The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-05-18
AUTHORITY WILL BE GIVEN BY
CONGRESS TO GOVERNORS
OF EACH STATE.
FOR EACH STATE TO SAY
Senate Amen, ,dment Provides Far
An Availability" Basis of
the Draft Instead Of a
Straight Population.

Il
not there shall le an army Of Jo.rv to
lb,'Np Nrgroc- drafted into :he Federal
-rrsrce under the military meaure now
'ri"re Congress. will depend rntlrely
up-'n tnr o'ovrrnors and Ia, nj authorities
4 the several states
Congress IN about to give full authority
Ia the l1sl boards and other state ma
chnery Ia send ~ many or ~ few Ne
grows INTO the ranks M they wish. The
f'rirral government will assume none. nf
tile responsibility for the work oi the
state b~lies
SENATE amendment whicl the House
n prepared To accept. provides tor all
aNailsiIiiiy basis Of the draft instead
oi straight popoulstion basis. TIN.
amendment Was forced into the hill toy
southern scnators who oblr~ts-d a. uni
forming AMI arming too nany blacks in
their -tat.s
lh'-'' senators foresaw ro--ible difi-
'uity with the Negroes oi the southern
'tat'- under "A system Cf draft which
""uld compel military service of the
'larkS in equal proI,ortIon to the whites.
ln some "i tleSr stat.- the N..yr,--- cum
"'-" aiii"'-t 80 grr cent. OF tie total
population. II all men of military ma
,nrity were draioed without resTert Ia
'"l"r tiie south would prSiuce for the
hrst Increment OF Js'.HD more than 90
~ Negro soldiers. With an additional
"tro or more Tor the second Increment.
ho total number Of black soldiers would
.Nceed lv,UD.
NEGRO A. A SOLDIER.
No pointed QUESTION WAS raied ~ to
he value "i the Negro ~ "A lighting man.
property oiiicrrri. lie proved him
"'ii Courageous enough in the Spanish
var ami again in the rscent Mexican
f"nbir-, b'it serIous questIons was rai--si
~ u the wisdom OF placing the gun an
The hands of this many black. in the
'outli. from purely domestic stand
point.
Ana when tile question became acute
IN tine Senat- military aTair. comnitts-s
the Northern and Western -.nator. .yr.~u.,
W allow the SOutl:erner- In writ. =,
amendment into ule bill which puts Me
N"gro problem -IuareIy mp the individu-
'~tes- Tins amendment follow. ,,nm.-
i'aiely under that section which stats
.h"s u'e quotas of the several state, and
hr Di-tf'e' oi Columbia shall be drawn
"a proportion To their population" and
reals Who shall be available for ,nilt-
AIRY service A. shown by the Registration
provided ipr herein"
The question: Of availability i- one
Shich tile states themselves must --ttl.
10 Virginia, Tor instance, dscide- thxt
'nly TEN Ier cent. OF the Negroes Of IA,
black belt'' counties are available fo,
military service" the stat. autl,oriti..
may exempt all but ten per cent. And
IN exenpting them the state may serve
notice on the Negroes that they mu-t
-Ither ~ ~ work er fight.
This would not mean that the .t.,.
would he permitted u reiuce ~ quote
~ any -ense. The quota mr-t be pro-
iuced by ths draft and white soldisn
must be provided q take the plsoe. Of
tiio-e blackr which may he slIorei IN
stay at home for work 90 the farms or in
actOrie-.
SOME WILL BE DRAFTED.
Some Negroes will h. drsftei Ttu
much certain. Some Of the soutl,s,,
-tste- Themselves will provide for ,h.
dfait reasonable proportion Of Nevros.
',ut Southern senator's have ln-i-t..i Dr.,
the states themselves should say bow
many should go into the army. rather
Than leave - b. the Fc.ierzl governn.n,
W fix tie proportion tetween the r.c.~
The War department. anticipating an.
irsit II many Negro men into the -.,-
gice, both North and south l. srr.,g;,x
W organize tlIem into commands Of t,,.;,
p~n. This applies - the training perios
A. sell - - the period Of &c We s-rv;c.
n tire field.
There viii probably 10 more than On.
coiorcd regiment, for instance In a..
~ixteenth DIVISION camp, % which MAJ
and and Nirglnis will contribute the,r
gu"tas All OF them may b. trained m.
der the same general officers. but thsv
Sil ccupy separate sections Of the csn,S.
ana otherwise segregated a. 10 the csss
TIE regular army st this time.
All Negro commands will be ofbcsrv-d
y white men. TINS j. true Of the CON-
m's-ioned staff, but will not apply N A..
officers. ANY trooo~~
may be gwen promotion ~ q non-c,nm-
nl-ioned oihcer and for exceptional
an even higher rank. There y ooIv o.
Negro officer oi rank IN the rs,,lar -.