Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-03-07
THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMIT
TEE.

THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMIT
TEE.
20 judgment, thou art fed to brut-
ish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.
Shakespeare.
The report Of the Committee on
Military Affairs of the United States
Senate viii no doubt stand forth as
one of the most remarkable produc-
tions that has ever graced the Official
archives Of the upper branch of the
Congress of the United States. 1t
expresses an opinion that some sol
diers belonging to the Twenty-dfth
United States Infantry did the shoot
ing at Brownsville, August 1914,
1906. but does not specify the num-
Der engaged or endorse specifically
the punishment illegally melted the
BLACK Battalion" by President
Roosevelt and the War Department
It is peculiarly significant to the
extont that the majority report OF
the committee indirectly yet speci-
ncally declares that the Shooting
ARRAY was not done by some others
of the soldiers of the Twenty-hfth
United States Infantry stationed at
Fort Brown, Texas. II some OF the
soldiers did the shooting. then all of
them did not do the shooting and
il all OF them did not do the shoot
ing then, why were all OF them pun
ished?
This then shows the opinions OF
even the Democratic members Of the
Committee TO be that President
Roosevelt and the War Department
punished knowingly, innocent men ia
Companies b c and d of the Twenty
hfth Infantry. although after months
Of exhaustive examination with all
of the machinery of the government
against the accused men, It. has not
been afRrmatively established that
all OF them were concerned IN the
outrage. President Roosevelt, emil
nent in song and in story" as well
as in fact denies 10 Theses colored
soldiers that square deal that ne has
been demanding not only for labor
but for men in every vocation of life.
He was ali powerful when it came
to talk, but seandalously weak, when
il came to performance on the side
Of a people. who had fought for the
government and given their best ser
vice to producing the wealth OF the
nation.
1t is significant that an open en-
dorsation Of the Presidents action Ia
discharging these soldiers from the
service without honor" and barring
them from re-eRIstment in the array
or navy of the United States was not
ecIGcally advised and granted by
this committee. That mis- action In
this matter was utterly indefensible
is generally admitted and this view
of the matter is emphasized in the
report OF TINS COulnilbtc.
It is "a significant fact that at the
meeting held in Cooper Union, New
York, Bishops Alexander Walters
passed up a question to Secretar!
Taft, asking him If he approved tn
action Of President Roosevelt in dis
missing without honor, the 167 sol
diers of Companies B, C and ID o
the Twenty~ffth Infantry. Secretar,
Taft evaded the question by saying
that it would not be proper to an
swer the same while the investiga
ton was pending before the Com
mfttee on Military Affairs Of the Z
nited States Senate.
But Bishop Walters had scored hi
point A declination to answer tn
question, even with the reasons sta
: ted was an open admission that tn
attitude OF the President in thi
matter was open to question. Ac'
; ing on this cue, the New York II
I dependent advises the Negro contir
gent TO go slow in condemning SCI
! ! rotary Taft for the reason that tim
Q may yet develop the fact that he az
0 vised against the issuance. OF tn
S order. The Independent does M
: state that it has any authority fro
I either Secretary Taft or his frien'
II for making tho statement, but su
l. gests that the Negro voters be ca
= tious.
II this justice-loving journal W