The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-10-01
.AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[[|NCS

\ correspondent Of the New York
Evening Mail writes as follows.
! read with interest In the Evening
Mail tho proposal of the compulsory
enlistment Of Negroes in a huge stand.
ing army" primarily 10 WELD the
shovel and incidentally TO defend the
country. and this. too. offered as
solution of the Negro problem. OF
all flights of the Imagination this Is
the worst
The Negro has always been fore.
most in the defense Of his country.
and always among the Gist to an
swer his countrys cal ] wiz men
tion Crispus AttuckA tln Negro
whose blood was the first shed in the
War OF the Revolution IN calling the
citizens of Boston to resent the at
tacks Of the British the conduct Of
the black troops In the civil war. es-
pecially the men OF the Massachusetts,
and Illinois regiments. who fought
throughout the war without murmur-
ing. although their families were with.
out support because secretary OF
war refused to pay them because their
faces were black, Though these men
didn't receive their pay until seven
years after the war, there was no
thought OF mutiny or of quitting.
When Gen. benjamin Butler seat
his famous message to headquarters,
II you don't send me re.enforcements
by tomorrow | will carry the war into
Africa" time has shown he made no
mistake in so doing.
or the conduct OF the Negroes In
the Spanish-American war. those who
were at El Caney and San Juan Hll
can bear witness. The president OF
the United States has seen NJ to con
gratulate the black men OF the bor-
der patrols for their splendid dis.
cipllne and efficiency between a rain
OF lead In front of them and storm
Of prejudice behind them. Then why
this compulsory enlistment OF a race
that never in the history OF this coun-
try has been weighed in the balance
and found wantng2
The Negro does not have to be
driven to serve his country. but he
does ask that he be allowed to serve
his country az man. The only place
the Negro race. or any other race. has
Is that TO which by merit It is en-
titled The time has long since passed
since the Negro was only a hover
of wood and drawer of water. In
this government of the people, by the
people and for the people. the Negro
NaNa only - nFHfu1 g., 4, a..
lawyers, his doctors, his business men.
etc. A race that can produce such
cOncededly efficient fighters surely
can and has produced men capable OF
acting as officers. Then why white"
officers?
regret MT having been able. as
the writer. TO have done my full duty
to my country" but that wasn't my
fault. Perhaps my experiences In that
direction might be interesting When
student at the Boys High school
VI Brooklyn representatives from sew.
eral brooklyn regiments called at the
school to interest students In high
/ school companies of those regiments.
/ Every man in my class was ap.
| preached but myself. Having learned
| II tho part Negroes had played in
/ tho vars # the United States and
/ being ambitious to do my share. /
| presented myself at a certain armory
near the school / was informed that
they had no companies for colored
men.
Later ON in life as student in a
university up state which has com.
pulsory freshmen military training un.
der the control Of an officer Of the
United states army. was told by
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