The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-06-16
THE COLONEL WANTED coLoRED
TROOPS.
Two coIored Regiments for the Roose
Velt Division.

Washington, d. Cit now trans
pires that it was the intention of Colo
mel Theodore Roosevelt to take with
him to France at least two colored
regiments instead of one as has been
generally published, if President Will
son had accepted the tender of himself
and associates.
This fact is disclosed in a recent
letter addressed by Colonel Roosevelt
to his friend, Emmett ]. Scott, Sec
retary of Tuskegee Institute, who was
for so many years an ambassador be-
tween the Fighting Colonel and the
late DR.. Booker T. Washington, whose
political relations are revealed at con-
siderable length in the recently issued
biography, Booker T. Washington,
Builder of a Civilization"
Colonel Roosevelt in his letter to
Mr.. Scott writes:
Metropolitan, 432 Fourth Avenue,
New York, May II, 1917.
Office of Theodore Roosevelt.
My dear Mr.. Scott:
If the volunteer organizations, pro-
vided for by Congress, are allowed,
| | should like to use at least two col
ored regiments. One of these should
be under Lieutenant Colonel Young,
who is admirably fitted for the work.
l should hope that he would consult
with you about some of the men for
officers, but he would himself be the
best judge about tho officers. The
other l should hope would be under
another regular army officer, with
William ]. Schieffelin as Lieutenant
Colonel. ! trust you will make in
quiries and recommend to Mr.. Schief-
felin colored men of the highest stand
ing and fitness for the work, who
could be appointed as some of the Of
ficers of the regiment
Faithfully yours,
(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Mr.. Emmett J. Scott,
Tuskegee Institute, Alabama.
1t will thus be seen that if the vol
unteer division provided for by Con-
gress had been approved by President
! Wilson, two regiments of fighting col.
ored men would have shared the dan
gers of the present European War
with the Sage of Sycamore Hill. Colo
mel Roosevelt shows his confidence in
the ability of the Negro to command
such organizations by naming specific
ally Lieutenant Colonel Young, the
only living Negro graduate of West
Point now serving in the regular
army. Lieutenant Colonel Young, it
will be remembered, has seen much of
foreign service already, and has done
a large amount of technical work for
the United States Government, both
in Haiti and in Liberia His record
is one to be proud of, and on the
strength of it he won the second Spin
garn Medal. DR.. William j. Schieffe-
lin, the New York philanthropist and
business man, is trustee of both
Hampton Institute and Tuskegee In
stitute, and has shown the most cor
dial spirit of friendly interest in all
that concerns the welfare of the Ne
gro. Colonel Roosevelt's choice OF
him as an important officer in the
second colored regiment would have
, been entirely gratifying to the colored
people in general.
Colonel Roosevelt's letter also indi
Gates that he continues to look tC
Tuskegee Institute for cooperation il
the same way as he looked to the late
Booker T. Washington, to whom hi
pays high tribute in the recently print
ed biography above referred to. There
is still insistent call throughout the
country for Colonel Roosevelt to rep
resent the United States on the firing
line in France. One of these calls has
even come from Paris, France from
former Premier Clemenceau, in al
open letter addressed to Presiden
Wilson, in which Mr.. Clemenceal
s says:
s "In invaded France at the presen
{ hour there is name which represent
I by know not what force of intuition
{ the beauty of Americas Intervention
; it is that of Roosevelt. You are to-
much a philosopher not to know tina
great popular leaders have influence
men with or without their assistance
has formed around them. Whateve
may be the reasons and without a
tempting to analy2e the phenomenon
1 yield to the imperious need to te
you that the name Of Roosevelt hi
in our country at this time a lege
Diary power 1t would be an enormo'