The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-13
FEAR RACE CLASH
Towns Near Funston Threaten
To Close Community Houses.
Protest Order To Send 10000
Negro Soldiers to Camp.

Camp Funston, Oct. 13.-Officials of
Junction City and Manhattan are anx-
iously awaiting reply from the war de-
partment to the protests forwarded
against the plan to send II, 600 colored
soldiers to Camp Funston. The pros
pect of so great an influx of negro SOL
diers, with no means provided in eth
er city for the recreation of negro SOL
diers and no negro populations to fur
niSh social amenities, has thrown a
decided scare into the municipal auth
critics. The kilograms forwarded to
Washington frankly state it world be
impossible to open the community
houses to the negro soldiers for fear
OF racial clashes with the whites
The protest was occasioned by or
ders received at the camp from the
war department, authorizing the
transfer of the 300 white soldiers to
make place for the negroes.
A telegram sent today, was address
ed to Newton D. Baker. secretary of
war; Raymond H. Fosdik. head of the
commission of training camp activf-
ties; Guy r. Helvering. representative
from this district in congress; Charles
Curtis, and w. H. Thompson. the two
Kansas United States senators. It was
signed by w. H. Thompson. mayor of
Junction City; Richard Brown, city
commissioner; ]. F. Humphrey. presi-
dent of the Junction City welfare
board; Lawrence o. Norris, prosecut-
ing attorney: G. W. Mills. president of
the Commercial club: I. NJ. Platt, ].
p. Robertson. representatives of the
commission on training camp actfvi-
ties who has been assigned to duty at
Camp Funston.
No Negro Population There.
The telegram follows:
We shall not dare to keep open the
soldiers community house, heretofore Quilt
and since maintained by our citizens If
large numbers of negro troops aIC sta
toned at Camp Funston; They would at
once monopolize its facilities and provoke
resentment and reprisals on the part of
the white soldiers and citizens. We have
no civilian negro population to furnish
social amenities. Our people are not az
customed to handling race problems We
have made the greatest endeavors, financial
and by service, to keep conditions here
moral and wholesome for the soldiers. A
large quota of negroes means immediate
destruction Of good accomplished and
strikes from us the power to do much for
the future With our limited hotel AMI
recreation accommoda tons, inevitable col
Iisions between the white and cOlored SOL
diers will arise. Our method of aEy
dealing with colored prostitutes as with
whites is sure to stir up mad resentment
A situation dangerous and impossible Q
Fear for Students.
Manhattan, oct. 13.-The CONNER
cia! club of Manhattan today sent
telegram of protest to the war depart
ment and also to government officials,
asking that the order for the transfer
OF l4tUUU Wnlte troops ITuIH lamp
Funston to make place for 10000 ne
gro members of the national army. be
.rescinded. The telegram declares
that the community house built for
the use of the soldiers would have to
be closed
The text of the telegram follows:
The Manhattan Commercial club unani-
mously voted that the completion at
tempt to use the commodiOus community
house to be constructed for the benefit of
soldiers, would be unwise and unsafe if