The Appeal., 1911-07-01
, Reply to Rev. J. NJ. Waidron's Open
Letter to President Taft.
By Another CORRESPONDENT


Letter to President Taft.
By Another Correspondent
Washington, June 27, 1911.-The
open letter of Rev. j. Milton Waldron,
pastor OF the Shiloh Baptist church
of this city, and National Organizer of
The National Independent Political
League, to President Taft, alleging
discrimination against Negro soldiers
III the army, has caused your CORES
rondent to make some investigation to
ascertain the truth or falsity of Rev.
Waldron's charges It might be said
in the onset, that the name National
Independent Political League is a
misnomer, National League of Colored
Democrats would be more fitting, since
all it's officers, including the Rev.
Milton Waldron, and a few others who
Go not vote, lent what influence they
had, if any, to the advocacy of De-
mocracy's cause during the last cam
paign. However, this can not alter
the facts in the case. Rev. Waldron,
evidently wrote his letter to the Presi-
dent without first Informing himself
| Your correspondent holds no brief for
the army, and there may have been,
and may be now, specific cases of dis
elimination, but Rev. Waldron pre-
sents no specific case, and yet he, in
effect, commands the President to
"give colored soldiers, as well as
soldiers of Jewish or Hebrew extrac-
| ton, the same privilege and opportun-
| ity for promotion offered white sol
diers."
Rev. Waldron assumes that Presi-
dent Taft can order any soldier whom
he may desire, up to take examination
for promotion, for in his letter he
says: :
"The examination of enlisted men
for promotion to the position of "a
Lieutenant in the Regular Army which
you have ordered and which appeared
in the public press of June 9th does
not contain the name of single
colored soldier, nor have we seen the
name of any such soldier in any list
for examination which has been ord
cred by you since your incumbency of
the office of Chief Executive of the
| Nation
Continuing, Rev. Waldron says: "It
must be that your failure to order such
men before the Examination Board of
the Army for promotion is an over
sight,
Rev. Waldron, because of his mex
cusable ignorance of army laws and
Regulations respecting promotions,
holds the President responsible for
something over which he has no con-
troll If no colored soldiers have been
ordered before the Examination Board,
it is their fault and not that Of the
President, as will be seen by reading
the Act of July 80, 1892 which provides
that:
J Cali unmarried soldiers under thirty
lyears of age, who citizens of the
United States, are physically sound,
who have served hOnOrably not less
than two years in the Army = =
may compete for promotion under any
system authorized by this act.''
Thus it will be seen that the act
countenances no discrimination. The
existing regulations, prescribed by
! the President for the examination Of
enlisted applicants for appointment as
second lieutenants under the Act Of
July 80, 1892 contains the following
provisions, applicable to whites and
! blacks alike: .. ..~.- ..".
'The enlisted man who desire to
appear for examination will submit
through military channels an applica-
ton so that it will reach his depart
ment commander on or before Febru-
ary 1st of the year in which he de-
sires to take the examination
The Company Commander in forward
ing such application will verify the
statement of service given, and will
state specifically whether, in his opin-
ion, the soldier fulfills each of the
conditions hereirbefore required
\ *"\" ~
"The Post Commander will upon re-
ceipt of such application cause the
applicant to be examined by. a medical
officer as to his physical qualification
and will forward the report of such
examination with the application"
Each Department Commander will
each year convene board of five
officers, two Of whom shall be medical
officers whose duties will be confined
to inquiring into and reporting upon
the physical qualifications of the ap-
plicants X to conduct the pre-
liminary examination. He will order
before this board such applicants in
his command as appear to fulfill ali
the requirements herein Indicated
New it may be of interest to Rev.
Waldron and others to know how va
csncies are flied, and I will quote the
law. bearing upon it:
"That vacancies in the grade of
second lieutenant occurring in any
fiscal year shall be filled by the ap-
pointment in the following order
namely: First, of cadets graduated
!! from the United States Military
Academy, during the fiscal year:
! second, Of enlisted men whose fitness
for promotion shall have been determ-
ined by competitive examination:
third, of candidates from civil life
i selected by competitive ex-
animation from those designated by
! the War Department"
| Now can Rev. Waldron cite a single
case where colored enlisted man has
applied, taken and passed the exami-
| nation and then failed of promotion
! because he was colored? If he can
| he ought to be the first to call the
! Presidents attention to that specific
case. Or can Rev. Waldron recall q
single case where a c0lored enlisted
man has applied to take the examina-
ton, meeting all preliminary Gua1ih-
! cations, and was refused opportunity
to take the examination because OF
| color? Il he can it is his duty to re-
mind the President of the specific
case, and we doubt not but what right
will prevail as. swiftly as in the case
/