The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-07-20
GRAND ARMY DENOUNCES JIM
GROWING OF NEGRO SOLDIERS.

1t will doubtless be source Of much
qualification to the readers of the By
stander and especially to the men at
the training camp to know that Crock
er Post of the Grand Army Of the Re-
public, composed entirely of white
men, who are veterans Of the civil
war, has made thorough investiga-
ton of the recent case of discrimina-
ton against two of the cadets from
the training camp and as a result has
drawn up and presented to the mayor
and city council memorial" de-
nouncing the management of the EN-
press theater and demanding the with
drawal of all police protection from
said place so long as such discrimina-
ton continues.
The memorial is as follows:
Hon. Mayor and City Council Of Des
Moines, Iowa:
On Sunday evening, July 1, 1917,
two colored United States soldiers in
full uniform, located at Fort Des
Moines, Iowa, made application to the
Empress theater for tickets, which
they bought and were admitted and
took their seats on the second floor of
said theater. Soon after taking their
seats they were requested by the off,
GER of the theater to remove to an
other part of the house, to assertion
set apart for colored people. These
colored soldiers refusing to remove to
said section, set apart for colored peo-
pie, were arrested by the officer of the
theater, the management OF the theat-
er calling the city patrol wagon; these
soldiers were under arrest, taken to
city police headquarters. Capt. Miller,
being on duty at the time, on investi
cation found that no information had
been sworn out against these men,
hence no warrant had issued and not
even a verbal charge of the violation
of any law or city ordinance, he imme-
diately ordered the soldiers dis
charged.
The arresting of these colored SOL
diers was clearly an illegal act and
being also under the circumstances
very poor policy.
The theater gave out and the men
arrested were led to believe that they
were so arrested and shamefully
treated by the regular police depart
ment of the city of Des Moines. I am
very glad to be able to now report that
this was not true in fact. One James
Riddle, an employe of the Empress
theater, under the guise, however, of
authority from the city Of Des Moines,
was acting under a license from the
safety department Of the city of Des
Moires, as I am informed. This man
Riddle, while at work, is decorated
kwith police star, cap and coat, with
the intention no doubt to impress all
that he was regular policeman.
Your police department, therefore,
naturally would be credited with this
semi officials unlawful acts and con-
duct.
Croker Post, G. A. R., investigated
lIllS IIdIlSt1SIlOll anu W 4eooAuIioI1 WI
demned the treatment meted out to
these colored soldiers and found their
arrest was unlawful, and full credit
for said unlawful acts was given to
the city of Des Moines police depart
| ment.
Knowing that under no circum-
stancs would the city of Des Moines
allow any United States soldier, white
or black, stationed in our midst to be
even unfriendly treated, we now ask
that this sentiment be made emphatic
by the immediate and unconditional
withdrawal of all police power hereto
fore granted to the said James Riddle,
employee of the Empress theater.
This action on the part Of the city
we most respectfully ask.
Ira w. Anderson,
Chairman of Committee