The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-20
PRESIDENT INSISTS
ON HIS ORDERS
Negro Soldiers Involved in
Brownsville Affair Must
Be Driven From Service
APPEALS IN VAIN
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.
NEW YORK, Nov. .19.-Despite wide
spread criticism. many appeals for
mercy and a formidable movement ex-
tending throughout the country to OBJ
tain modification, President Roosevelt
has positively refused to change or
suspend his order dismissing bat
TALON of negro troops of the Twenty
fifth Infantry from the service without
honor and regard to civil disabilities.
Meanwhile, Secretary of War Taft
has been induced to suspend the order
pending further advices from President
Roosevelt, who has been communicated
with on the subject. This statement
was made in the War Department to-
night.
The matter was laid before the Pres
ident during his visit to Panama, but
his attitude remained unchanged. Col
lier's Weekly dispatched the following
appeal through its correspondent with
the Presidential party:
Frederick Palmer, care Presidential
Party, Ancon. Panama, Canal Zone;
Discharge of veteran colored SOL
diers, Twenty-fifth Infantry, causing
widespread discussion. Pathetic scenes
at disarmament. Many innocent lose
rewards of life service, and seems pity
action taken in Presidents absence.
VIII he not suspend action until re-
turn? GOLFERS"
The following reply was received:
Golfers, New York: The Presi-
dents. views are clear and unchanged.
The troops struck at the very heart Of
military justice and discipline. Had
white troops done the same thing they
would have suffered the same penalty.
BE the offenders black or white, the
President proposes to combat race an
tagonism. There can be no amelioration
of the penalty until the men concerned
show their sense of duty as citizens and
soldiers by giving up the offenders to
justice. FREDERICK PALMER"
WASHINGTON. Nov. 19.-Secretary
Taft tonight ordered temporary suspen-
sion of the execution of the order of
President Roosevelt directing that the
battalion of the Twenty-fif (negro)
Infantry be discharged without honor
for refusing to divulge the identity of
the negro who killed a white man and
wounded another at Brownsville, Tex.
Secretary Taft has cabled President
Roosevelt, who is now on his way from
Panama, inquiring If his order shall be
carried out in view of the Introduction
Of a resolution of the Republican
demning as unjust the order of Pres
ident Roosevelt and calling on him to
rescind it.
In addition to this the War Depart
ment has been deluged with protests
from every section of the country con-
demning the action of the President
and demanding that he give the negro
soldiers just treatment and not dis
charge without honor men who are adj
mitted to be innocent of crime or mis-
demeanor. In addition to these pro-
tests the ministers throughout the
country have condemned the President
These protests had great effect at the
War Department. Secretary Taft, who
is a lawyer and man Of judicial tenn
permanent, does not believe that these
negro soldiers have been givon a square
deal, and 1t was through his action
that the order of the President has
been held up. President Roosevelt has
not yet responded to the request of
Secretary Taft, and until some instruc-
tions are received the negro battalion
will remain in the service.