The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-08-12
Negroes Not Wanted in the Enlisted
Naval Service.
THEY WON'T BE RECRUITED.
The Blacks Make Good Enough
Sailors, but the White Men
Object to Their Presence
I'm the Forccastle.

The negro, as part OF the enlisted
force of the United States navy, is to
be eliminated. Hereafter it is to be
the policy Of the recruiting. agencies
OF the navy to discourage the enlist
ment of black men for service on
American war vessels. A system OF
elimination is to be inaugurated, and,
while it is to be put into operation
gradually, 1t will eventually weed out
every negro serving before the mast,
and the enlisted force OF the navy will
be composed exclusively Of white men.
Officers OF the navy are not willing
now TO discuss the subject, for fear OF
raising protests and criticism, but it,
is believed the idea of a white navy is
to be realized, notwithstanding any
criticism that may be made.
AT present there are about 30, 600
enlisted mon In the navy. 1t is eSti-
mated that about 500 of these men
are black. 1t is probable that only IA
few enlistments Of negroes will be
made during the next three or four
years, and as soon as the terms OF
those now serving expire they will be
oiiO"'t w S'. huo Illc
leaving the service will be greater
than those entering it, and in time
all the negroes will disappear.
1t is alleged that the white men in
the navy are dissatisfied over the pres
ent practice OF enlisting negroes free
ly, and are constantly i'm astate of
discomfort by reason OF unavoidable
association with the blacks ON ship
board. A striking illustrator The
feeling OF the white sailors AGAINST
the blacks was furnished few days
ago, when at Northern port the
white men OF an American naval ves-
sci committed series of assaults on
negroes serving on the same craft.
Both parties were on shore leave, and
the Whites, coming in contact with
the blacks, beat hammered them
until the negroes were Obliged to seek
refuge on board the ship, Where they
were under the protection Jf the COM
misSioned officers.
The white enlisted men object
especially to being obliged to mess
with the negroes on board ship. They
also object to other forms OF the SER
vice which compel them to regard the
negroes as their equals in every re-
spect. From time to time there have
been grumblings and evidences of dis
content, and officers OF the service
have come to the conclusion that il
would be in the interest OF good Or
der and diSciplines on board ship and
on shore to organize white navy and
allow the blacks TO disappear from
the service.
1t is not denied that in many cases
the negroes who enter the navy make
good sailors. Their work i'm ordinary
capacities, TO which they are assigned,
is compared favorably with that OF the
white men with whom they associate,
and from a strictly military stand
point there is very little complaint
against their conduct. But the white
men serving with the negroes assert
that they Will force the blacks out OF
the service, and, Judging from what
! is To occur in the system OF enlist
ments, they have already gained their
point.
There are about 5, 900 enlisted ne
groeS in the army, but conditions in
the army and navy are not alike. In
the army the negroes do not serve in
the same regiments as the whites.
They have organizations of their own
in the infantry and cavalry Thus,
while fighting in battle side by side
with the whites. they live, while in
barracks and in camp, apart and
among themselves. There is no op-
portunity for social equality and no
complaint has been made in the army.
The question has been occupying
the attention OF naval officials for
some time. No formal order has gone
forth for the elimination Of the negro
from the service, but the understand
ing is clear among the officials. The
department wants lilly white"
navy, and it is to secure one.