Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-12-15
ORGANIZING
regiment IN THE
WRONG WAY
So Thinks Col. John R. Mar
shall Of the Eighth
Illinois.
SHOULD FIRST ENLIST MEN
SAYS OFFICERS SHOULD BE Sc
LEcTED LAST-TELLS OF STRlN-
GENT REQUIREMENTS - TO
START WORK ON ARMoRY IN
MARCH


Chicago, Ill.-Col. John r. Marshal
of the Eighth Illinois, which Is the
only regiment In the State National
Guard made up OF colored men, from
officers down, has returned from
trip east, visiting New York. WASH
ington and other cities of interest
While III New York Col. Marshall
showed much concern in the proposed
colored regiment being organized IN
that city, but does not speak encour
agingly of the effort being made by
the negroes Of Manhattan, expressing
the opinion that they are going about
the work of organization In the wrong
way.
In the first place the heads are ap'
pointing all the officers without first
filling the various companies with de-
sirable men," said Col. Marshall. THE
selection of line officers in an easy
matter compared with securing men
qualified to enlist as privates. While
to date most of the line officers have
been named, only a small number Of
privates have been accepted.
THE requirements are so stringent
nowadays with reference to appll-
cants being accepted as members or
the State militia that l predict that
they will be fortunate In New York
city If 800 out Of 1000 applicants pass
the examinations successfully. Even
when the Eighth Illinois was organized
during the Spanish-American war, q
300 men were examined and but l.
300 were passed on favorably, and at
that time they wanted men badly
So you can readily understand what
a big task the New Workers have
ahead of them in forming colored
regiment.
Il am also afraid that in New York
they are not looking at the big ex
pense that will be incurred In the mus
tering in of a colored regiment. 1t will
cost no less than 100000 to arm and
equip a regiment, which does not IN.
clude the expenditure Of money for
an armOry.
The law provides that an applicant
desiring to join the State militia must
be between the ages of Is and As
years. and that they must secure the
consent of their parents or guardians.
One must successfully pass an eye
and ear test and no flat-footed appli-
cants are taken.
while in New York noticed that
the officers Of the regiment were is
suing statements that the numerical
strength OF a company would be
flfty-two men, which is not In &C.
cordance with the law, which pro-
vides that the minimum strength Of
a company should be flfty-eight enlist
ed men and three officers, and the
maximum strength 108 enlisted men
and three officers to company. The
members of the Eighth Illinois would
like very much to see colored regii-
ment in New York, but we know that
in order for the negroes Of New York
to realize their ambition they must
proceed along the right lines"
Ground will be broken for the erec-
ton Of the new Eighth Illinois armory
in March. The building will cost
100000 and will be located at Thir-
ty-ninth street and Wabash avenue.
The piece Of property was bought by
the colored citizens of Chicago for
$4,000, due to the activity of Col.
Marshall, who interested the negroes
of this city in collecting enough money
to buy the ground. After the prop
erty had been acquired an appeal was
made to the Illinois legislature to ap-
propriate sufficient money for the
erection Of an armory. which was
done.