The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1917-12-15
SECRETARY OF WAR BAKER.
Sends an Open Letter to His Special
Assistant, Emmett j, Scott.

Washington, D. C.-Some eighty
three thousand, six hundred (83.600)
colored men have been drafted for
service in the National Army to he
sent overseas.
Secretary of War Newton D. Baker.
IN working out his plans for the train
ing of these men, has met with many
difficulties. First of all, he has had
to contend with those friends of the
colored men who have felt that it was
Secretary Bakers special duty at this
time to attempt to solve or settle the
so'called Race Question in America.
Second, colored leaders from all parts
OF the country have importuned the
War Department in various and sundry
directions, while the peculiar south
ern situation, where the masses of the
colored people live, has had to be
taken into account
Because of these difficulties, the Sec
rotary of War called to his aid, on o.
tober LIST, 1917, as Special Assistant
in the War Department., a representa-
tive of the colored people, Emmett J.
Scott, who, for eighteen years, was
Secretary to the late Booker T. Wash
lngton, and also Secretary of the Tus-
kegee Normal and Industrial Institute,
IN Alabama. Mr.. Scott has wide &C.
quaintance among members of his own
race, and with leading members of
the white race in the South. as we'll
as with leaders of thought and public
opinion in the North. He has sought
to relieve the Secretary of War, as
much as possible, of the burdensome
details growing out of controversies,
involving racial relationships, caused
or occasioned by the presence of
white and colored draftees together
in many of the cantonments.
Lately, there has been a certain
amount of misgiving and unrest
among the colored people of the coun-
try who have been led to feel by
reasop of reports of alleged mistreat-
ment of colored men in environments,
that there is disposition on the part
of the War Department to deal un-
fairly with colored draftees in Ma
tional Army cantonments and in Ma
tional Guard camps. For the purpose
OF allaying these suspicious and cor
rect1ng certain false impressions
which have been made and circulated,
the Secretary of War has addressed an
open letter to his colored aide, stating
his attitude and the policy of the War
Department with reference to these
colored soldiers. The letter., dated
November 30th, 1917, follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT
Washington, Nov. 80, 1917.
MEMORANDUM :
For Mr.. Emmett J. Scott,
Special Assistant,
War Department
Referring to various kilograms and
letters of protest received at the d.
partment, to which you have called my
attention, concerning certain alleged
determinations against colored draft
ees, wish to say that a. full investi-
cation Of the matters complained of
has been ordered.
AS you know, it has been my policy
to discourage discrimination against
any persons by+reason Of their race.
This policy has been adopted not
merely as an act of justice to all races
that 60 to make up the American peo-
pie, but also to safeguard the very
institutions which we are now at the
greatest sacrifice, engaged in defend.
ing, and which any racial disorders
must endanger.
r. At the same time, there is no in.
tention on the part of the War De.
partment to undertake at this time to
- settle the so-called Race Question. In
this hour Of national emergency and
need, white and colored men alike are
being called to defend Our Country &
honor. In the very nature of the case
some must fight in the trenches, while
others must serve in other capacities
behind the firing line. : ~
I very much regret what seems to
be certain amount OF overworked
hysteria on the part OF some of the
complainants who seem to think that
only colored draftees are being as
signed to duty in Service Battalions
whereas thousands Of white draftees
already have been, and more of them
necessarily will be, assigned to duty
IN such Service Battalions. -
s. Some Of the complaints or charges