The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-07-22
NEGRO SOLDIERS
oNMEXICAN BORDER
ARE BEST|N WORLD
William G. Shepherd, United Press
Staff Correspondent, Praises
Colored Troopers.
MILITIA OF COUNTRY
LIKENED TO COAT
American Soldiers are Anxious for
War; Militias are Being
Overhauled.
MILITIA OF COUNTRY
LIKENED TO COAT
By William G. Shepherd.
limited Press Staff COrresnondent)

BY William G. Shepherd.
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
San Antonio, Tex, July 22.-Uncle
Sam has dug his ancient storm scat
the militia-out of the attic of
peace. On the hot ironboar of Texas
sands of discipline he is trying to
make it warproof
1t is musty, wrinkled, seems ripped
here and there, but the mate'lal is
superfine. True enough the material
does not like the operation. It would
rather be out in the storm doing it's
work. 1t asks every reporter or
other supposedly wise man it sees
"aren't we going to have war with
Mexico?"
Overhaul Storm Coats.
But storm coats must be overhaul
ed whether the coat likes it or not.
Here, with no enemy in sight, the
militia is extremely Joseph pattern.
There is Co. K of Milwaukee, First
Wisconsin, for instance. It was or
ganized so years ago by Theodore
Rasinski. 1t is known as Kosciusko's S
company. Forty per cent of it's 120
men were born in Poland. I sat
back in the tent Of Chaplain Henry
Piasecki and tried to imagine I was
back at the British, French or Aus
trian front talking with an officer of
one of the armies as he said it was
an ancient custom of his company to
permit none but Poles to join and
they kept up the custom in Difference
of hundreds of past and present men,
bers.
$50 many Poles try to join now
that we are full and turn them over
to other units" said the captain.
''They are scattered throughout the
Wisconsin regiments"
Wisconsin Model.
But I could not imagine I was in
anything but an American army
Such a thing could not happen in
any other place in the world than
America.
Wisconsin claims their militia a
model for the country. The Polish
company claims to be the prize win
ner Of Wisconsin,. Splendid soldiers
thoroughly American, but adding
variegation to Uncle Sans storm
coat
Chicago's colored regiment, the
Sth, adds vim and even snappiness.
It was hard for Chicago's colored
troops to ride in Jim Crow cars, but
while investigating various textures
I encountered Col. Jim Dennison of
the colored regiment, who said:
1--WE think we have the only dead
sure American regiment in the en-
tire lot. The other regiments have
got all kinds of folks in them, but
we are all the same. We are so Am
erican that we obey the San Antonio
laws and ride in separate cOmpart-
ments on the street cars, but the other
day when the Y. M. G. A. put up that
big frame building right on the edge
of the camp and arranged for white
Y. M. G. A. club, to which colored
men were not invited, I told the Y
NJ G. A. authorities could not .vouch
for the safety of the building. II
my men got at it I could not keep
them from tearing it down and
wouldn't. The Y. M. G.. A. people
understood and one of them told me
privately: 81 respect you for youl
action"
Best in World.
"It looks very much now," and
Colonel Denison's eyes twinkled, "as
if my attitude will result in my regi.
ment having very fine Y. M. G. A
building of it's own"
- These negroes are crackerjack Am
ericans, as much a part of the Amer
ican army as any other regiment. IT.
the same coat, and Uncle Sam hal
got some tailoring on hand. Th,
more I see of it the more think tn
material is the best in the world.