The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-09-21
THE NEGRO TROOPS.

announcement by the secretary of
war that, regardless of individual nro.
1ests, the cOlored recruits of tba no.
lional army are to be apportioned
among the various cantonments, an
proxlmately one regiment to each
camp ana distributed as uniformly
DIS possible, seems to settle the oues.
tlon as to where these troops will be
located Will oe
That being disposed of. and If bo-
ing dehnitely settled that a certain
complement of colored recruits is to
pe hXture at practically every can
tonment, what was once a nrobIen,
becomes condition; and it has got to
be met as it exists.
lhe people of every training camn
ana OF every community near a train
ing camp mus thirst of all charge their
minds with the facts that the Negro
troops have got to be mobilized and
trained, and htat those troons oro
not entering the service through vol.
uhtary lmpulse-in so far. at least
as the selected army is concerned
DuC are In 1t only in obedience to tho
ia"' Ihat is to say, they are not there
ny thelr own volition but they are he.
ing put into service by law estab.
llshed by our own representatives in
congress-every one a white mani
therefore, since the colored men are
put IN the service, the main ones.
D. tion that arises is that of getting ont
ol the Negro the best there is in him
instead OF the worst; and in the do.
Velopment of that question lies vorv
idisely the peace and happiness
primarily, of tremendous element
oi the black people of the south: and
secondly, the citizenry Of the country
as whole, both south and north
Ihere are two or three elemental
facts to be kept under consideration
FIRST OF these is the fact that the
Negro has a best side" which was
lully demonstrated by his unparaIleI-
ed conduct during the civil war That
war probably afforded the only in.
stance in the history of the world
Wnen a race stood Loyalty and heroi
caiiy pack of the women and children
Whlle Its masters were out fighting
10 keep 1t in slavery. The worlds
history does not recount a better dis
play of loyalty on the part of any race
or any people. Throughout the four
years or the civil war there was never
an assault, nor an attack, nor a he.
trayai of the trust reposed in tho Ne.
groes. On the other hand, thew stood
as sentinels and guards over the help
less families of their masters under
arms. No citizen ever stood guard
with more trustworthy fidelity.
That is the best side" of the Ne
gro, which we should remember TO-
day.
Another condition to be kent in
view is the unfortunate trait of the
Negro's character that instinctively
induces him to shield those of his
race who commit crime. They not
only shield criminals of their race
Dut take as race antagonism the deal
lngs on the part of courts and law
officers with admitted transgressors
of the law.
That is an instinct that is entirely
foreign to the white race. Among
"-AeS PSoPiV IhS Natural UeUuGnCy is
TO facilitate the apprehension of Grim
lnals regardless of color-as the police
term it, to give them up"
Unquestionably, liquor, dissolute
Negro women, and perhaps rough
treatment by white officers of the law
at Houston were the main elements
leading up to what turned into riot |
ing, anarchy and tragedy. But the
killing were directly brought about
all because the Negroes of the regi- |
ment involved took it upon themselves
TO redress an tdncied race grievance in
the tdao.. The only possible question |
is whether or not the officers were
me arrest of feto trdnSgreSsorS of
d1plomatic-a thing that had abso-
lutely nothing to do with the funda-
mentals of the affair. That the gov
ernment is going to take a hand and |
get to the bottom of the whole thing.
and that the conditions that brought
about the Houston disgrace will even.
tually be fully understood, and right
ed, there can be no question.