The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-19
COLORED STEVEDORES
POPULAR IN FRANCE
American Regiment of Dock Workers Are
Singing and Dancing Their Way
to French Welcome.

" VtieVIuC,
Though they bewail the lack of chick
ems in the backwards of the French-and
on their menu-the members of a regi
ment of American negro stevedores in
France have danced and sung their way
into the hearts of the French population
IN the port where they are stationed.
Warm heartedly they are planning a
show for the benefit of a fund for the
French wounded
Telling of their work and play and
thoughts, Howard Kahn, in an article
sent to the national war work council of
the Y. M. G. A., speaks Of them as the
Wars Minstrel Show In spite of their
strange surroundings, he says, they car.
ry on their work as usual. They shuttle
the same dances and sing the same plan
taton melodies as at home
They have no use for the Senegalese-
French niggers,' they call them--be
cause they wear monkey caps have rings
| in their ears and don't talk sense The
native wit and constant good humor of
these stevedores have made them Joy
and delight to the officers and men who
come in contact with them. Moreover,
| they are living up to the best traditions
Of the American negro.
Writing from port in France, Mr.,
Kahn says:
Its against the rules to mention |
names when you write about enlisted
men of the American eXpeditionary |
forces, but even the hardest hearted cen !
sor will admit that no military secret is !
divulged in this interview with Mr.. Syl- /
vester Bogus Johnson of Nashville, Ten.
nessee, a member of a regiment of negro |
stevedores,
Mr.. johnson was standing on the dock
looking over an expanse of salt water
such as he had never seen at Nashville.
He started the conversation without any
preamble from me.
Man, Mani he said, Christopho CO.
lumbus suah must of had some guts!'
You don't like the ocean, them
mot me, boss, Use pale from nah
trip yet. Use been an American all nah
life. But unless this we're Atlantic ocean ]
freezes ovah and somebody builds a rail /
road track to Tennessee, Use European {
TO life a
'Parlez-vous franeais?' | inquired. :
No, sab, stevedore, he replied. n
What's your particular objection to {
the ocean, Ii
"'1he scenery is rotten, Sylvester ex-
planned And | couldn't keep nothin' on t
my stomach except a life preserver :
''Get plenty to eat hereg In
eyes. sab. Uncle Sam feed us all t
light. But chicken is mighty sea 'ce. | IN
Unit had no chicken since ! landed. |
amt even seen no chicken walkin' around a
nobody's back yad.' il
Have you made many friends over p
lere?' "
Boss, these French nggahs amt no b
rood ! saw one to-day with rings in his il
,ahs. | asks him TO cigarette and he u
es' walks away, | done heah him say N
omethn' but it didn't have no meanin'. d
They weah little red monkey hats and o
hey is just plum ignorant al
Maybe he was a Senegalese!' n
81 don't ca'e what he was. He's Just Of
plum no count niggah. Use even seen m
m ovah heah with whiskahs. But they "
ouldn't speak the English language SO az
on could unde's stand il a-tall. Plum g- he
GRANT. That's what | says da
." If you had to do it over again, would be
on enlist 2
" Boss, when | made my mark on dat
nlistment papah, no one toll me about
Il that watah in this Atlantic ocean If
hey had, I'd still be in Nashville, Ten
assee L. S. A..
sylvester Bogus johnson was some
hat more pessimistic than most of his N
lsky colleagues. 1t isn't at all hard to
nagine that one is visiting lower Mis-
ssippi river landing in the southern
art of the United States as one secs
ese negroes in long single file carry box /,
ter box of provisions for Uncle Sans W
en- from the big steamers. They sing
e same plantation melodies, shoot the
me bones, and shuttle the same darby
nces.
"Their attire is almost as picturesque w,
that of the Senegalese. TO whom Mr. he
hnson objected so strongly. They wear
g uniforms formerly issued to the army
fore the Khaki was adopted. Those n
10 were fortunate enough to draw the h
! style light blue artillery overcoat
tn long cape and scarlet lining we're |
rticularly well satisfied. The negroes y
2 comfortably housed in barracks near 4
e docks Their rations are the same as Y
ose issued TO the fighting men, and
lille their discipline is not so strict Gu
: hours of duty and routine are much see
same thr
The American Y. NJ. {. A. plans to Isl
k after their social welfare in lust the ma
ne manner that it cares for the white !
diers A hut for the use of the steve pin
'es is being constructed. 1t is to have mes
rtric lights, a moving picture machine, anc
'iano and facilities for writing. A ne Iu'
secretary, college man, will coop pun
tie with the white secretaries in pro- ahC
ing amusement and recreation for the pre-
n. He has announced that he will -
te letters for all who are unable to VIA
tie themsell Del
The negroes already are planning a
w for the benefit of a fund for French
lnded. 1t will be staged as soon rs
hut is completed. American officers
men at this port are speaking for
tets, for il is known that there is
ch real darby talent in the stevedore
ment."