The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-10
NEGRO REGIMENTS
NATIONAL ARMY
so FAR as POSSIBLE WILL BE
TRAINED IN STATES WHERE
THEY ORIGINATE

Washington, Sept 1O.--Negro troops
Of the national army will be organized
in separate units as Is done in the reg
ular army, and so far as possible will
be trained In the states where they are
raised. The call for negroes to mobilize
at their camps viii be postponed to al
low the officers at the camp to arrange
for the organization of these separate
units
Both white men and negroes OF the
selective forces will be given an oppor.
tunity TO volunteer for service i'm the
battalions Of troops for service on the
line Of communication, their work be-
ing military but not combatants. How
ever, there viii be negro fighting reg.
iments Of the national army as there
are Of the regulars and national guard.
Secretary Baker outlined this policy
Of the war department today In a state.
meat dealing with the method to be fol.
lowed in the organization and training
OF negroes liable to draft under the
national army act. Presumably. the
negro regiments Of the regular army
and the national guard will be retained
as they are as fighting units
The statement follows:
The rule Of the regular army gov.
erning the training and organization OF
colored troops will be followed in the
national army and they will be Assem-.
bied and trained as separate organiza.
tions
The call for the colored men to mob.
iize viii be postponed until one of the
later calls, so that they will be called
to camp at separate time, giving an
opportunity to the officers of h camp to
assemble the organizations of which
they are a part at one time.
"All colored trops called in a state
viii be collected in a state which has a
colored cantonment. and they win be
trained there. Provision will be made
but has not yet been made, for the
assembling from those states which
have no cantonments for their quotas
of coored soldiers for. training.
Opportunity for Volunteer Work.
Opportunity viii be given TO both
the white and colored troops Of the Sc.
lective forces TO volunteer in certain
lines Of communication forces. which II
VIII be necessary % organize. and II is
hoped that an adequate number win
volunteer for this military but non.com.
batant service. But there will be both
combatant and non-combatant colored
regiments"
The effect Of the policy announced by
Secretary Baker will be to DELAY the
mobilization Of the negroes OF the ma.
tional army until the units already as.
sembled or under orders TO assemble
this month have been organized and
are under training.
When the confusion incident to the
organization OF these new regiments
brisades and diyisionsshas been cleared
up there will be time to assemble and
organize the separate regiments. bat.
talions or companies Of negro troops. OF
the $4,000 men called for az the first
Increment Of the national army. II is
estimated that approximately 10000
viii be negroes.
In the regular army. there are now
separate regiments Of negro infantry
ana cavalry and there are no negro
company units intermingled with the
White companies OF any regiment. Pre-.
sumaoly. the same policy is to be fol.
lowed with the national army and un.
less there are enough negroes available
to form a regiment. they will be bad 4,
separate training bat,alions AZ the can.
tonments aud used TO an the vacancie,
IN the ranks OF negro regiments AZ the
'front.' or as line of communicate,
forces
ihe army in France win need more
than 100000 behind the lines fo,, uso
along the roads and railways. or ON
other special work. 4 great many hat.
'alions OF both white and negro trooBs
Will be necessary for this purpose and
The war department feels certain that
many OF the negroes OF the selectivo
drait forces will volunteer for this kin
OF duty In order to be sent quickly 10
Fun1 ~