Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-11-26
Statesmen Turn Eyes to Warriors of Dark Continent
and to Indian Tribesmen as Recruiting at Home and
in Dominions Grows increasingly Difficult.
IRISH CONSCR!PTION ISSUE LOOMING UP
Six Million Combaants Have Gone From Britain Alone;
Four-Fifths of PeaceIime Labor Fighting or Max
ing Munitions; Old Men, Boys and Women Are Saving
the Country.

many comes before everything; and If
the decision has not yet been officially
made it probably Will lie this winter
Germany. since the beginning of the
var, has vehemently protested apains,
the use of colored troops, and cease
lessly rcproaches Britain and France
for sending "hordos of canniblls'
against :he hosts of kultur in France.
AS :. matter of fact, very few native
troops have served with the allies in
the main theater of war as yet, and
Great Britain has not sent any into
action in Europe who were especially
raised for use against Germany.
In the first winter of the war two
1n0ian divisions belonging to the rcgu-
lar Indian army were brought to
France and fought braVelv at Fe5tu-
bert, the Germans promptly informed
The Grid that the English were using
faihlns Sikhs Gurkhas Doyras and
half n dozen other kinds of heather
TO fight their battle. Tho literally
trde, since representatives of all The
wariike Indian peoples We're included
In the contingent. the complaints
were intended to make people think
hordes of Indians were at the front
while in fact their number never OK
ceedcd thirty thousand. The French
", octdure was much the same; con-
t'ngents from tho regular African
army have been used, and savage tales
concerning the Turcos went the
rounds cf the German press. Eut no
arrrCciable part of either the French
or British armies in France has been
composed of colorsd men at any time.
Native troops have not been enlist
ed in great numbers up to now for
several reasons. Colonial administra-
tors have felt that The prestige OF the
white man in tropical countries would
be doalt n severe blow II he armed
his subjects and sent them to fight
against other white men. The sue
cess OF 10000 white men III ruling
SIS 100000 natives in India obvious
" cannot rest primarily upon physical
force; the prestige Of the white man
In the eyes If his vassals Is the main
hing that Keeps them in subjcction
There is also the difficulty of climate,
which makes service IT. Europe i'm
pc ssble for many native peoples. The
most important of al practical as dis
tinguished from psyche logical obtec.
lions Is that which is in posed for the
officer problem. TO officer native
troops men must be obtained who
know the dialects, habits and preiu-
jices of their men, anG who are also
experienced In modern warfare. The
tied and they cannot be imrrovised
for the equipment required by an Eng
lsh officer Of Indian or African troops
takes wears to obtain. The necessity
apparently exists therefore to officer
colored troops with colored men-a
solution at which the white man in
Irdia and Africa gasps with horror.
At present no indian Of the highest
caste can attain the rank of commits
stoned officer in the British army, al
tho he may command battalion.
Counting RcinfOrccmcids.
II these difficulties can ne over
come. as a large and growing faction
ir parliament demands that they
shall be. the recruiting field, which
opens before q country almost drained
CT available soldiers, is such as to
make a war Offices mouth water. An
analysis of the native populations of
the empire with reference to their
availability for war purposes was fur
rished by Commander Wedgwood. a
member of parliament, who supports
Sir Edward Carson and the "Girger