The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-12-14
SYLVESTER BOGUS JOHNSON
Wouldn't Have Enlisted If He Had
Heard About the Water

Though they bewail the lack of
| chickens in the backyards of the
| French-and on their menu-the
| members OF a regiment of American
| negro stevedores in France have
| denced and sung their way into the
| hearts of the French population in
| the port where they are stationed
| Warm-heartedly they are already
! planning show for the benefit OF a
| fund for the French wounded
| Telling OF their work and play and
thoughts, Howard Kahn, in an article
! sent TO the National War Work
Council Of tie Y. NJ C. A., speaks of
| them as the Wars Minstrel Show
In spite of their strange surround
ings, he says, they carry ON their
work as usual. They shuttle the
| same dances, and sing the same plan
| tation melodies as at home.
They have no use for the Senegal
lese-' French niggers" they call
| them-because they wear monkey
| caps, have rings in their ears and
don't talk sense The native wit
and constant good humor of these
| stevedores have made them JOY
and delight to the officers and men
who come in contact with them.
Moreover, they are living up to the
best traditions Of tAe American ne
gro.
Writing from port IN France, Mr..
Kahn says.
| It's against the rule, 20 mention
names when you write about enlisted
men of the American EXpeditionary
Forces, but even the haIdest-heartest
censor will admit that no military
secret is divulged in this interview
with Mr.. Sylvester Bogues Johnson.
OF Nashville, Tennessee, member
Of regiment of negro stevedores
Mr.. Johnson was standing on the
dock looking over an expanse OF salt
water such as he had never seen at
Nashville lie started the conyersa-
ton without any preamble from me.
Man, Mani he said, Christopho
Columbus suah must of had some
gutsl'
You don't like the ocean then?'
"A Not me, boss, Use pale from nah
trip yet. Sc been an American all
nah life. But unless this we're At
lantic ocean freezes ovah and some
body builds a railroad back TO Ten.
nessee, Use a European 70 life
'Parlez-vous francais? u inquired
''No sab. stevedore." he replied
What's your particular objection
| to the ocean?
III 1.-THE scenery is rotten, Sylves.
ter explained And couldn't keep
aothin on my stomach except life
| preserve
Get plenty to eat here?
Yes. sab Uncle Sam feed us
al right. Hut chicken is mighty
stR'ce I amt had no chicken since
| landed | amt even seen no chick
en- waikiki around nobodys back
\ yadF 9tJh
~Haye you madsa9N1fy friends
\ over here?
4 's'Bqssy these frenqh, niggahs amt
no goof@ saw eeneN toA& with rings
in his eahs. asks him TO a ciga-
rette and he ies' walks away !
dope heah him say somethln but it
I didn't have no meanin They weah
! little red monkey hats ami they il
Just plum ignorant
n Maybe he was Senegalese?
II Il don't Gaze what he was He's
Just a plum no count niggah, Use
even seen 'em oyah heah with whis-
l;ahs. But they couldn't speak the
English language SO YOU could I'M
lestand it a-tall Plum ignorant.
| That's what ! says
n If you had to do it over again,
( would you enlist?
'Boss, when II made my mark on
lat enlistment paplh. no one tot me
about all that watah in this Atlantic
ocean. II they had, I'd still be in
Nashville, Tennessee, u. S. A.
Sylvester Bogus Johnson was
somewhat moro pessimistic than
most of his dusky colleagues 1t
Isn't at all hard to imagine that one
visiting lower Mississippi river
landing in the southern part OF the
| United states as one sees these neg
oes in long single file carry box
FER box of provisions for Uncle
Sans men from the big steamers
rhey sing the same plantation melo.
lies shoot the same bones and
huitie the same dlrly dances.
Their attire IL almost as pictures
Tue as that Of the Senegalese. to
whom Mr.. Johnson objected to so
ltrongly They wear the uniforms
formerly issued to the army before
he khaki was adopted Those who
vere fortunate enough to draw the
Id style light blue artillery overcoat
| Tith long cape and scarlet lining
we're particularly we'll satisfied The |
negroes are comfortably housed in
| barracks near the docks. Their rat
ons are the same as those issued tc
| he fighting men and while their dis
| ipline is not so strict the hours 0