Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-11-14
SHALL 4 WHITE PRIVATE SALUTE
 NEGRO OFFICER
Gen. J. B. Castleman, Civil War Veteran, Says Salute
 is to Uniform.

Louisville, Ky, Nov. 13.-Louisvilla in which much of the spirit of the old South still lives, putting aside racial feeling and personal prejudice has settled for itself, periodically and unreservedly, the question of the propriety of white soldiers saluting negro officers. This question which came to the fore recently, was on first thought answered negatively, but later way was found to recon cile inherent convictions with milit- ary regulations.
 The solution reached was, that an officer should not be regarded as a personality toward whom the salute was directed, but that the military viewpoint which makes the salute ho- mage to the country's uniform and to the things it typifies should be ac- cepted.
 An exposition of this viewpoint was voiced by General John B. Castleman major in the army of the confeder- acy, later Colonel of Kentucky Ma tional Guard regiment, and a Brig adler General of Volunteers who saw active service in Porto Rico during the Spanish-American war. He said:
 "The discipline of the army must be maintained, and non-commission- ed officers understand little of the spirit of the army when they refuse to salute the negro officer. I have held several commissions in the mil jtary service and I unhesitatingly say that would or will, at any time, salute an officer, superior or inferior, who salutes me, without regard to the color of his skin. The regula- tions, the laws and the fundamentals of courtesy and discipline upon which these regulations and laws are based prescribe this. It is no time to stand against them. roget the incident and want to urge every soldier to be soldier in the full sense of the term. We are at war, and soldiers are un- der the rules of the American army. We are all one under, the flag. We salute the rank, not the individual"
 The incident which brought forth Gen. Castleman's statement occurred here recently.
 Capt. William Glass, twenty-four years soldier in the United States army, recently appointed a commits stoned officer and two white non- commissioned officers were the prin- cipal figures Captain Glass said the men passed him with heads turned without saluting though it was cer- tain they had seen him. He called them back, he said, because he felt that it was his duty to correct their lapse from military regulation. Only one of them returned in answer to Captain Glass call.
 This man, a sergeant in answer to inquiry as to why he had not saluted replied, "I will not salute negro" at the same time expressing doubt that Captain Glass was what he rep resented himself to be. Captain Glass displayed the insignia under his ov- ercoat and the sergeant again said he would not salute a negro. He gave his name and organization to Cap tain Glass saying, You can report me if you wish"
 The interchange had occupied sev- eral minutes and an excited crowd gathered. Captain Glass apparently desirous of avoiding further unpleas- antIess walked quietly away leaving several white. officers to explain to the crowd. The sergeant also disap- peared in the crowd. No official re- port of the incident was ever made to the authorities at Camp Zachary Taylor by Captain Glass, who ex- pressed regret that the incident had attracted the attention of passersby and for the excitement it caused.
 Because of the keen interest arous- cd by the incident and the conflict of opinion which it caused, General was asked for statement I of his attitude on the subject. The position he assumed exercised great