Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-01
THE TROUBLE AT HOUSTON, TEN.

We have read carefully all Of the
available printed information con-
corning the killing OF seventeen per-
sons Mt Houston, Texas, Thursday,
August %, 1917 and tho wounding
Of moro than twenty others. 1t
seems to have been a case of a clash
between tho civil and the military
officers In which the former got the
worst Of it.
Two over-zealous mounted police
, officers arrested and beat-up a colored
soldier in the regular army, and later
another ono was similarly treated
Both were taken to police headquar-
tiers under arrest and other colored
regulars went out TO secure their
release. Punishment Of regular
troops In time Of war rests With tho
army officials ana not with the civil
authorities.
! Otficfous police officers, who for the
most part are unframed and arbitrary
have caused trouble time and again
In Northern communities as we'll as
in Southern ones. Thirty-four col
ored soldiers were arrested and
placed In the Houston. Texas jail and
the grand jury brought in blanket
Indictment charging them with muir
der. The entire battalion of six hun
dred colored men OF tho Twenty
fourth United States Infantry was
removed to Columbus, New Mexico,
where their valor is known and their
services recognized.
One important fact in connection
with this case is that both sides had
the authority Of law to back them.
The colOred soldiers were stationed
to guard Camp Logan and the mount
Cd police officers were in charge OF
the outskirts Of the city Of Houston.
Although both sides were firing, it
seems that every one killed is alleged
to have been shot by the colored
troopers, with the possible exception
Of those of the army, who had been
killed or wounded The Houston
authorities claim to Nbe giving fair
play to all parties and yet, in the
returning Of the indictments, no white
person has been included in the list.
but all are colored
The grand jury did not attempt to
investigate Or try the civilians over
whom 1t had control, but reached out
after the colored troopers over whom
they had no control. The removal Of
the entire battalion from Houston,
Texas will have an immediate effect.
We do not believe that the danger to
the men in the battalion Is passed
Attempts will be made to have them
returned to Houston for trial bv the
civil authorities
The only thing\ necessary, so far
as colored people in this country are
concerned is to mete equal and exact
justice and equal and exact punish
mont to all parties concerned. This
should apply to the mounted police
officers in Houston, Texas and to the
white citizens, who engaged in this
indiscriminate shooting. The whole
affair is to be regretted.
The colored people Of the United
States are intensely interested Their
hope, their pride, their faith are all
wrapped up in the brave "boys" Of
the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry and the
Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth In
fantry. The conservative tone Of the
white press is a good sign Of change
Of feeling in dealing with colored
people in this country.
There will be no wholesale pun
ishment Of colored men this time,
although in some quarters there has
been wholesale condemnation of
armed colored men in tho United
States Army. We shall see what we
shall sec. The War Department has