Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-12-22
.LESL|E'S ATTITUDE TO.
COLORED SOLDIERS
GIT N. Second St.,
Richmond, Va, December z, 1917.

527 N. Second St.,
Richmond, Va, December z, 1917.
Mr.. John A. Sleicher
Editor Leslie's Weekly,
New York City, N. Y.
Dear Sir~-In the issue of December
Sth Of Leslies Weekly appear
number Of pictures under tho head.
Ing, Making Negro Soldiers, at Camp
Pike and photographed by Edwin
Ralph Estep, Staff War Photograph.
or. These pictures, while portraying
some of the actual camp life Of the
soldiers, both white and colored, pub
lished with their descriptions under
meath, do an injun.'ce to thousands
CT Negro men in training for national
service at various cantonments and
lend unsavory Impressions to their
millions of kindred and we'll wishers
throughout tho country. Not all of
the Negro men at these camps are Of
the coarse, crap-shooting. zig" sort
and not all spend their rest periods
In Jig dancing and gaming; not
FEW or them enjoy monographs, mag
azines, wholesome recreation and.
the pleasure and the thoughts that
the white man in the same khaki or
olive drab enjoys. Numbers OF Inem
are grammar, high school and college
graduates. Many Of them are we'll
strained professional men-1lawyerae
doctors, school-teachers and men Of
nigh standing Of character and in
tegrity, whom not alone we "a No
groes are proud to send as a contrt
button to tho defense Of democracy
among nations and in the interest of
truer democracy at home, but of
whom millions Of our white people.
who are In the same struggle for free
dom, are Justly proud.
Similar pictures of white men
might easily have been photographed
III any cantonment in tho South or
North. Similar ludicrous sayings and
actions might easily have been heard
or seen In any cantonment where
there are unlettered, backwoods white
men. tell you, Mr.. Editor, it is q
bit unfair to over ten millions OF
American citizens, handicapped in the
march up the hill Of progress In this
country by black skins, prescribed,
Nj1m crowed" and Disseminated
against,--yet bearing without dissen
sion and unmutteringly their share
Oh the burden In this eXecrable whirI
pool Of ebbing blood, which has flow
Ell ana must flow from the civilized
peopo OF today in stemming the tide
OF despotism and establishing a world
democracy. say 1t Is bit unfair
TO puDiish tho uncouth, the coarse
the ludicrous and almost absurd OF
these people as typical. Tho colored
soldier does want and needs the phono
graph, the reading room and writing
materials. SO long have they been
denied him In tho libraries, schools,
theatres and places Of public benefits
ana pleasures that 1t is only natural
that few, decidedly the minority
nave been neglected and do need only
themselves anUs neighbor," '@fa;
further denial will moi remedy i tbs
situation. These men In khaki along
with their training in military tac.
tlcs should not be denied tho educa-
ton and pleasures essential to
good intelligent soldier. Such q ones
ton as What does the colored, col.
der want Of reading rooms phono.
graphs and writing matertaIs?" and
the answer given, aside from being nm
fair are inimical to the work OF
the Colored Division OF the Y. M. q
A. and Red Cross Society in their
endeavors to provide wholesome
amusements and pleasures for these
Negro men.
Leslie's Weekly has long been con-
sidered by our people as n standard
magazine Of right and fairness TO
all people and propositions. If the
pictures were published to show the
comparative ease of life and satisfao-
t1On that obtains AMONG +bo ooIna,
men in the camps or at Camn pike
please In the name CT fairness to us
and the 5000 Negro men In that
camp make that explanation in one
OF your succeeding issues. or publish
some pictures OF tho work of the Y.
M. Q. A. there among them, some
OF the mon at drill OF something that
portrays the men differently, not as
an apology, but as the patriotic duty
OF national magazine published in
"a nation at war.
= Respectfully yours,