundred and Sixty-ninth won another distinction. The
following is from the Stars and Stripes, the organ of the
American troops in France:
"The furthest north at 11 o'clock (when the armistice
went into effect) on the front of the two armies was held
at the extreme American left, up Sedan way, by the troops
of the Seventy-seventh Division. The furthest east—the
nearest to the Rhine—was held by those Negro soldiers
who used to make up the old New York Fifteenth and have
long been brigaded with the French. They were in Alsace,
and their line ran through Thann and across the railway
that leads to Colmar."
How Negro Division Fights
Next, to see a Negro division in action:
The Ninety-second Division was composed of the One
Hundred and Eighty-third Infantry Brigade, consisting of
the Three Hundred and Sixty-fifth and Three Hundred and
Sixty-sixth Infantry regiments and the Three Hundred «and
Fiftieth Machine Gun Battalion: the One Hundred and
Eighty-fourth Infantry Brigade, composed of the Three
Hundred and Sixty-seventh and Three Hundred and Sixty-
eighth Infantry regiments and the Three Hundred and
Fifty-first Machine Gun Battalion; the One Hundred and
Sixty-seventh Artillery Brigade, consisting of the Three
—101—
Hundred and Forty-ninth, the Three Hundred and Fiftieth
and the Three Hundred and Fifty-first Artillery regi¬
ments; and the Three Hundred and Forty-ninth Machine
Gun Battalian, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Trench
Mortar Battalion, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth En¬
gineers' Regiment, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth
Engineers' Train, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Am¬
munition Train, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Sup¬
ply Train, the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Train
Headquarters, the Ninety-second Military Police Compaiiy;
the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Sanitary Train, com¬
prising the Three Hundred and Sixty-fifth, the Three Hun¬
dred and Sixty-sixth, the Three Hundred and Sixty-sev¬
enth, the Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Field and Hos¬
pital and Ambulance Companies, 600 of the officers of the
division were Negroes.
Soon after the Ninety-second was thoroughly organized
it took over the Marbache sector. Here their activity in
trench raids on the Germans earned from the Germans the
name of "Black Devils." By these raids they drove the
Germans north beyond Erehaut and Voivrotte to Chemi-
not bridge. In the hope of putting a check on these attacks
the Boches tried to destroy the bridge and flooded the
country.
Up to this time the Ninety-second had never been in a
battle. The only regiment in it that had seen a big en¬
gagement was the Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Infan-
try, which took part in the action; in the Argonne Forest.
The division's chance came in the drive on Metz. They
were notified at 4 o'clock Sunday morning, November 10.
The motto, "See it through," of the "Buffaloes," the
—102—
Three Hundred and Sixty-seventh Infantry, trained at
Camp Upton, echoed through the whole division.
They began their advance at 7 o'clock from Pont-a-
Mousson. Before them was a valley commanded by the
heavy guns of Metz, and by nests of German machine guns.
The Negroes seemed to realize that here for the first time
was the great opportunity to show their mettle—that for
the first time they were going to battle as a division. A
sense of race solidarity possessed them, uniting their pur¬
pose as no amount of drilling could, and they were literally
a terrible foe as they plunged forward to Preny. So rap¬
idly did they advance that the list of casualties, consider¬
ing the rain of shells, was small. Their objective for the
day was Bois Frehaut. Picked Moroccan and Senegalese
troops of the French, striking for the same point—in an
odd competition of colored races on this day—were the first
to arrive. Germans, seeing what was up, were pounding
Bois Frehaut with a heavy fire. It became too hot for the
Moroccans and the Senegalese. They were forced to re¬
treat.
Were our colored fighters really going to "see it
through?" The fight was now getting hotter and hotter,
for the Germans were bringing their full resistance to bear.
The Fifty-sixth Regiment was forced to withdraw, but not
until after they had stood up and borne a heavy loss. The
First Battalion of the "Buffaloes," commanded by Major
Charles L. Appleton of New York, with colored company
commanders and lieutenants, was called upon to hold the
Germans at bay while the hard-hit Fifty-sixth retreated.
Here, in confronting the enemy with an iron resistance,
the "Buffaloes" won their Croix de Guerre.
A little later Bois Frehaut was taken by the Ninety-
—103—
second. The Germans directed against the place a more
murderous fire, but there was no driving out the colored
men. The Stars and Stripes said of this fight:
"Probably the hardest fighting done by any Americans
in the final hour was that which engaged the troops of the
Twenty-eighth, Ninety-second, Eighty-first and Seventh di¬
visions of the Second American Army, who launched a fire-
eating attack above Vigneulles just at dawn on the eleventh.
It was no mild thing that last flare of the battle, and the
order to cease firing did not reach the men in the front
line until the last moment, when the runners sped with it
from fox hole to fox hole."
Numerous officers and privates of the Ninety-second
were commended for meritorious conduct by General Or¬
ders. During the final engagement of the war the Negro
division held the line of Vandieres-St. Michel-Xon-Norry.
The Ninety-second suffered a total of 1,478 casualties.
Solution of Negro Problem Bests on Better Acquaintance
Represent More than One-Tenth of Population of
United States, Yet in Southern States Are
Ignored, Educationally and Politically
To the Editor of Public Ledger:
President Wilson is very fond of telling a story about
Charles Lamb, the moral of which is that you cannot hate
a man you know. The solution of the Negro problem
would be much easier if the American people would learn
more about the people concerned. Very few people have
any knowledge of the actual civic, economic, educational,
hygienic or moral conditions among the Negroes, even of
their own communities, and with so little information at
—104—
hand they can form no real opinion concerning the public
policy tiiat every good citizen should advocate.
Negroes make up over one-tenth of our total popula¬
tion and over one-sixth of the* working population. Ac¬
cording to the last United States census, there are about
2,225,000 Negro illiterates in the South, or over 33 per cent
of the Negro population ten years of age and over. In the
prisons of the South there are proportionately five times
as many Negro prisoners as white. Forty per cent of all
persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in the South are
Negroes. These facts show that the question of adjusting
these people to the American ideals of government and civ¬
ilization should interest all thoughtful and patriotic
Americans.
One of the main barriers to the solution of the Negro
problem is the fact that many honest persons have been led
to believe that the Negro is trying to edge into political
control and social equality. Nothing is further from the
truth. As Negroes become educated they are finding in¬
creased satisfaction among members of their own race. In¬
telligent Negroes are as proud as the proudest white, and
have no desire to force themselves where they are not
wanted. What they seek is to live in as decent surround¬
ings as possible and not be eternally condemned to a life
in the neglected slums with the lowest element of their race.
Negroes want the ballot, for they know that a voteless peo¬
ple is a voiceless people, and most of them agree with Lin¬
coln that no man is good enough to govern another man
without that man's consent.
A careful study of the social and economic status of the
Negroes shows conclusively that in many of the states Negro
education is neglected. In several states where the Negro
—105—
population is very large no serious attempt is made .to pro¬
vide adequate educational facilities for Negroes. The aver¬
age length of the school term is four months; nearly all
schools are taught in dilapidated churches, which, of course,,
are not equipped with suitable desks, blackboards and other
essentials of a school. It might be interesting to note that
through the generosity of Mr. Julius Rosenwald, of Chi¬
cago, rural schools are being provided in several Southern
states. For instance, in 1916 there had been erected in
Alabama 107 schoolhouses, North Carolina eleven and
Georgia eight, through Mr. Rosenwald's benefactions. It
is hard to find a reason for the indifference of the American
people toward Negro education for, laying aside all ques¬
tions of equity, the liberal use of public funds for the sup¬
port of schools for all the people is more and more clearly
recognized as good business, for no state or nation can be
prosperous with a large per cent of its population ignorant.
In the border states—Maryland, West Virginia, Ken¬
tucky and Missouri—Negroes have not been disfranchised,-
the percentage of illiteracy is not near as high as in the
Southern States, as, for example, in South Carolina the per¬
centage of Negro illiteracy is 38.7, in Missouri 17.4, Georgia
36.5, West Virginia 20. These facts show clearly that in
the South, deprived of the right to vote and participate in
his government, the Negroes are not given a fair chance to
become intelligent American citizens. President Wilson
says that unless a man performs his full duty he is not
entitled to a right. How can people denied the right to
participate in their government or a chance to get a com¬
mon school education ever know the duties of citizenship or
understand the fundamental principles of government ne¬
cessary for citizenship in the American democracy ?
—106—
The framers of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend¬
ments to the Constitution, knowing that the old spirit of
John C. Calhoun and Jefferson Davis had not been crushed
in the South, were careful to add to these amendments the
provision that Congress should have the power to enforce
them by appropriate legislation. It stands today to the dis¬
grace of democratic America, and to the Republican party
particularly, that these safeguards of Negro rights have
been ignored. The status of the Negroes in the South to¬
day is the same as if the Fifteenth Amendment had never
been passed.
It is only by instigation of the wrongs of men that
what are called the rights of man become turbulent and
dangerous. When a Negro reads in the newspapers articles
and editorials about the wrongs of Belgium, he begins to
think about his own wrongs in America. If the plain peo¬
ple of Europe are to have no choice in their government,
America can no longer allow any of her citizens ^to be dis¬
franchised because they are colored.
The returning Negro soldiers, many of them with an
empty sleeve or wanting leg, will not be satisfied with some
of the old conditions. They will want to share the new
democracy. Ought tliey to be satisfied with the old con¬
ditions as regards voting, riding on Jim Crow cars, hous¬
ing and wages? Can America expect men to offer them¬
selves on the altar of freedom that, Italians, Belgians and
Czechs be free, and at the same time be compelled to suffer
all kinds of humiliation at the hands of their countrymen?
Many people excuse the South for lynchings because the
victims are colored. But President Wilson says that Ne¬
groes are citizens and that many of them have fought at
the very front.
—107—
Negroes have watched the events of the last two years.
They have seen America, forgetting Washington's monition
to avoid foreign alliances, shake off the isolation of a cen¬
tury and decide the great world war. They have heard the
President summon to the defense of America and her ideals
all men brave and true, without regard to race or color;
they have heard him declare that this war was for hu¬
manity, and that we were fighting to make the world safe
for democracy. They listened with breathless silence when
he said that we shall fight for those things we have carried
nearest our hearts—for democracy, the right of those who
submit to authority to have a voice in their own govern¬
ment
They have seen over 200,000 black sons, fathers, hus¬
bands and brothers go forth calm and serene to fight the
Hun. They know that beneath the sod of Flanders field
and Picardy sleep the bodies of many of these brave black
men who laid down their lives at the call of their country,
and today there goes up to the God of battles from thou¬
sands of dark bosoms the prayer, How long, O Lord, how
long, will our nation hold up to the world with one hand
democracy, justice and truth, and with the other press
down the thorny crown of oppression on the brows of its
loyal darker citizens? Liberal-minded Americans anxious
to see a league of nations and justice done to all peoples
of the world cannot afford to ignore longer this burning
question. BENJAMIN A. ARNOLD,
Philadelphia, January 13, 1919.
Colored Regiment Wins Immortal Fame
Sergeant Raymond B. Wright, of the famous Three
Hundred and Sixty-ninth Infantry, the regiment which has
—108—
won so much renown in the grear world war, has compiled
a record of the historical events of the regiment's activity
during the campaign, which is a gem for completeness and
furnishes some very interesting information. In a letter
to the Managing Editor of The Pittsburgh Courier, Ser¬
geant Wright encloses the following chart:
Historical Events of the "Old Fifteenth N. I. Regiment"
(1) Sailed Three Times for France—November 12,
1917, two days at sea, broken engine and returned; De¬
cember 3, 1917, ship on fire; December 12, 1917, collision
at sea, ship repaired and sailed last time December 14,1917.
Landed at Brest, France, December 27, 1918.
Only Unit in American E. F. With State Name
(2) This regiment was mustered into Federal serv¬
ice, drafted by the Presilent, sent overseas, and served in
the A. E. F. 90 days as old Fifteenth N. Y. Infantry, N. G.
Name changed to Three Hundred and Sixty-ninth In¬
fantry, U. S. A., on going to the trench, March 12, 1918.
Never in American Brigade or Division
(3) Assigned on paper to a provisional American di¬
vision, Ninety-third ^hen this regiment was in France and
the other units of provisional division were in American di¬
vision and never assembled.
First and Longest Service of Any American Regiment i
As Part of Foreign Army
(4) Regiment organized, armed and equipped as
French infantry; regiment joining Sixteenth French Di¬
vision, Eighth Corps d'Armee IV Armee, March 12, 1918.
—109—
Continuing service in Armee Francaises as combat unit ever
since.
Less Training Than Any American Units Before Actum
(5) Three weeks at Camp Whitman, N. Y.
Ten days at Camp Wadsworth, S. C.
Two weeks with French Armee before taking over
front-line trenches.
First Negro Troops in Action
(6) April 8, 1918, at the Nain de Massiges, ''CHAM¬
PAGNE."
Lowest Percentage of Venereal Infection and Drunken¬
ness of Entire A. E. F. Believed
(7) Twenty-four venereal infections and six cases of
drunkenness in one year, among 5,000 men passing through
this regiment.
Held More Than Minimum Amount of Ground
(8) In April, 1918, held 20 per cent of all ground
held by American Army when numerically less than 1 per
cent of that army.
(9) This regiment was awarded Croix de Guerre by
French authorities for operation in offensive of September
and October, 1918. One hundred and thirty-two citations
of individual officers and enlisted men, for Legion d'Hon-
neur or Croix de Guerre, for exceptional gallantry in
action.
Regiment First Unit of all of the Allied Armies to
Reach Rhine River
(10) Regiment left the trenches at Thann, Sunday,
—110—
November 17, 1918, and marching as advance guard of the
One Hundred and Sixty-first Division, II Armee (French)
reached Blodelsheim, on left bank of the Rhine, Monday,
November 18, 1918.
Greatest Number of Days Under Fire of Any
American Units (Believed)
(11) One hundred anl twenty-one days in front-line
trenches and in battle.
Combats in Which Regiment Suffered, Losses
(12) MAIN DE MASSIGES, ARGONNE FOREST,
THE AISNE, THE TOURBE, BUTTE DE NESNIL,
RIPONT, MAISON EN CHAMPAGNE, THE DORMOIS,
KUPPONASE, FONTAINE BELLEVUE RIDGE, SEC-
HAULT, YOSGES MOUNTAINS.
(13) Captured a great number of prisoners, cannon
and machine guns, and penetrated fourteen kilometers (9
miles) into powerful enemy positions, stubbornly defended.
(14) Never lost a prisoner, a trench or a foot of
ground while in this campaign.
Will He Remember This When He Returns?
Laurens, S. C., December 31.—In a letter to friends,
Capt. W. R. Richey, of this city, lauds the bravery of the
colored soldiers that served under him in the battle of the
Argonne Forest. The letter follows:
''On the afternoon of September 26 we received or¬
ders to move forward. We slept that night in a French
communication trench. I say slept, but really there was no
sleep, as it was raining, and the noise from the guns would
not let one sleep. The French had gone over the top and
were pursuing the Huns. * * * *
—111—
"On Sunday morning my company went over the hill.
We arrived at the position the attack was to start from at
7:30, after having a deadly artillery barrage on us over
the hill. At 10 o'clock Sunday morning we were ordered
to advance up the valley, but in the meantime an enemy
plane flew down low, discovered our position and signaled
his artillery, which opened on us, and every minute seemed
to be the last one. However, by rifle fire we brought the
plane down, killing the pilot and observer. * * * *
"Long before we reached the village we could see the
cowards running up a steep hill beyond, leaving lots of
machine guns to stick out and believe me, when we reached
our objective and rounded up the machine gunners the Ne¬
groes made quick work of them. The Huns held up their
hands, but no kamerad for the men; they killed them un¬
hesitatingly and I did not try to stop them. * * * *
"In all, during the two days, Sunday and Monday,
our battalion advanced about five miles without the aid of
a single friendly artillery shot or any other help. We
killed lots of Germans, captured lots of them and captured
any quantity of material and the six big guns.
'' I am proud of all my officers and of all my men. The
whole regiment fought like veterans and with a fierceness'
equal to any white regiment. This was the first time any
of them had been under aimed shell and machine gun fire
and they stood it like moss-covered old-timers. They never
flinched or showed the least sign of fear. All that was
necessary was to tell them to go and they went. Lots were
killed and wounded, but they will go down in history as;
brave soldiers."
—112—
Our Negro Fighters
(From The Pittsburgh Post)
In the compliments that are passing among the victors
in the great war there is none in which there will be more
whole-souled acquiescence than that going to our Negro sol¬
diers. Not only did their fighting qualities prove of the
best, as shown by the increasing calls for them, but their
characteristic jovial nature was one of the refreshing in¬
fluences of the entire allied army. They were constantly
producing good stories to be told everywhere, and nothing
caused more mirth in the ranks of democracy than the fear
they threw into Fritz. We do not know with what all they
were equipped, but they were not long on the line until the
Huns were speaking of the "black Americans" as if they
were armed with razors and buzz saws as well as shooting
irons. It would be impossible to enumerate the classics
that arose on the western front from the Negro's reputed
fondness for cutlery in a fight. The main thing is that in
this war, as in others, our colored soldiers acquitted them¬
selves with a fidelity and courage of which their country,
as well as they, must be proud. Fulfilling the promise of
one of their eloquent speakers, the only concern they showed
in color was in picking out the white of the enemy's eye.
The Negro, as all the forces of democracy, has gained
much from this war to inspire him in his upward striving.
He has the consciousness of having helped to unbind the
slaves of German' autocracy as well as of aiding the preser¬
vation of liberty elsewhere j he has the satisfaction of shar¬
ing in the overthrow of the false doctrine of Hun kultur.
—113—
What Is Democracy ?
(From St. Louis Globe-Democbat)
President Wilson, in his address to Congress calling
for a declaration of war against Germany, said "The
world must be made safe for democracy," and his phrase
became the rallying cry of the peoples opposed to the cen¬
tral powers. The war is over. Autocracy has been de¬
throned and crushed. But has the world yet been made
safe for democracy?
A democracy is a government of and by the people.
"Whether the people rule direct or by representation is a
matter of expediency. But in either case a democracy is
a government, and a government is an established authority
for the administration of law and order.
The ideal democracy is one in which absolute justice
reigns, in which all men are on terms of exact equality
under the law, in which the doors of opportunity are closed
to no one, in which there is no domination by class. That
ideal is yet to be attained on earth, and it can never be
attained or even approached except through the orderly
processes, and with the reasonable restraints, of law, es-
' tablished and enforced by a government of the people, seek¬
ing ever to promote the happiness of the people, of all the
people, in equal measure. There can be no happiness, in¬
dividual or collective, without the* protection of law, and
there can be no law without a government to make it and
• the authority to enforce it. The infinite wisdom of the
Creator found it necessary to establish laws for the control
and restraint of the Universe. Wishing to give to all
things, animate and inanimate, the largest possible measure
of freedom he yet placed limitations upon freedom for its
—114—
own sake. Freedom among men when unrestrained in¬
evitably destroys itself by its excesses, and this is the ap¬
plication of God's law. Neither freedom nor equality can
be established and maintained among men save by law,
made and applied by constituted authority, and it is not
by the removal of all restraints to freedom but by the cre¬
ation and application of laws wherein wisdom and justice
and humanity strive for an equality of opportunity, that
the perfect democracy is to be approached. That is the
road that America, however it may halt and stumble, >is
traveling, and that is the road upon which we would see
all other peoples make their way to happiness.
Colored Lad Publishes Paper Behind Lines
New York, December' 8.—That soldiering is a pleasant
pastime as long as there are a few Germans "hanging
around" whom one may shoot at but otherwise a tiresome
routine for. a person who has spent the best days of his
life in a newspaper office, is the testimony of Sergeant Ed¬
ward Hardy, of the machine gun company of the Three
Hundred and Sixty-ninth Infantry, who before entering
the service was employed in the mailing room of the Herald,
a daily paper published in New York.
Going to France as a private in the ranks of the Three
Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment, a colored unit, he got
right into the thick of the fight and won for himself the
successive promotions to a first sergeancy. He was wound¬
ed in one engagement, but was able to rejoin his regiment
after a brief period at a base hospital and was manning a
machine gun in-the vicinity of Cernay when the armistice
was signed.
Sergeant Hardy became the editor of a trench news-
—115—
paper, which he named the "Black Herald." This publi¬
cation was printed in a dugout and was circulated among
his comrades during the lulls in the battle.
The section of the newspaper given over to personali¬
ties of the men of the regiment is headed '' Hell, Heaven or
Hoboken by Christmas." Its readers are advised to place
their orders for Christmas dinners early and thereby '1 help
win the war."
"Sergeant Johnson, the observer, did not have any¬
thing; to report yesterday,'' reads one of the sketches. 11 He
said the Germans were evacuating Cernay and the sur¬
rounding country, that their artillery was active all along
the line, that several telephone wires had been cut and
many prison camps destroyed. Aside from that the ser¬
geant had nothing to report.
Appeal for Better Understanding Between White and
Colored Races
Negroes Have Proved Their Americanism, on the Battlefield
in the Workshops and in Commerce, and Ask for,
Fair Play and Equal Opportunities
To'the Editor of Public Ledger:
Sir—Hundreds of churches and Sunday Schools to¬
day are developing a multitude of colored youths of both
sexes who have caught a vision of a great constructive
program of race building. They have conceived the idea
that a forward and uplift movement for the Negro race
must be based upon a complete understanding between the
races; that, situated as it is in the United States, its de¬
velopment must be related to a sympathy and helpfulness
upon the part of the white people in whose hands largely
lies the control of the machinery which determines the des¬
tiny of races in this country.
—116—
They conceive that an exercise of a spirit of sympathy,
helpfulness and fair play benefits not only those toward
whom they are extended, but reacts in a fuller, larger
sense upon those who exercise those qualities. These great
and pregnant virtues have their origin in a kindness of
heart, a sense of justice and an informed understanding.
Within the limits of Philadelphia it is estimated that
there dwell more than 120,000 members of the Negro race.
In the fundamental problems of this large colored popula¬
tion are involved four essentials—industrial opportunities,
housing, .education and recreation. Along with the proof
that the war has given of the splendid physical bravery of
the Negro has been the honor won by him as a workingman
in war industries. In the labor divisions of the army, in
the stevedore regiments of France, in the great industrial
projects which met successfully the increased productions
for the winning of the war, the skill and muscle of the
American Negro played a heroic part. We have had con¬
vincing proof of his ability asc a workman at Hog Island,
Eddystone, Baldwin's, the Sun Shipbuilding Company, the
General Electric Company, the Sugar Refining Company,
which attest his remarkable aapacity. Not only as an un¬
skilled laborer did he show his capability, but in ship¬
building at Newport News his services were successfully
brought into play as a skilled workman in riveting and in
steel constructions. His marvelous mechanical ability in
such work has been given quite full recognition by his em¬
ployers.
The Negro can be depended upon in every .national
crisis as a 100 per cent American. He fought bravely in
the Civil War to eliminate the curse of slavery from the
nation. When Germany filled our country with spies, set
—117—
loose her plans of arson, bombs, strikes and general con¬
fusion in this country, one of her* dastardly schemes was
an uprising of the Negroes of the South. She operated
with great secrecy; all sorts of rewards were offered to the
colored people; they were to rule the South; every sort of
lie was used to tempt the colored people to revolt. These
plots miserably failed, owing to the fidelity and patriotism
of the' colored people.
In this great city of ours we should make the maxi¬
mum use of this potential industrial group. The greater
Philadelphia movement requires all of its productive re¬
sources. Tens of thousands of these men and women can
be utilized in the factories and marts of trade. We must
must have healthy, happy and ambitious workers, motives
the best purpose, but we must not forget that industry
use these thousands to supply the great labor demands to
must be set up for greater efficiency and greater skill.
Labor must not be restricted to blind alleys. Industrial
skill must have a fair opportunity. Fairness requires this,
whatever the color of the laborer may be.
Just what sympathetic co-operation may bring about
is shown in the work done by the Armstrong Association.
Almost a hundred stationary engineers have found a de¬
mand for their skill through the efforts of this organization.
Skilled workmen have been happily placed repeatedly
through the enlistment of employers on the side of fair play
through its instrumentality. Women and girls have been
supplied for factories. In this reconstruction period this
organization is redoubling its efforts and is asking consider¬
ation for Negro workmen to prevent indiscriminate and
thoughtless discharge of them from places of employment
and urging wider opportunities for their services, with so-
—118—
cial consideration for their skilled groups and fairness to
employers as well. (
The housing problem is one of much difficulty. The
congestion of the Negro population is a source of great
concern. The poorer groups of Negroes are still in many
cases occupying insanitary houses, which should properly
be subject to municipal correction or condemnation. These
housing conditions cause occasional racial friction-, which
is as significant in its informing of conditions as it is! un¬
avoidable unless* we can bring about a sympathetic attitude
toward the problem on the part of tenants, property owne¬
rs, real estate men and the general public.
In everyone of the large centers of Negro populations
throughout the city there are one or more public schools,
with teachers of the Negro race, who make up a group of
intelligent people by reason of tl\eir position, who are na¬
turally leaders for uplift and improvement among their •
own people. There are a number of mixied schools, but
there are over 4,000 colored boys and girls taught exclu¬
sively by over 100 colored teachers. If we add to these the
considerable number of Negro business and professional
men and women we can sense the leaven at work which
justifies our confidence in the future of the Negro. Nu¬
merous Negro churches, with eloquent and influential pas¬
tors, and three able and widely circulated weekly newspa¬
pers are potential in forwarding the great forward move¬
ment that is astir in the Negro communities.
Throughout the country we find a race which has
offered its all upon the altar of our common country, which
upon battlefield, in the workshop and in the ho^te has met
the test of loyalty and devotion, proving itself genuine in
—119—
its Americanism. It confidently hopes from the country
and the world the reward of devotion. We shall be glad to
realize that there is an invisible, silent, persuasive force
felt throughout the world, making men amenable to truth,
justice and mercy. We invoke this mighty force on behalf
of our race.
In our city of most splendid traditions toward the Ne¬
gro race, a city which gave it a chance to acquire property,
to operate and maintain seagoing vessels, to amass prop¬
erty in the dark period before emancipation, which was the
very center of the activities of the underground railroad
during the later slave period, the Negro expects an example
of fair and generous dealing which shall blaze the trail of
racial co-operation for the rest of the nation.
With malice toward none, with liberty for all, with
equal chance for every man to make an honest living ac¬
cording to his skill and ability, to establish homes free from
surrounding vice and the encroachments of disease, to edu¬
cate his children to the point of fruition of their highest
capabilities, to find wholesome recreation, our people may
look forward to the future, hopeful and unafraid.
In recognition of the new era which marks the progress
of the world to-day fifty young colored men and women
representing standard types of Negro youth, products of
our high and normal schools and universities, have pledged
their united services to constructive work in .this our great
Commonwealth.
Because we realize the magnitude and importance of
our undertaking we have set apart February 12, the birth¬
day of Abraham Lincoln, for the purpose of publicly re¬
viewing our task and to make it clear to others. In this
undertaking we hope to have the encouragement and co-
—120—
-operation of our citizens who are interested in the forward
and upward movement of our people.
MANY LOYAL AMERICANS.
Philadelphia, January 6, 1919.
Justice for the Negro
(Pittsburgh Gazette Times)
The South never has been much interested in the moral
aspect of the lynching question. By its own peculiar pro¬
cess of reasoning it has arrived at the conclusion that it is
up to the Negro to submit to whatever conditions may be
imposed and make the best of it. '' Judge Lynch'' is one of
the institutions depended upon to hold the black element in
subjection. At least that is a fair inference from the fact
that practically nothing has been done in the Southern
States to eradicate mob violence and elevate statute law to
its rightful eminence in the case of Negroes accused of
crime. But there is an economic side to the lynching ques¬
tion. To this we may expect the South to give some atten¬
tion. If it does so intelligently the worst blot on its civiliza¬
tion may be removed and new relationships established be¬
tween the whites and blacks which will inure to the benefit
.and happiness of both.
The South needs the Negro but prejudice and ignor¬
ance have conspired to prevent its making the best use of
him. It never has considered his needs and his rights. Evi¬
dently it must give thought to them and institute very great
reforms or it will lose him. That we gather from certain
statements in the annual report of the Secretary of Labor.
Investigations undertaken by the Department have disclos¬
ed that "the exodus of Negro workers has been the largest
where lynchings and other forms of race friction have been
—121—
the greatest.'' The northward movement of Negroes in the
last few years has been disturbing economically to the
South. How it may be overcome is plainly indicated in the1
report from which the question is made. It is clearly the
business of the states affected to improve the status of the
Negroes and to accord them just and legal treatment; it is
their duty to do that. It is regrettable that they have not
been moved in that direction by moral consideration. It is
to be hoped they will be less reluctant to act from economic
impulses and that results will be worthy of enlightened peo¬
ple in an enlightened age. Grounds for confidence that
much may be accomplished along these lines is found in the
statement that co-operative committees of whites and Ne¬
groes have been formed in seven states and five others are
now taking up the work of eliminating the old race
problems.
Fayette Negro Youth Wins Two Decorations
General Pershing and Marshal Foch Personally Award Dis¬
tinguished Service Gross and Croix de Guerre to
Boy for Valiant Service
Uniontown, March 6.—Just a plain, honest, hard-work¬
ing Negro boy, yet Arthur Johnson of Continental No. 3,
H. C. Frick coke plant, three miles south of Uniontown,
wears across his breast the Distinguished Service Cross
of the United States and .the Croix de Guerre of France,
the only man in Fayette County so far as is known to
have been decorated by two nations for conspicuous bravery
on the field of battle.
Bringing with him his tin hat and gas mask as souve¬
nirs of his life in fields and trenches, Johnson arrived home
on Monday, and since that time has been the center of ad-
—122—
miring groups of friends and fellow townsmen. Sent
from this district to Camp Lee in 1917, Johnson was later
transferred to Camp Sherman and attached to the Negro
doughboys of the Eighty-third Division.
General Pershing pinned the American decoration on
his uniform for valiant service at Soissons. Under sweep¬
ing fire from machine guns and rifles he had dashed out
into No Man's Land and brought back a wounded com¬
rade, escaping by a miracle unscathed. His Croix de
Guerre carries with it one palm and was personally pre¬
sented by Marshal Foch for gallant conduct exceeding the
line of duty. Johnson was acting as regimental runner,
and succeeded in getting a message through between a bri¬
gaded unit of French and Americans when all liaison had
failed under heavy shell fire. Previous messengers had been
killed, but Johnson came through, one severe hip wound
being received in the effort. He ran two miles with the
wound, but his message reconnected communication be¬
tween the French and Americans at a critical moment.
Johnson walks with, a slight limp, but grinningly de¬
clares that he wouldn't mind going through the experi¬
ences again. He will live with his parents in the little
coke town and will go back to work next week. He wears
his decorations with becoming modesty, and is the same
quiet, good-natured boy today he was 18 months ago when
he joined the colors. The only other war medal to come to a
Fayette County man, so far as is known, is the Distinguish¬
ed Service Cross awarded to Rev. Mandeville J. Barker,
Jr., local clergyman serving in France as a Y. M. C. A.
secretary.—The Pittsburgh fiuu.
A News Biography
On September 22, 1918, The Pittsburgh Sunday Post
published an article on the life of Thomas Dixon under
—123—
the caption of "Our Literary Men at Home." The news¬
paper prints as follows:
Thomas Dixon is one of the most talented novelists that
has ever come out of the South, and while his books are
more or less sectional in character, nevertheless they are
as widely read in the North as in the section in which they
were conceived and written.
Dixon is a North Carolinian by birth. His father was
a Baptist minister and Dixon was born in 1864, about s
year before the close of the war. He worked on his fath¬
er's farm as a day laborer until he was thirteen years of
age, his early education being acquired in the country
schools around Shelby. He was of a restless and roving
disposition, but at the age of nineteen he entered Wake
Forrest College, from which he wras graduated with such
distinction as to gain a scholarship in Johns Hopkins Uni¬
versity where he wrent to take a course in history and poli¬
tics. When only twenty years of age. too young to vote,
he became a member of the North Carolina Legislature.
This brought to him an incentive to become a lawyer, and
he went to the Greensboro Law School, where he was
graduated with honors, showing that from youth whatever
he undertook to do he did well. He practiced law for a
very short time.
While in New Orleans attending Mardi Gras he met
Miss Harriet Bussey, a daughter of Dr. Bussey, of Colum¬
bus, Ga., who afterwards became his wife. It was a run¬
away marriage, for Dr. Bussey refused absolutely to give
his consent to the marriage. For a long time a recon¬
ciliation seemed impossible, but Mr. Dixon decided to join
the Baptist ministry, which was the means of weakening
his father-in-law, who was the staunchest of Baptists and
a forgiveness followed.
—124—
Mi-. Dixon was ordained as a minister in 1887 at Ra¬
leigh, N. C., and at once he was elected pastor of the
church that ordained him. He preached there one year,
and then accepted a call to go to Boston. He remained
there only one year and then went to the People's Temple
in New York City. His home was a happy one there in
many respects, and three children, one daughter and two
sons came into the home nest. He remained in New York
ten years and it is said no Protestant minister attracted
larger crowds than did Thomas Dixon.
He left the ministry to go upon the lecture platform.
While on one of his lecture tours he witnessed a perform¬
ance of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which he felt grossly mis¬
represented his father and mother's people, and there and
then resolved to write a refutation, and the result of this
vow was "The Leopard's Spots." When Mr. Dixon be¬
came tired of city life he bought a beautiful home in Vir¬
ginia. Elmington Manor, in Dixondale. This estate, which
was once part of the possession of Pocahontas, of Indian
fame, consists of 500 acres, including country and
seashore. He has twenty-five acres of oyster beds and
owns a beach over a mile long. His home is a typical old
Virginia house, with 35 rooms, and the drive from the
gate to the porch is two miles. On this estate he made a
log cabin in which to write. Dixon tried farming and
thought it very fascinating, but it was about the only fail¬
ure he has ever made. He has written a book giving an
account of this failure, which is called "The Life Worth
Living." Of late years he has spent most of his time in
New York City, where he has a handsome home in River¬
side Drive. His home life has always been ideal, for he
is said to be a devoted husband and father. A biographer
has said of him—"No one who knows Tom Dixon, the kind
—125—
heart within him, and the genial sunny spirit that pos¬
sesses him, but can fail to admire him."
Our comment on the Post's article is as follows: The
extent of prejudice sown by the book of Dixon entitled
"The Leopard's Spots" will never be known until purged
by tremendous bloodshed. The curse of the whole matter
is, that such books are put on the shelves of Public Li¬
braries, and that the innocent Northern Anglos if slightly
afflicted with color-phobia, become estranged with every
Negro they meet. Since this class of books have appeared,
lynchings have actually happened on the Northern side of
the Mason and Dixon line. Everyone of these happenings
must be avenged according to justice.
* There is little difference between any man who seeks
to sow discord or prejudice in a free nation and a man
who terrorizes Empires through Hunism. The majority
of the world in this twentieth century has turned its back
on all conditions that interfere with the peace of the na¬
tions. It will be one of the world's inconsistencies to sign
a document of peace with other nations and leave to run at
large within our own borders the two mobs of Hydro-
Monsters, "The lynchers and the Jim Crow Crowd.
—126—
CHAPTER VII.
Negro Conscription.
CHAPTER VII
Negro Conscription
Editorial From The New Republic
Issued October 20,1917, at 421 West Twenty-first St.,
New York, N. Y.
1. The South is not altogether easy over the conscrip¬
tion of the Negro.
2. The withdrawal of a considerable fraction of the
supply of farm labor is embarrassing just now when the
pull on the North upon Negro labor is intensified by the
drying up of the flow of immigration from Europe.
3. The assembling at mobilization points of large
numbers of lusty young blacks accustomed to no other dis¬
cipline than that of the plantation, quite naturally gives
occasion for concern.
4. But what chiefly disturbs the South is the proba¬
ble effect upon the Negro population of the return of the
men who have served their campaigns.
5. Will the Negro be the same kind of man when he
is mustered out as he was when he was mustered in ?
6. Will he accept the facts of white supremacy with
the same spirit as formerly?
7. Or will he have acquired a new sense of independ¬
ence that will make of him a fomenter of unrest among his
people 1
8. There are some indeed who dismiss Southern anxi¬
ety as quite groundless.
—129—
9. The Negro problem they assert will present the
same aspect after the war as before it, whether Negro, sol¬
diers serve in France or not.
10. But this is to ignore all the teaching of experience
11. The South is quite justified in its belief that war
will affect the habit of mind and the behavior of the men
who engage in it.
12. The Russian peasant who has fought in Galicia
is a quite different being from the timid abject creature
who tilled the black land before the war.
13. He makes a very restive mount for the lords of
the earth, as his record in the revolution demonstrates.
14. The German peasant too appears to be changing
under the influence of his military experience. The Ger¬
man aristocracy is not so certain as once it was '' Hans-
bleibt immer Hans.''
15. Unrest among the masses of the working popula¬
tion of England and France is no remote contingency.
16. At all events there are defenders of the existing
order in both countries who express grave concern over
what will happen when the soldiers return to civil life.
17. Insofar as institutions, political or social, are
based upon fear, they are likely to be challenged by the re¬
turned soldier.
18. After facing death in its most hideeous forms, on
the field of battle, will a man cower before a black look,
shrink from a threatened blow?
19. If England and France and America are in no
serious danger of political or social disturbance when the
soldiers return this is because the fundamental institutions
of those countreis are not founded upon the exploitation of
fear.
20. Obedience to the law, except in sporadic in-
—130—
stances, rests upon a general recognition of social utility,
not upon fear of the police.
21. We leave their possesisons to the privileged, not
because they hold the keys to the jail, but because the sys¬
tem that produces them serves the social purpose better
than any other system we have been able to devise.
22. We may expect that the system will be subjected
to the most severe popular scrutiny after the war.
23. We may expect that it will havfe to undergo many
modifications.
24. The government and the employers may be re¬
quired to show cause why they should permit crises of un¬
employment to arise. Hours of labor, scales of wages,
sanitary and safety arrangements, provisions for disablity
and superannuation, may be overhauled.
25. All this may give rise to some embarrassment to
the lords of the earth, and to much murmuring. But in
the long run they will find the new order as satisfactory as
the old.
26. They claim title by virtue of service; they can¬
not object seriously to a more precise definition of their
obligation to serve.
27. Do the relations between blacks and whites in the
South rest upon mutual service, or does the social system
of the South rest upon fear ?
28. Southerners themselves are far from unanimous
on this point. There is a type of Southerner who swears
that the proper function of the white man is to keep the
fear of God or devil in the breast of the black.
29. There is another type of Southerner who con¬
ceives the function of the white man as that of guide and
protector of the black man.
—131—
30. The latter, to judge rather by general effects than
by expressed opinions, is the prevailing type.
31. Relations between the races, are generally far
more cordial than could possibly be the case if the Southern
social system were based wholly, or even chiefly, upon fear.
32. The Southern white profits by the labor of the
black and he gives service in return.
33. The Negroes of the South, we may well believe
are better off than they would be in a black republic.
34. It does not follow that they are so well off as they
ought to be. It does not follow that the whites are per¬
forming to the full extent the obligation they owe.
35. Grant that the South has done much for the Ne¬
gro; it has not done enough.
36. The Southern white man will have to give more
service in return for his privileges, just as the Prussian aris¬
tocrat, the French and British and American factory own¬
ers will have to give more. This is a necessary consequence
of a war that stirs democracy to its greatest depths.
37. There is much that the South ought to have done
for the Negro that it has not done. It ought to have put
down the temperamental Negro baiter, the man who goes
out of his way '' to put the Nigger in his place,'' acting on
a psychology more crude and stupid and brutal than the
worst Prussia can exhibit.
38. The South ought to have assumed greater re¬
sponsibility for the Negro's civil and economic welfare.
39. The best men of the South know that there are
cormorants of sharp business preying upon the Negroes.
They know that the Negro is handicapped when he buys
land and when he sells it; that he is handicapped in every
legal transaction; that if he is ambitious his road to ad¬
vancement is inhumanly steep and slippery unless he
—132—
chances to have the personal protection of a white man of
the best type.
40. But the men of the best type have not organized
for the defense of the legitimate interests of the Negro.
Thy intervene in specific cases of injustice, but they leave
untouched institutions that make for injustice.
41. Conscription of the Negro brings the South face
to face with the necessity of overhauling its scheme of
racial relationship.
42. It is a necessity that many would avoid. They
would be willing to send more of their own sons to battle
if their local institutions cannot go forever unchallenged.
43. Is the South willing to admit that white suprem¬
acy cannot rest on any sounder foundation than fear?
44. If it can rest on service the problem arising out
of Negro conscription cannot be insoluble.
Note—I consider the foregoing article good but incom¬
plete. On the following pages I have attempted to extend
them so as to include a justification of the Negro.
The comment on portions of the original editorial is
classified by the letter "A" being affixed to the paragraph
number.
—The Author.
Having offered by comment, following is reply from
editors of New Republic:
August 2, 1918.
Dear Sir:—
We are sorry, but we do not think that we can give
space to an article half of which is a.reprint from our¬
selves. We should be quite willing to have you reprint the
article, if you will mention The New Republic.
Yours sincerely,
The Editors.
—133—
A Comment on Editorial "Negro Conscription"
1. The South is not altogether easy over the conscrip¬
tion of the Negro.
1-A. If the South, by fair dealing, had made itself
immune from the system of fear, a clear conscience .and
a democratic view of the future would have allayed any
uneasiness of mind. Some people are too great cowards to
admit they have a conscience.
2. The withdrawal of a considerable fraction of the
supply of farm labor is embarrassing just now when the
pull of the North upon Negro labor is intensified by the
drying up of the flow of immigration from Europe.
2-A. Well might the distracted Southerner with out¬
stretched arms run to the object of his hate and sing:
"I need Thee; Oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh bless me now my Saviour
I come to Thee."
4' The South now finds it has been playing a losing game
by riding roughly shod through the burdens of life on an¬
other man's shoulders.'' The immigrant that virtually re¬
placed the Negro in every other section of the country will
not make a satisfactory substitute and the South would be
afraid of him even as an experiment. The labor condition
that exists is the double plague of the South. The South
knows it can trust the Negro and wants him and him only.
3. The assembling at mobilization points of large
numbers of lusty young blacks accustomed to no other dis¬
cipline than that of .the plantation, quite naturally gives
occasion for concern.
—134—
3-A. The mobilizing of lusty blacks to be made into
valiant soldiers in contrast with the lazy and inconsistent
plantation life give sthe South occasion for concern. The
Pioneers of America knew what a dangerous proceeding it
was to let the "Red Skins" get hold of the old Flint Lock
Shotgun, yet the time came when this action was consid¬
ered necessary. So it is and so be it with the Negro mob¬
ilizing question. The government of the United States,
which we sane people believe is somewhat larger in general
importance and conception than the restless South, demands
the aid of the Negro. The government, therefore, recog¬
nizes both the existence and worth of a Negro citizen as
a soldier.
4. But what chiefly disturbs the South is the proba¬
ble effect upon the Negro population of the return of the
men who have served their campaigns.
4-A. The only element in the land south of the Mason
and Dixon line that needs to be disturbed about the re¬
turn of the Negro soldiers who have served their campaigns
in this world war for democracy is the "Negro Baiter."
They are weaklings filled with fear, it being the stronghold
they depended upon in times past. It stands beforie them
in this crisis as a great white spectre rising from the
graveyard of its habitation, a menace to those who cher¬
ished it. Through the propagation of fear the baiter of
the South has accomplished only that thing which naturally
afflicts him now, "the subjugation of his own mind by
fear," the thing he promoted and inflicted on others. The
class of citizen that takes advantage of his brother because
of the fact that his life is constantly jeopardized by a law¬
less mob, is the worst form of a coward.
5. Will the Negro be the same hind of man when he
is mustered out as he was when he was mustered in?
—135—
5-A. This is one occasion where the leper or leopard
will change his spots. The one-time jungle man of Africa
with the narrow strip of material for clothing over the
index central portion of his body, and a spear in his
hand, could not maintain his savage nature after coming
in contact with civilization on Virginia's shore. We could
not expect the Negro of the South to be the same kind pf a
fearful man when he is mustered out of the greatest dis¬
ciplined army in the world. He will be transformed into
an active self-thinking machine, and from the training He
receives will brook no interference from inferiors nor de¬
generates.
6. Will he accept the facts of white supremacy with
the same spirit as formerly?
6-A. In all matters where a people have excelled it
should be in order and quite regular to accept the fact of
their supremacy, but there is a question of propriety in
regard to the claims of many Southerners. In this respect
their advancement seems to have depended on how com¬
plete they could force their system of fear upon the Negro.
The teachings of Christ and of common sense does not even
intimate that "Universal Brotherhood" depends upon
either caste or color. It is a matter of common knowledge
that the Negro was incapacitated, co-erced and constantly
ander duress, because of- the complete extension of the sys¬
tem of fear established in the South. This same kind of
supremacy as has been put forward in the South will not
he accepted very far into the future by the Negro. Ii
inust be a regenerated supremacy coming from a regener¬
ated people along real democracy lines. Force of armSv
:110b law and bonfires will not avail.
7. Or will he have acquired a new sense of independ
—136—
Gnce that will make of him a fomenter of unrest anions
Ms people?
'-■A- If the South will agree to do away with those
xiasty unbrotherly things, which seems to be holding up the
veal democracy civilized people are fighting for, we are cer¬
tain that the new independence which the Negro will have
/ound will be but a strong lever to help further the in¬
terests of common brotherhood. Should the Southern man
refuse to change his attitude toward the new Negro who will
be home from the war, and who expects to follow the peace¬
ful pursuits of life, there will be a swift understanding
through resistance, the like of which cannot now be con¬
ceived. It will not be a question of the Negro being a fo¬
menter of unrest among his people, but on the contrary,
after returning from so great a world's expedition, he will
bend every effort along the lines of democracy to cement
together every ounce of Negro manhood. This will spell
the doom of Southern baiters.
8. There are some indeed who dismiss Southern anxi-
4fty as quite groundless.
8-A. Whether the Southern people need to be anxious
about the coming new order of things is as the Bibl#
quotes: "As hollow brass or a tinkling symbol." One
thing certain is that the "Negro of the Dew Democracy"
will be fully prepared to meet all inconsistencies.
9. The Negro problem, they assert will present the
same aspect after the war as before it, whether Negro sol¬
diers serve in France or not.
9-A. There need be no Negro problem after this great
war is over. The black soldiers of t"he Union will ignore
all attempts of Negro baiters to disturb their earned rela¬
tions and privileges with the United States government
The government we believe of its own volition will put
—137—
these baiters down even if armed resistance is necessary.
No man will be branded on account of his race or color.
The new world democracy will not permit it.
10. But this is to ignore all the teachings of experi¬
ence.
10-A. We believe it would be to ignore all the teach¬
ings of experience if we should assert that the status of the
Negro will not be changed after the war, whether Negro
soldiers serve in France or not. The Negro will know the
value of peace and the strength of an army. His natural
tendency will be to live peaceable unless forced to arms.
11. The South is quite justified in its belief that war
will effect the habit of mind and the behavior of the men
who engage in it.
11-A. The effect of the present war on the habit of
mind and general behavior of all the soldiers will be to
give them a clearer view of what is required of a real man.
No man can imbibe the spirit of loyalty maintained by the
French and English and at the same time retain antiquated
methods which breed prejudice. Both the white and the
black soldier will get a clearer vision of justice.
12. The Russian peasant who has fought in Galicia
is a quite different being from the timid abject creature
who tilled the black land before the war.
12-A. The patience and endurance of the American
Negro through the centuries of toil and misery is without
comparison. Events have proven that no braver soldier
ever lived in any country than the Negro soldier. The Ad¬
jutant General of the United States, in answering a recent
request upon his office for information as to Negro traitors,
says: "This office has no record of a Negro ever being
traitor to the cause of freedom.
—138—
13. Be makes a very restive mount for the lords of
the earth, as his record in the revolution demonstrates.
13-A. - The Negro has been humble, demanding very
little service from the South, but hereafter, by brave and
honorable methods, will demand fair treatment under the
Stars and Stripes within which folds is the full essence of
Negro citizenship.
14. The German peasant too appears to be changing
under the influence of his military experience. The Ger¬
man aristocracy is not so certain as once it was "Hans-
bleibt immer Hans."
14-A. United we stand, divided we fall.
15. Unrest among the masses of the working popu¬
lation of England and France is no remote contingency.
15-A. The working population of France and Eng¬
land and all other Allies of the United States will accept
the Negro at 100 per cent after the war, on account of the
consistent and loyal manner in which the black soldiers of
all races have deported themselves.
16. At all events there are defenders of the existing
order in both countries who express grave concern over
what will happen when the soldiers return to civil life.
16-A. Where democracy reigns there need be no fear
nor grave concern over what will happen when the soldiers
return to civil life. If necessary these victorious men will
teach us that part of sympathy and love and duty toward
one another that should mantain in a well ordered com¬
munity.
17. Insofar as institutions, political and social, are
based upon fear they are likely to be challenged by the re¬
turned soldier.
17-A. Institutions, political or social, based on fear
will not only be challenged but changed by the returned
-139—
soldier. Everything must conform to the new democracy
or else all the thousands of lives of men both black and
white will have been sacrificed in vain.
18. After facing death in its most hideous form on the
field of battle, ivill a manpower before a black look, shrink
from a threatened blowf .
18-A. There is little doubt but what. each soldier
that returns to his country with honor will come back with
the spirit of Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty, or give me
death." Fear will have been dismissed from the archives
of his remembrance and though the odds be against him he
will demand his inalienable rights, '' The extreme privileges
of democracy.
19. If England and France and America are in no
serious danger of political or social disturbance when the
soldiers return this is because the fundamental institutions
of those countries are not founded upon the exploitation
of fear.
19-A. England and France have put but very little
impediment, if any, in the way of the Negro. There were
some few cases of indifference shown in England during a
large religious conference some years ago, in which,
through the agitation of some Anglo American preachers a
Negro bishop was insulted at an English hotel. This is
liable to happen even in the broadest minded community
and is a common thing in the United States. The majority
of the countries that believe in world's democracy will un¬
loosen fastly all those things that are wantonly narrow and
seemingly founded on the exploitation of fear. Such coun¬
tries will be too wise to court social or political disturbances.
The States will democratize themselves and then demand
that all organizations and institutions be democratized.
20. Obedience to the law, except in sporadic instances,
—140—
rests upon a general recognition of social utility, not upon
fear of the police.
20-A. The lawful essence contained in social utility
is fundamentally true, but does not stay put where the mad
mob rules. See record of the operations of Judge Lynch—
4,000 Victims.
21. We leave their possessions to the privileged, not
because they hold the keys to the jail, but because the sys¬
tem that produces them serves the social purpose better
than any other system we have been able to devise.
21-A. Not much lenience can be expected where judge
and jury are in sympathy with and afflicted by the sense
of "Mob Law" the feeling for which was inherited. Jails
are of no use in a community where laws are manufac¬
tured spasmodically, at the time to suit the whims of a
death-dealing mob.
Thousands of cases throughout the South and several
in the North have come to view which prove the inefficiency
of present state laws, and the inconsistency of the timidity
shown in applying federal authority. If the social ex¬
tremity in public affairs of the community included all
classes of upright citizens in its operations and if all per¬
sons were treated on an equal and fair basis there would
be little demand for jails or j&il-keepers. One-sided admin¬
istration of common civil law is responsible for evil con¬
tempt and its accompanying hardships.
22. We may expect that the system will be subjected
to the most severe popular scrutiny after the war.
22-A. In the inequality of justice there is no phase
of democracy. Not one case of indifference of this kind
should %o unquestioned. If, after all the sacrifices in the
world war there still remains communities where disfran¬
chisement and wanton murder are part of authoritative
—141—
civil action, then as far as the Negro is concerned, his new
gained democracy should allow him the privilege of making
the place safe in which to live.
23. We may expect that it will have to undergo many
modifications.
23-A. Among the chief modifications will be the to¬
tal elimination of all "Jim Crowism" or remnants of ac¬
cursed slavery. Henceforth its substitute shall be with
common consent of all the people of the United States—
absolute freedom and full citizenship to every person that
obeys the laws. These laws shall be based on equality and
justice.
24. The government and the employers may be re¬
quired to show cause why they should permit crisis of un¬
employment to arise. Hours of labor, scales of wages,
sanitary and safety arrangements, provisions for disability
and superannuation, may be overhauled.
24-A. The backbone ®f the organizations that have
continually harassed the Negro in the industrial world
must be scraped and toned down. • If the bricklayers of
the North refuse to let the Negro lay brick, he should re¬
fuse to carry the hod. If the carpenter also refuses to
let him ply his trade, then he should refuse to be the
'' mortar'' man. Corporations where machine tools are used
should not confine the Negro to menial work. The way
should be open whereby the Negro could develop his labors
on a higher scale. The Negro positively can be trusted to
discourage strikes or rebellious methods against the corpor¬
ations for which he works. When the labor situation
changes in all 'localities to the extent that no man .shall be
barred from any class of industrial work, then will come
the time when corporations, especially of the North, will
—142—
have broken down a mountain of prejudice and done hu¬
manity a great service.
-25. All this may give rise to some embarrassment to
the lords of the earth and to much murmuring. But in the
long run they will find the new order as satisfactory as
the old.
25-A. Embarrassment may come with the new order
x>f brotherhood, but in the long run all United States citi¬
zens with good red blood in their veins will find it more
satisfactory than the old method of labor vandalism. Let
the white and black be cemented together as of the Red,
White and Blue.
26. They claim title by virtue of service; they cannot
object seriously to a more precise definition of their obliga¬
tion to serve.
26-A. Corporations should include all citizens in their
efforts to meet industrial obligations. Equal privilege be¬
fore the law for all citizens is the master-key for ad¬
vanced civilization.
27. Do the relations between blacks and whites in the
South rest upon mutual service, or does the social system
of the- South rest upon fear.
27-A. The social system of the South as an organiza¬
tion is badly depleted, at times bordering slightly on con¬
spiracy and is a camouflage on mutual service. Where a
race of people, chiefly on account of their color, have to
undergo the result of a raving mob of violators, who give
vent to their spite by murder, there can be no stated mutual
service nor intended social relation. This condition of
things proves these moral and professional cowards. have
builded and rested their social system on fear. On the out¬
skirts of Atlanta, Ga., you will find an institution main¬
tained by Negroes to house the children of members of their
—143—
race who have been lynched or burned to death. The
proper social system and mutual service shall be main¬
tained by the South in that day when its Negroes-rise to the
occasion and with the help of the "New Democracy" install
it. No man can live contented "half slave and half free.
28. Southerners themselves are far from, unanimous
on this point. There is a type of Southerner who swears
that the proper function of the white man is to keep the
fear of God or devil in the ~breast of the black.
28-A. The "Boss" Southerner is a remnant of days
gone by, and is an ever-willing parasite of the cowardly mob.
We might insert the following news item for his benefit:
With the American Army on the Marne, July 17,
1918.—American colored troops are now participating in
the heavy fighting that has been developing since the re¬
newal of the German offensive. This is the first time the
colored men have seen heavy action and they are acquitting
themselves well. The German attack was completely broken
up by artillery fire at the particular point where the Ne¬
groes were in line. The Boches were held in their trenches
at the very outset of their venture and the attack suffered
heavy losses.
29. There is another type of Southerner who con¬
ceives the function of the white man as that of guide and
protector of the black.man.
29-A. It is honorable to be a protector. No man hath
greater love than to lay down his life for his brother. The
type of protector referred to in the South is a possibility,
but in most cases where tests have been made by friends of
the Negro, this protector has turned out to be a presump¬
tuous overseer, who was only a luke-warm opposer of the
mob.
—144—
30. The latter to judge rather by general effects than
by expressed opinions is the prevailing types.
30-A. There are a few penitent men of influence in
some quarters of the South who admonish the radical
Southerner not to be harsh with the Negro. The handwrit¬
ing on the wall in the midst of all this persuasion shows a
dastardly number of lynchings and burnings and also re¬
veals the truth. If the South is not for the Negro as a
flull-fledged, honorable citizen, then the South is against
the Negro.
31. Relations between the races are generally far
more cordial than could possibly be the case if ihe South¬
ern social system ivere based wholly, or even chiefly, upon
fear.
31-A. We do not believe in cringing on the subject.
There is no question about the state of affairs in the South.
There is constant fear and it is mostly on one side. This
may be a revelation, but nevertheless, it is true. The man
being lynched or otherwise murdered has little time to fear
because the operation of the mob is limited and soon he
is a dead one. Losing confidence in the crowd the victim
turns to God for refuge. The murderer with the dastardly
contract on his hands is the one that fears and fears great¬
ly. There is no outward and real heart social system be¬
tween the races in the South, nor can there be as long as
one iota of Jim Crow propaganda is left on the statues
of the states. The fear of reprisal is constant in the South
due to the unbridged chasm of social conditions caused by
Jim Crowism.
32. The Southern white profit by the labor of the
black and he gives service in return.
32-A. It is only too true that for several centuries
the black man gave both service and profits to the South-
—145—
ern taskmaster. This fact, coupled with the great part the
Negro is playing in the establislyng of democracy for the
world, should be the one final argument for the abandon¬
ment of the present conditions in the South for something
more tangible.
33. The Negroes of the South we may well believe are
better off than they would be in a black republic.
33-A. There is no limit to the Negro's possibilities.
Owing to the great mass of Negroes that are constantly be¬
ing trained in political, social and religious science, no man
could venture a correct opinion on the status a black citi¬
zen of the United States would assume if given the reigns
of even a great country like America.
34. It does not follow that they are so well off as they
ought to be. It does not follow that the whites are per¬
forming to the full the obligation they owe.
34-A. Inconsistencies have cost the South hours of
peace and happiness for which those among them that
Would live in a more brotherly fashion must also suffer
accusation.
35. Grant that th& South has done much for the Ne¬
gro; it has not done enough.
35-A. The South should pay pennance so say we all.
There are three classes of obligations overdue which etern¬
ity will* not give up time enough to this generation to pay
back—namely: First—Debt for 240 years slave' labor.
Second—Debt to slave for his ignorance. Third—Immor¬
tal debt to slave women.
36. The Southern white man will have to give more
service in return for his privileges, just as the Prussian
aristocrats—The French and British and American factory
owners will have to give more. This is a necessary conse¬
quence of a war that stirs democracy to its greatest depths.
—146—
36-A. The first real service the Southern white will
be compelled to give after the conscripted soldier citizen
takes his place again in the civil ranks, is to wipe off all
laws of the States that interfere with genuine freedom, ii
is believed this will be done voluntarily in order to escape
the censure of a redeemed world which will then be advo¬
cating "democracy" in every land. No Hunism can exist.
This is a necessary consequence of war that stirs democracy
to its greatest depth.
37. There is much that the South ought to have done
for the Negro that it has not done. It ought to have put
down the temperamental "Negro Baiter," the man who
goes out of his way " to put the Nigger in his place," acting
on a psychology more crude and stupid and brutal than
the worst Prussia can exhibit.
37-A. We admit the, Negro baiter and his Prussian
methods are doomed. The churches of the South have
surely scuttled their holy religion to have withstood this
Hunism all these years without) making a respectable at¬
tempt to crush it.
38. The South ought to have assumed greater re¬
sponsibility for the Negro's civil and economic welfare.
38-A. The world at large believe in the Negro and his
future. As the sun shines it is of a truth that outside of
being permitted to enjoy a peaceful citizenship, the aver¬
age Negro does not ask the South to overtax its nerve as
to his welfare. The centuries have proven that there are
few weaklings among the Negro citizens of the United
States.
39. The best men of the South know that there are
cormorants of sharp business preying upon the Negroes.
They know that the Negro is handicapped when he buys
land and when he sells it; that he is handicapped in every
—147—
legal transaction % that if he is ambitious his road to ad¬
vancement is inhumanly steep and slippery unless he
chances to have the personal protection of a white man of
the best type.
39-A. The South like other portions of so great a
country has men that will not go straight. These supposed
sharpers could hot attempt to carry out their acknowledged
nefarious business on innocent people were it not for the
ever-present reminder the Negro has of a mob that rises
at an opportune time like the ocean tide and sweeps every¬
thing before it. There is no positive protection that can
be offered this victim within the bounds of any state
where these cormorants rule.
40. But the men of the best type have not organized
for the defense of the legitimate interests of the Negro They
intervene in specific cases of injustice, but they leave un¬
touched institutions that make for injustice.
40-A. It is more than an admission to say that the
men of the best type in the South have not organized for
the defensce of the legitimate interest of the Negro. It is
one 'of the crimes upon society due to the fact that this
self-same Negro was kept so busy battling the organized
assaults on every move he made to establish a full citizen¬
ship that his precious moments needed for culture ran from
him like sand through a sieve. He has fulfilled every ob¬
ligation that the South exacted in the form of taxation and
labor. The Negro has proven himself the nobler part of
the South.
41. Conscription of the Negro brings the South face
to face with the necessity of overhauling its scheme of racial
relationships.
41-A. The South has already begun to overhaul its
system of retarding certain classes of true law-abiding, God-
—148—
fearing citizenship. There is no Negro problem except
for the people that permit the Negro baiter to continue
his operations of Jim Crowisms The corporations and
places of business and travel that aid and abet the baiter
by withholding certain common privileges from claseses
they themselves have helped to create must be compelled to
give all men of any creed or color equal service with no
discrimination. The South can consistently ignore the
possible effects the twentieth century returned Negro sol¬
dier will have upon all legal and acknowledged just sys¬
tems that may be in vogue. Instead of bothering about this
state of affairs the South may well afford to put double
energy in the direction of suppressing all laws that con¬
flict with £<American democracy."
42. It is a necessity that many would avoid. They
would be willing to send more of their sons to battle if
their local institutions might remain unchallenged by new
problems. But local institutions cannot go forever un¬
challenged.
42-A. We cannot conceive at this period of recon¬
struction that the Sonuth would wantonly dodge the new
freedom. It would take a mountain of prejudice to sus¬
tain a, position of this kind. If the Southern people are
not finding satisfaction in their present system of affairs,
and if this system is builded on such a flimsy foundation
as to begin wavering over the future of which it knows
not, then we advocates of Universal Brotherhood advise the
South to relinquish its hold on the old way and come out
in the open for a true defined world democracy.
43. Is the South willing to admit that white suprem¬
acy cannot rest on any sounder foundation than fear?
• 43-A. The recognition from influential citizens of the
South that was given the matter of Negro conscription
—149—
brought out discussion from many quarters that tends to
show the fallacy of a system that breeds disfranchisement
and inequality among its home-loving citizens. It also
proves that fear is a poor safety device for partisan citi¬
zenship when confronted with democracy. The most ig¬
norant man that walks will have all semblance of fear
driven from his breast when he will have gone through this
world war.
44. If it can rest on service the problem arising out
of Negro conscription cannot be insoluble.
44-A. The Negro's service to his government in this
world war will awaken within him and the white soldier
as well a desire to enforce honorable citizenship. The
Negro shall take his place in line with the rest of the world's
citizens, and shall traverse England, France, Italy or any
other democratic country with the privilege of a full-fledged
American citizen. It is only on account of the incessant
vitriol attitude of thousands of his own citizens now in his
own country under his own blood bought flag, that he does
not enjoy all the rights and privileges due an ordinary
citizen. These phases of inconsistency will all be shelved in
the near future and out of it all will come a united citi¬
zenship, more beautiful, more holier, more sacred and yet
more mightier than ever compassed the shores of an Amer¬
ica. The Stars and Stripes, our grand and lovely flag, the
greatest flag on earth—the flag wherein the joys, the sor¬
rows, the blood and the loyalty of the Negro is cemented
within its folds, demands a guaranteed democracy for the
world.
—ISO—
CHAPTER VIII.
Extracts of Sayings of Race Heroes.
Negro vs World Democracy.
CHAPTER VIII
EXTRACTS OF SAYINGS BY RACE MEN
The echo from the lives of men like these
brought on the demand for
"A WORLD'S DEMOCRACY"
Dr. W. J. Simmons
(Born June 29, 1849, Charleston, S. C.)
"We quote part of an oration by Dr. Simmons deliv¬
ered at the Lexington Emancipation celebration, January 1,
1887. This great Negro orator said: "The warm blood of
the Negro that haunts the channels of his veins with an¬
cient Egyptian and Ethiopian fires has been tempered in
the climate of the South and reduced to that proportion
which robs it of its sluggishness, subdues it of wild pas¬
sion and holds it by reason, while the trials of the past
have been the friction that brightens the winds that toughen
and the frosts that ripen.
'' No great song, or poem, or book or invention has yet
seen birth south of the 'Mason and Dixon line.' It has
been reserved for us. The only American music was born
on the plantations and wrung from aching hearts as wine
from the luscious grape. It has touched the heart of the
learned and engaged the attention of the scientific musi¬
cian. As the Indian faded in the North before the white
man, so the white man of the South must yield to us with-
—153—
out, however, a bloody conflict. "We shall gather wealthy
learning and manhood, and occupy the land.''
One cannot help but admire this great orator's noble
prophecy. Further on he says: "Here in this New South
the Negro shall shine in the constellation of the nations,
and by His words and deeds hand down to unborn ages
the glittering pages of our history. We shall in some
prominent way mount the ladder of difficulties, scale the
cliff of prejudices and hide our heads among the stars.''
The Great Liberator, Hon Frederick Douglas
(Born in the* year 1817, State of Maryland))
There seems to be little change in the condition of af¬
fairs as far as the South is concerned since the great Na¬
tional Convention was held for colored men in Louisville,
Ky., September 25, 1883, where the Hon. Frederick Doug¬
las said:
"The practical structure of American life is in con¬
vention against us. Human law may know no distinction
between men in respect to rights, but human practice may.
The border men hate the Indians; the Californian; the
Chinaman; the Mohammedan; the Christian and vice versa,
and in spite of a common nature and the equality framed
into law, this hate works injustice, of which each in their
own name and under their own color may complain."
Among other things Mr. Douglas said were: "It is
our lot to live among a people whose laws, traditions and
prejudices have been against us for centuries. To assume
that they are free from these evils, simply because they have
changed their laws, is to assume what is utterly unreason¬
able and contrary to facts.''
The above statements show the people of to-day that
the Hon. Frederick Douglas in his speech of thirty-five
years ago understood thoroughly the one great national
—154—
problem. In support of our contention that there is no
Negro problem we quote a few lines from "The Negro," a
monthly magazine published in Boston, Mass., dated Au¬
gust, 1886, under the head of "Misnomer."
Mr. Douglas wrote as follows:
'' Allow me to say that whfet is called the Negro prob¬
lem is swallowed up by the Caucasian problem.
"The question is whether the white man can ever be
elevated to that plane of justice, humanity and Christian
civilization which will permit Negroes, Indians and China¬
men and other darker colored races to enjoy an equal
in the race of life."
Mr. Douglas proved himself a leader for world de¬
mocracy.
We ask the readers to reflect on the remarks made by
this great man and then decide within yourself for de¬
mocracy's sake whether a person is acting within the plane
of justice, humanity and Christian civilization when we
bar a man from common privilege and justice on account
of race or color.
Crispus ' Attucks
(The New World's Hero of Liberty)
Historians of the race say: "In the Revolutionary
War he led the people and made the attack on March 5,
1770, in Boston Commons.
"He was the first to resist and the first slain. His
patriotism was the declaration of war. It was liberty to
the oppressed; it opened the way to modern civilization
and independence.''
—155—
Toussaint L'Ouverture
(The Negro Soldier, Statesman and Martyr, supposed to
have been born in May, 1743)
"The Negro race cannot be spoken of without mention¬
ing among its great men Toussaint L'Ouverture. He is
perhaps the most eminent ^egro that has ever lived in the
world. Of Toussaint, Hermona, a Spanish General said,
'He was the purest soul God ever put in a body.' "
The inspiration from this martyr's life is a controlling
factor in the bravery displayed in the world war of to-day
by the American Negro.
Major Martin R. Delaney
It is with pride that we take occasion to republish the
wonderful statement of Major Martin R. Delaney, showing
his unflinchable and patriotic character.
In a speech on the Fugitive Slave Act at Allegheny
City, Pa., before some of the leading white men of the
time, he said: '' Honorable Mayor, whatever ideas of lib¬
erty I may have, have been received from reading the lives
of your Revolutionary fathers. I have therein learned that
a man has a right to defend hi% castle with his life, even
unto the taking of life.
'' Sir, my house is my castle; in that castle are none but
my wife and my children, as free as the angels in heaven
and whose liberty is as sacred as the pillars of God.
'1 If any man approaches that house in search of a slave
—I care not who he may be, whether constable or sheriff,
magistrate or even judge of the Supreme Court—nay, let
it be he who sanctioned this act to become a law, sur¬
rounded by his cabinet as his bodyguard, with the Dec¬
laration of Independence waving above his head as his ban¬
ner, and the constitution of his country upon his breast as
—156—
a shield—if he crosses the threshold of my door, and I do
not lay him a lifeless corpse at my feet, I hope the grave
may refuse my body a resting place and righteous heaven
my spirit a home. No! He cannot enter that house and
we both live.
A Patriot's Address
For an interesting, instructive and truthful article by
a genuine American, we refer the reader to an address de¬
livered before the Wisconsin Bar Association, subjct, "The
Negro Question," by Moorfield Storey, June 27, 1918.
This address is reprinted by the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People, No. 70 Fifth Ave.,
New York. Price 10 cents.
Note—On Page 8 of Mr. Storey's address, beginning
with first line you will read as follows: Since 1885 be¬
tween 3,000 and 4,000 cases of lynchings have been report¬
ed, and in only three instances does investigation show that
any lyncher was punished.
Negro Labor Fs. World's Democracy
(Association of Workmen)
Sentiment along with slight experiment in various
Anglo shops have proven that it is expedient to keep certain
classes of men out of the trades in which are included me¬
chanics or semi-mechanics. It is for this reason there will
be little chance for the boys and girls of Negro trade schools
to enter the shops in Northern states in unlimited num¬
bers and receive consideration along these lines.
As to the female portion of the Negro race, we can
safely say they will not be considered as applicable to the
general departments of the shops or the offices.
Negro men folks are more readily used as "waiters"
in company clubhouses, janitors in shop and office build-
—157—
ings, laborers and handy men in only certain parts of the
shops and mills.
As yet, very few Northern business men, if any, have
had enough of the President Lincoln idea impressed into
their heart to permit of hiring Negro sons and daughters
on an equivalent basis, side by side, with the workmen of
this great country or of European nations. Even the de¬
spised Boche is more acceptable on account of his color
than the valiant and true American Negro.
It is because of the fact that we as a people have not
risen to the occasion by preparing ourselves independently
for definite classes of work. We are constrained to believe
and contend that fitness for work backed up by strong am¬
bition to achieve something will yield results beneficial to
any class of people. We are also satisfied that this is the
only cure for the present stagnation of general privilege
to enter into all classes of work in the great industrial coun¬
ties of the North.
Our lack of preparedness along the lines of industry
that is maintained in the northern section of the United
States df America is one of the reasons that argues firmly
against our admittance to the general industrial fold.
The shop owners need not fear invasion into the me¬
chanical fields on our part for the reason that we are almost
totally unprepared. By this statement from a bonafide
Northerner we do not mean to display one word of preju¬
dice nor discredit against our great Negro Southern schools
for we readily admit that these schools have been of invalu¬
able existence and are supreme and first with the Negro
along the lands of industrial work they are teaching.
The world's democracy of to-day will demand Negroes
by the thousands who can answer the roll call as finished
mechanics, electrical engineers, draftsmen, expert machine
—158—
hands of every description and men with enough science
and brain to be able to tear an apparatus of any construc¬
tion down and build it up again. He must be able to
manufacture anything from a needle to a railroad engine.
The fact is, he must be able to master everything movable
or immovable.
This then, is the New Negro, the present world's de¬
mocracy demands.
It is inconsistent for the rank and file of our people
to expect their children to be taken into these shops and
mills and business houses and put alongside of other na¬
tions' children and be taught trades.
Prejudice affords too great a bar. Through certain
organized agencies the bar has been put up to stay and it
will take something of overwhelming gigantic power to
break it down. This "something" is the ability to do the
class of work that is in demand throughout the country.
We cannot expect very much help in the beginning from
any quarter except our own. We must make sacrifices
such as have never been known in the annals of the his¬
tory of any people.
The sacrifices of the Negro which have been made in
the last century, being of a loyal and religious nature, yet
heroic, were to a great degree, small in general mechanical
effort. It is a fact commonly known and acknowledged in
our lodges, societies and churches, that the rank and file of
Negroes have not hardly strained themselves to any appre¬
ciable degree, but have been leaning constantly on the other
race for any great stride or forward movement in the in¬
dustrial world, outside of farming.
Conditions that now exist and from all appearances
will exist a good ways into the future, will not permit of
—159—
handling the industrial trade school idea for our people ex¬
cept as a race establishment.
A review of the conditions that prevail means we must
rededicate our hearts, minds and souls to the new national
purpose which is "A "World's Democracy."
Let us rear up industrial schools where finished me¬
chanics, arts, sciences and its literature can be mastered.
Let each man, woman and child give this subject their
pledged support in a manner which will immediately en¬
hance our financial standing in the world and will put our
boys and girls in a position to lay claim to the coming
"World's Democracy."
"Farming is a good occupation, but it is a silly propo¬
sition to conjure up in our minds, that, because of the fact
that four millions of practically uneducated men and
women in the Southland through compulsion were made to
work at this occupation, their posterity should continue to
do so and shut themselves off from every other avenue of
means for existence or subsistence."
This method if followed would cut us off from the habi¬
tation of all the beautiful cities and towns with their work¬
shops of the world.
The great mass of organized bodies throughout the
country should make a special sacrifice of part of their
financial means and establish a memorial in the form of a
great industrial workshop for our children, thereby giving
them a chance to become masters of the art of all trades
and scientific means that are known to be necessary to com¬
mand a place in the industrial world.
If Negro children are made fit industrially their as¬
sociation will take care of itself. There is less friction with
the money-making business man than with any other man
—160—
providing you are able to produce the thing that is neces¬
sary to the success of his business.
Shop Practice
The large and small colleges of the country are con¬
tinually knocking at the doors of the large corporations
for mutual arrangement to study the trades.
Young men are given the privilege to spend a portion
of their school term in the factories in order to get prac¬
tical knowledge of the subject they are studying.
No college or university can stay disconnected from the
influence of the factory methods if they expect students
to perfect their trade or profession.
Any college can enter into working agreements with
companies wherever situatd by appealing for machines and
machine tools and material. The places of learning thereby
puts unlimited means in the hands of its students to get
practical knowledge through the machining and assembling
of different parts of apparatus.
A reciprocal arrangement of this kind will be of im¬
mediate benefit to both the corporation and the college,
namely: The corporation receiving the benefit of the stu¬
dents'labor while the knowledge of machine shop practice
is being disseminated to the student.
If the right amount of interest is shown by our young
men and women, it will not take us long to make ourselves
known through the work we will perform. The industrial
phase of cities along many lines will then undergo a change.
Our Negro boys and girls are as strong physically and
as bright intellectually as any other workers in the districts.
It is for this reason we maintain our ability to produce an
equal amount of labor of any description in as short a
time as the ordinary shop hands.
—161—
There is no legal reason why our young people should
be excluded from the mechanical part of the industrial
activity of the great workshops of the world.
When giter a fair trial we have demonstrated that our
labor is a success, it will be universally recognized in all
lines and we will receive all the assistance necessary to the
success of a first-class trade school to be run for the benefit
of our children.
—162—
CHAPTER IX.
War Diary.
Retrospection.
CHAPTER IX
War Diary for 1917
January 10—Allies announce their peace terms are re¬
paration, restitution and future security.
January 22—President Wilson addresses Senate on
peace terms.
January 31—Germany declares indiscriminate subma¬
rine warfare on neutral as well as enemy shipping.
February 3—America breaks diplomatic relations with
Germany.
February 4—Germany announces release of American
prisoners captured by German raiders.
February 7—British admiralty announces first week's
total of vessels indiscriminately sunk by Gjerman subma¬
rines as British, 21; other belligerents, 4; American, 1;
other neutrals, 19; total tonnage, 86,344.
February 26—British recapture Kut-el-Amara.
February 27—Cunard liser Laconia submarined with
loss of American lives.
• February 28—German conspiracy to involve Mexico
and Japan in war against America, revealed.
March 11—British capture Bagdad.
Marchl2—Czar suspends sittings of the Duma.
March 13—Germans abandon their main defenses west
of Bapaume.
March 14—Russian revolution begins.
-165—
March 15—Czar Nicholas abdicates.
March 17—British capture Bapaume and advance
along 14-mile front; French advance along 15-mile front.
Fourteen villages occupied by Allied troops.
March 18—Germans begin to retire along 85-mile front
between Arras and Soissons.
March 20—German retirement halts on the Hinden-
burg line.
March 22—America is first foreign government to for¬
mally recognize the new revolutionary government of
Russia.
April 2—President Wilson asks Congress to declare
war on Germany.
April 6—America declares war on Germany.
April 7—Cuba follows America in declaring war on
Germany.
April 9—Austro-Hungary severs diplomatic relations
with America.
April 10—British continue their Arras offensive, tak¬
ing a total of 10,000 prisoners.
April 16—French offensive on 25-mile front between
Soissons and Rheims captures German first-line and 10,-
000 prisoners.
April 20—French offensive ends with capture of total
of 20,000 prisoners. •
April 20—Turkey severs diplomatic relations with
America.,
April 21—British Foreign Minister Balfour and other
members of British Mission arrive in America.
April 21—French government announces between
April 8-20, Anglo-French offensives captured 33,000 pris¬
oners and 330 guns.
—166—
April 24—Marshal Joffre and other members of French
Mission arrive in America.
April 28—Congress passes selective draft bill.
May 4—American destroyers arrive in British waters
for war duty.
May 5—French develop an offensive east of Soissons,
taking 6,000 prisoners.
May 13—Gen. Korniloff commanding Petrograd garri¬
sons resigns because of growing difficulty of maintaining
discipline.
May 16—Prof. Minlykoff resigns as Russian Foreign
Minister.
May 24—Italians break Teutonic lines on six-mile
front at Castagnavizza, taking 9,000 prisoners.
May 28—Italian offensive ends, with total of 24,000
prisoners captured.
June 3—Boot Mission arrives in Russia.
June 8—Gen. Pershing .arrives in London.
June 12—Gen. Pershing arrives in London.
June 13—Gen. Pershing arrives in Paris.
June 26—First American troops land in France.
July 1—Russians begin offensive in Galicia under War
Minister Kerensky, capturing 10,000 prisoners.
July 10—Russians capture Halicz, key to Lemberg.
July 14—George Michaelis becomes chancellor of Ger¬
many.
July 18—Austro-Geraans start counter offensive
against Russia in Fallcia.
july 20—Russian Premier, Prince Lyoff, resigns and
is succeeded by Kerensky.
July 26—Russian general staff admits revolutionary
demoralization in Russian Army.
—167—
July 27—Russians evacuate Czernowitz, capital of
Bukowina.
July 31—Anglo-French offensive on 20-mile front be- ,
tween Warneton and Dixmude, resulting in capture of
5,000 prisoners.
August 13—America, England, France and Italy
agree to refuse permission for delegates to attend Socialist
Peace Conference at Stockholm.
August 15—Pope appeals to belligerents for peace.
August 21—Italians begin new Isonzo offensive.
August 22—Italians announce capture of 16,000 pris¬
oners along Isonzo.
August 29—President "Wilson answers Pope's peace
plea.
September 3—Germans capture Riga.
September 7—Italians announce capture of 20,000
prisoners along Isonzo.
September 8—State Department reveals German min¬
ister to Argentina's telegram to Berlin urging sinking of
Argentine ships "Spurios Versenkt" (without trace.)
September 9—Gen. Korniloff removed as Russian com¬
mander-in-chief for demanding Kerensky's retirement.
September 10—Gen. Korniloff starts counter-revolu¬
tion.
September 13—Korniloff revolt crushed.
September 21—State Department reveals Bernstorff
sent telegram to Berlin last January requesting $50,000 to
influence Congress.
September 29—Bolo Pasha arrested in Paris.
September 30—Viscount Ishii announces recognition
of open door and American trade rights in China.
October 3—British government announces it will be¬
gin reprisals for German air raids over England.
—168—
October 4—British develop an offensive east of Ypres,
taking 5,000 prisoners.
October 10—Announcement of mutiny in German fleet
at Wilhelmshaven.
October 13—German naval forces capture Riga Bay
Islands.
October 20—French make first capture of Zeppelin of
the war.
October 23—French in offensive north of Aisne capture
8,000 prisoners.
October 24—Austro-German offensive against Italy be¬
gins.
October 25—French Aisne offensive resumed with cap¬
ture of 2,000 more prisoners.
October 25—Germans retire 25 miles in Riga sector.
October 26—Brazil declares war on Germany.
October 26—Italian ministry resigns.
October 27—First announcement of American troops
occupying first-line trenches in France.
October 28—Austro-German offensive reaches Italian
plains after capture of 100,000 prisoners.
October 30—Count von Hertling becomes chancellor of
Germany.
November 1—Anglo-French reinforcements rea,eh
Italian front.
November 1—Kerensky announces Russia is worn out
by war strain.
November 2—Germans abandon first-line positions
north of Aisne.
November 3—First American prisoners of war cap¬
tured by Germans along Rhine-Marne Canal, near Lorraine
border, after trench raid.
—169—
November 7—Bolsheviki revolt breaks out in Petro-
grad.
November 9—Italian retreat finally halted at Piave
line, after loss of over 200,000 prisoners and 2,000 guns.
November 9-—Bolsheviki government declares in favor
of immediate peace.
November 12—Kerensky's followers defeated in battle
with Bolsheviki troops on outskirts of Petrograd.
November 12—Lloyd George makes speech in Paris at¬
tacking Allies "too late" policies and urging unity of
command.
November 16—Lord Northcliffe warns England if
bungling doesn't end, America will take over management
of great part of war.
November 16—Clemenceau becomes premier of France.
November 18—British capture Jaffa.
November 21—British break Hindenburg line taking
10,000 prisoners and forcing Germans back three to six
miles.
November 28—Bolsheviki government begins armistice
negotiations with Germany.
November 29—Inter-Allied conference opens in Paris.
November 30—Lord Lansdowne declares in favor of
restatement of Allies' war aims and negotiated peace.
December 1—Unarmed American engineers make gal¬
lant fight when surprised by German attack near Couzeau-
court.
December 3—British occupy all of German East Afri¬
ca, making loss of Germany's colonial empire complete.
December 4—President Wilson announces America's;
war aims.
—170—
December 6—Russo-German armistice announced.
December 7-—America declares war on Austro-
Hungary.
December 8—rGenerals Kaledines and Korniloff begin
Russian counter-revolution with aid of Cossacks.
December 8—Rumania agrees to armistice with Ger¬
mans.
December 10—British capture Jerusalem.
YEAR 1918
/
Gen. John J. Pershing's Report to Umted States
Government
Commander gives details of American drive that
crushed enemy's hopes. Tribute paid army. Review cov¬
ers operations from landing in France to signing of armis¬
tice. Given out by Secretary of War Baker.
Washington, December 4,1918—(Associated Press)—
Gen. John J. Pershing's account of his stewardship as com¬
mander of the American Expeditionary Forces was given
to the public today by Secretary of War Baker. It is in
the form of a preliminary report to the Secretary, covering
operations up to November 20, after the German collapse.
It closes with these words from the leader of the great army
in France, expressing his feeling for those who served un¬
der him:
'' I pay the supreme tribute to our officers and soldiers
of the line. When I think of their heroism, their patience
under hardships, their unflinching spirit of offensive action,
—171—
I am filled with emotion which I am unable to express.
Their deeds are immortal, and they have earned the eternal
gratitude of our country."
Twenty-Eighth Division Commended
Gen. Pershing especially mentions the work of the
Twenty-eighth Division, including troops from Pittsburgh
and Western Pennsylvania.
"On the right flank of the offensive July 15, in the
line east of Rheims four companies of the Twenty-eighth
were in position in face of the advancing waves of German
infantry," the report says in one place.
Touching the movement toward Soissons, Gen. Per¬
shing, after discussing brilliant and successful fighting by
other divisions, says:
"Meanwhile, the Forty-second was relieved by the
Fourth at Cherry-Chartreuve and the Thirty-second by the
Twenty-eighth."
Discussing the magnificent work done when an unex¬
pected and brilliant offensive against the "best German di¬
visions" on the Meuse-Argonne line was successfully nego¬
tiated a great tactical victory being won, the report says:
"The first corps (in order of battle) from Vauqois to
Yienne Lechateau, with the Thirty-fifth, Twenty-eighth
and Seventy-seventh Divisions in line, ^nd the Ninety-
second Corps in reserve. The army reserve consisted of
the First, Twenty-ninth and Eighty-second Divisions. On
the night of September 25 our troops quietly took the place
of the French, who thinly held the line of this sector, which
had long been inactive. In the attack which began on the
twenty-sixth we drove through the barbed wire entangle-
—172—
meats and the sea of shell craters across No Man's Land,
mastering all first-line defenses."
Work of Engineers Praised
After recounting the victories won, the taking of 10,-
000 prisoners, the forcing of the enemy into the open, Gen.
Pershing says: "In the chill rain of dark nights our en¬
gineers had to build new roads across spongy, shell-torn
areas, repair broken roads beyond No Man's Land and
build bridges. Our gunners, with no thought of sleep, put
their shoulders to wheels and drag ropes to bring their
guns through the mire in support of the infantry, now
under the increasing fire of the enemy's artillery.
"From September 28 until October 4 we maintained
the offensive against patches of woods defended by snipers
and continuous lines of machine guns and transport, seiz¬
ing strategical points in preparation for further attacks."
Gen. Pershing, referring to the fact that 40 divisions
in all had been used against the enemy in the Meuse-
Argonne battle, and that between September 26 and No¬
vember 6, 26,059 prisoners and 468 guns were taken in this
front, mentions the divisions, including the Twenty-eighth
and says:
^ "Many of our divisions remained in line for a length
of time that required nerves of steel, while others were sent
in again after only a few days of rest. Although some of
the divisions were fighting their first battle, they soon be¬
came equal to the best."
Units in Twenty-eighth Division
The Twenty-eighth includes the Pennsylvania National
Guard organizations, the One Hundred and Eleventh Regi-
—173—
ment, made up of the old Eighteenth and the Sixth, the
latter from the eastern part of the state; the One Hundred
and Twelfth, made up of the old Sixteenth and the Eighth,
the latter from the east, the One Hundred and Tenth,
made up of the old Tenth, and the Third, the latter from
the East, and the One Hundred and Ninth, from the eastern
section of the state.
Gen. Pershing views the encounters before March 21
of this year, in which American troops participated, as a
part of their training, and dismisses them briefly. On that
day, however, the great German, offensive was launched and'
crucial situation quickly developed in the Allied lines which
called for prompt use of the four American divisions that
were at that time "equal to any demands" of battle
action.''
The first crises of the German drive had been reached
in Picardy.. Of this Gen. Pershing says:
"The crises which this offensive developed was such
that our occupation of an American sector must be post¬
poned. On March 28, I placed at the disposal of Marshal
Foch, who had been agreed upon as commander-in-chief
of the Allied armies, all of our forces to be used as he might
decide. At his request the First Division was transferred
from the Toul sector to a position in reserve at Chaumont
en Yexin.
'' As German superiority in numbers required prompt
action an, agreement was reached at the Abbeville confer¬
ence of the Allied premiers and commanders and myself,
on May 2, by which British shipping was to transport ten
American divisions to the British Army area, where they
were to be trained and equipped, and additional British
shipping was to be provided for as many divisions as pos¬
sible for use elsewhere.
—174—
'' On April 26 the First Division had gone into the line
in the Montdidier salient on the Picardy battlefront. Tac¬
tics had been suddenly revolutionized to those of open war¬
fare, and our men, confident of the results of their training,
were eager for the test. On the morning of May 28 this
division in its front, taking with splendid dash the town of
Cantigny and all other objectives, which were organized
and held steadfastly against vicious counter-attacks and
galling artillery fire. Although local, this brilliant action
had an electrical effect, as it demonstrated our fighting
qualities under extreme battle conditions, and also that the
enemy's troops were not altogether invincible."
There followed immediately the German thrust across
the Aisne toward Paris. Of this Gen. Pershing says:
"The Allies faced a crisis equally as grave as that of
the Picardy offensive in March. Again every available man
was placed at Marshal Foch's disposal, and the Third Di¬
vision, which had just come from its preliminary training in
the trenches was hurried to the Marne. Its motorized ma¬
chine gun battalion preceded the other units and success¬
fully held the bridge-head at the Marne, opposite Chateau-
Thierry. The Second Division, in reserve near Montdidier,
was sent by motor trucks and other available transport to
check the progress of the. enemy toward Paris. The di¬
vision attacked and retook the town and railroad station at
Bouresches and sturdily held its ground against the ene¬
my's best guard divisions.
Prove Their Superiority
"In the battle of Belleau Wood, which followed, our
men proved their superiority and gained a strong tactical
position, with far greater loss to the enemy than to our-
—175—
selves. On July 1, before the Second was relieved, it cap¬
tured the village of Vaux with most splendid precision.
" Meanwhile, our Second Corps, under Maj .-Gen. Geo.
W. Read, had been organized for the command of our di¬
visions with the British, which were held back in training
areas or assigned to second-line defenses. Five of the ten
divisions were withdrawn from the British area in June,
three to relieve divisions in Lorraine and the Vosges, and
two to the Paris area to join the group of American di¬
visions which stood between the city and any farther ad¬
vance of the enemy in that direction."
By that time the great tide of American troops move¬
ments to France was in full swing and the older divisions
could be used freely. The Forty-second, in line east of
Rheims, faced the German assault of July 15 and "held
their ground unflinchingly;" on the right flank four com¬
panies of the Twenty-eighth Division faced "advancing
waves of German infantry," and the Third Division held
the Marne line opposite Chateau-Thierry against powerful
artillery and infantry attack. "A single regiment of the
Third wrote one of the most brilliant pages in our military
annals on this occasion," Gen. Pershing says. "It pre¬
vented the crossing at certain points on its front while, on
either flank, the Germans who had gained a footing pressed
forward. Our men, firing in three directions, met the Ger¬
man attacks with counter-attacks at critical points and suc¬
ceeded in throwing two German divisions into complete
confusion, capturing 600 prisoners."
Stage Set for Drive
Thus was the stage set for the counter-offensive which,
beginning with the smashing of the enemy's Marne salient,
—176—
brought overwhelming victory to the Allies and the United
States in the eventful months that have followed.. The in¬
timation is strong that Gen. Pershing's advice helped Mar¬
shal Foch to reach his decision to strike.
Gen. Pershing continues: "The great force of the
German Chateau-Thierry offensive established the deep
Marne salient, but the enemy was taking chances, and the
vulnerability of this pocket to attack might be turned to
his disadvantage. Seizing this opportunity to support my
conviction, every division with any sort of training was
made available for use in a counter-offensive. The place
of honor in the thrust toward Soissons on July 18 was
given to our First and Second Divisions, in company with
chosen French divisions.
"Without the usual brief warning of a preliminary
bombardment the massed French and American artillery,
firing by the map, laid down its rolling barrage at dawn
while the infantry began its charge. The tactical handling
of our troops under these trying conditions was excellent
throughout the action. The enemy brought up large num¬
bers of reserves and made a stubborn defense, both with ma¬
chine guns and artillery, but through five days' fighting
the First Division continued to advance until it had gained
the heights above Soissons and captured the village of
Berzy-le-sec. The Second Division took Beau Repaire farm
and Vierzy in a very rapid advance and reached a position
in front of Tigny at the end of its second day. These two
divisions captured 7,000 prisoners and over 100 pieces of
artillery."
Twenty-eighth Praised
The report describes in some detail the work of com
pleting the reduction of the salient, mentioning the oper-
—177—
ations of the Twenty-sixth, Third, Fourth, Forty-second,
Thirty-second and Twenty-eighth Divisions. "With the sit¬
uation on the Marne front thus relieved, Gen. Pershing
writes, he could turn to the organization of the First Amer¬
ican Army and the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient, long
planned as the initial purely American enterprise. A troop
concentration, aided by generous contributions of artillery
and air units by the French, began involving the movement
mostly at night, of 600,000 men. A sector reaching from
Port sur Seille, east of the Moselle, westward through St.
Mihiel to Yerdun and later enlarged to carry it to the edge
of the forest of Argonne, was taken over, the Second Co¬
lonial French holding the tip of the salient opposite St.
Mihiel. and the French Seventeenth Corps on the heights
above Verdun being transferred to Gen. Pershing's com¬
mand. M
The combined French, British and American air forces
mobilized for the battle, the report says, was the largest
aviation assembly ever engaged on the Western front up to
that time in a single operation.
Of the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient, Gen. Per¬
shing says:
"After four hours' artillery preparation the seven
American divisions in the front line advanced at 5 A. M.
on September 12, assisted by a limited number of tanks
manned partly by Americans and partly by the French.
These divisions, accompanied by groups of wire cutters and
others armed with bangalore torpedoes, went through the
successive bands of barbed wire that protected the enemy's
front line and support trenches, in irresistible waves on
schedule time, breaking down all defense of an enemy de¬
moralized by the great volume of our artillery fire and our
sudden approach out of the fog."
—178—<
Repulse Counter-Attach
"Our First Corps advanced to Thiaueourt, while our
Fourth Corps curved back to the southwest through Non-
sard. The Second Colonial French Corps made the slight
advances required of it on very difficult ground, and the
Fifth Corps took its three ridges and repulsed a counter¬
attack. A rapid march brought reserve regiments of a di¬
vision of the Fifth Corps into Migneulles in the early morn¬
ing, where it linked up with patrols of our Fourth Corps,
closing the salient and forming a new line west of Thiau¬
eourt to Migneulles and beyond Fresnes-en-Woevre.
"At the cost of only 7,000 casualties, mostly light, we
had taken 16,000 prisoners and 443 guns, a great quantity
of material, released the inhabitants of many villages from
enemy domination, and established our line in a position
to threaten Metz.
"The signal success of the American First Army in
its lirst offensive was of prime importance. The Allies
found they had a formidable army to aid them, and the
enemy learned finally that he had one to reckon with."
The report shows for the first time officially that with
this brilliantly executed coup, Gen. Pershing's men had
cleared the way for the great effort of the Allies and Amer¬
ican forces to win a conclusive victory. The American
Army moved at once toward its crowning achievement, the
Battle of the Meuse.
Tell Dramatic Story
The General tells a dramatic story of this mighty bat¬
tle in three distinct phrases, beginning on the night of
September 27, when Americans quickly took the places of
the French on the thinly held line of this long quiet sector.
—179—
The attack opened on September 26 and the Americans
drove through entanglements, across No Man's Land to
take all the enemy's first-line positions.
Closing the chapter, Gen. Pershing says:
'4 On November 6 a division of the First Corps reached
a point on the Meuse opposite Sedan, 25 miles from our line
of departure. The strategic goal which was our highest
hope was gained. We had cut the enemy's main line of
communications, and nothing but surrender or an armistice
could save his army from complete disaster.
"In all 40 enemy divisions had been used against us
in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Between September 26 and
November 6 we took 26,059 prisoners and 468 guns on this
front. Our divisions engaged were the First, Second,
Third, Fourth, Fifth, Twenty-sixth, Twenty-eighth, Twen¬
ty-ninth, Thirty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-
seventh, Forty-second, Seventy-seventh, Eightieth, Eighty-
second, Eighty-ninth, Ninetieth and Ninety-first. Many of
our divisions remained in line for a length of time that
required nerves of steel, while others were sent in again
after only a few days' rest. The First, Fifth, Twenty-
sixth, Forty-second, Seventy-seventh, Eightieth, Eighty-
ninth and Ninetieth were in the line twice. Although some
of the divisions were fighting their first battle, they soon
became equal to the best.''
Forty Divisions in Action
The Commander-in-Chief does not lose sight of the di¬
visions operating with French or British armies during this
time. He tells of the work of the Second Corps, comprising
the Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth Divisions, in the British
assault on the Hindenburg line where the St. Quentin Canal
-180-
Passes through a tunnel; of how the Second and Thirty-
sixth Divisions got their chance in October by being as¬
signed to aid the French in the drive from Rheims, and of
the splendid fighting of the Thirty-seventh and Ninety-first
Divisions sent to join the French Army in Belgium.
Of the total strength of the expeditionary force, Gen.
Pershing reports:
'' There are in Europe altogether, including a regiment
and some sanitary units with the Italian Army and the or¬
ganizations at Murmansk, also including those en route from
the States, approximately 2,053,347 men, less our losses. Of
this total there are in France 1,338,169 combatant troops.
Forty divisions have arrived, of which the infantry per¬
sonnel of ten have been used as replacements, leaving 30
divisions now in France organized into three armies of three
corps each."
Of their equipment he says: '' Our entry into the war
found us with few of the auxiliaries necessary for its con¬
duct in the modern sense. Among our most important de¬
ficiencies in material were artillery, aviation and tanks. In
order to meet our requirements as rapidly as possible, we
accepted the offer of the French government to provide us
with the necessary artillery equipment of 75s, 155 milli¬
meter howitzers, and 155 G. P. F. guns from their own fac¬
tories for 30 divisions. The wisdom of this course is fully
demonstrated by the fact that, although we soon began the
manufacture of these classes of guns at home, there were
no guns of the calibers mentioned manufactured in America
on our front at the date the armistice was signed. The
only guns of these types produced at home thus far received
in Franee are 109 75-millimeter guns.
—181—
French Come to Aid
"In aviation we were in the same situation, and here,
again, the French government came to our aid until our
own aviation program should be under way. We obtained
from the French the necessary planes for training our per¬
sonnel, and they have provided us with a total of 2,676
pursuit, observation and bombing planes. The first air¬
planes received from home arrived in May, and altogether
we have received 1,379. The first American squadron com¬
pletely equipped by American production, including air¬
planes, crossed the German lines on August 7,1918. As to
tanks, we were also compelled to rely upon the French.
Here, however, we were less fortunate, for the rason that
the French production could barely meet the requirements
of their own armies.
'' It should be fully realized that the French government
has always taken a most liberal attitude and has been most
anxious to give us every possible assistance in meeting our
deficiencies in these as well as in other respects. Our de¬
pendence upon France for artillery, aviation and tanks was,
of course, due to the fact that our industries had not been
exclusively devoted to military production. All creidt is
due our own manufacturers, as at the time the armistice
was signed we were able to look forward to the early sup¬
ply of practically all our necessities from our own fac¬
tories. ''
Negro Soldiers to Parade Here Friday
Pittsburgh, Pa., March 7, 1919.—Mayor Babcock
upon his return to the city this morning, issued the at¬
tached proclamation:
—182—
On Friday morning of this week Pittsburgh will have
the privilege of welcoming home from overseas a part of
the Three Hundred and Fifty-first Artillery Regiment,
composed of colored troops. These will be the first Pitts¬
burgh soldiers to arrive here as a unit. Our reception to
them, therefore, must leave no doubt as to our attitude
toward those who fought our battles for us. Our greeting
must be hearty and sincere.
When President Wilson issued his appeal, calling upon
the people in these United States to rally to the support of
£ ' Old Glory,'' there was a noble response. None was more
spontaneous than that from the colored people of this
nation.
Without the slightest hesitation they sprang to the de¬
fense of civilization. They were ready; they were zealous;
indeed, they were delighted to be accorded the privilege of
bearing arms in behalf of a new birth of freedom. By their
deeds they have written their names in golden letters in
history.
Now we will have an opportunity to show that our pro¬
fessions of love and regard for our fighting men were utter¬
ed with a sincere heart. Here is an occasion upon which
we can square our deeds with our words.
Let Pittsburgh put on her gala dress for this epochal
event with flags unfurled and banners flying.
Let music swell the air.
Let bells ring and whistles sound.
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Let all organizations that can do so join in the parade.
All as an outward and visible sign of our inward feel¬
ings of gratitude to and pride in thede stalwart crusaders
in the cause of liberty.
Those who bare arms for us were first in war. In
peace let us show them they are still first in the hearts of
their fellow citizens.
Retrospection
Like the Dolomites in Carinthian Alps or Southern
Tyrol where by a constant dropping of water that seemed
to carry with it earthly substance, great pyramids or
mountains of limestone are raised to view, so it will be and
has been with the oppressed who are compelled to undergo
the constant hammering of the races.
Though often in sore distress and inconvenience, the
time is fast approaching when like this Switzerland won¬
der, they shall rear up their heads in giant-like strength
from what was once an inconsiderate negligible quantity.
They shall tower high in purity and admiration in full
view of the many races of the earth.
"What mortal is greater than the God upon whom one
depends for their very existence?"
The lesson of the Dolomites in the Alps teaches us the
art of building a tower of strength by cementing .together
our mites.
We may have but little to offer, yet how quickly it
would rear itse]f to view if we as a race keep adding our
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mites in some centralized effort and make it a power of
good for our United States government. The birth of this
New Nation brought with it its inconsistencies as well as
its fields of learning.
The crude state of this country during General Wash¬
ington's time, when boundary lines were as flexible as gum
bands and when the poor slave toiled in fields throughout
the wilds of the country to help defend the homes of set¬
tlers, did not bring the coveted freedom to all the brave
souls. One would have thought that after passing through
so many battles behind log forts against Indians and white
traitors to the settlers, often giving up their lives out in
the grain fields, that this crucible of trials would have so
cleansed the minds and hearts of the Pioneers, all prejudis-
tical tendencies toward their black brother would have been
forever blotted out. It seems as though the God of heav¬
ens had a more severe crucible to put the slave through be¬
fore his mind would be refined enough to understand free¬
dom's call.
The Negro by undergoing the front-line defense from
the day of the landing; at Jamestown, Va., until the call
of President Wilson in 1917, has had a substance of mate¬
rial worth hammered into his career.
This experience, reaching its zenith in the twentieth
century, will be a revelation for the retrospection of all
those whose blood trailed back through all these precarious
times.
Like the Dolomite, the slave has been centuries reach¬
ing the crowning point of his trials. The time is here when
all people are compelled to recognize the fact of his free¬
dom and truly earned American citizenship.
The End.