The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-08-24

time it may soon rival the parks o.
other great cities.
Mrs. S. A. letter.
August 16, 1917.
PUERTO RICO MEN
WON'T COME TO COLUMBIA
Governor and Seafh Carolina Con.
gressmen Oppose Negroes in This
Sectien
The State.
Washington, Aug. Ex-Governor
Manning, Senators Tillman and Simth,
Representatives J. W. Ragsdale and r.
S. Whaley, D. R. Coker, chairman Of
the State Council of Defense; r. G..
Rhett Of Charleston, and George L.
Baker, ]. w. Lillard and William Ell
lott of the Columbia Chamber of Com
merce conferred with Secretary Baker
today concerning the mobilization of
negro troops in South Carolina, and
the sending of Puerto Rico troops to
that State.
After the meeting Governor Man
| ming gave out the following state
ment:
Secretary of War Baker met US at
1880 to-day and We discussed the
Question of the draft for troops in
South Carolina, especially with refer
ence to the negro troops. The Puerto
Rican troops will not be sent to
South Carolina nor will the white and
negro troops be mixed. The matte.
was fully discussed from the stand.
point of the best interests of all the
troops, white and colored, and the
best way to handle the proposition
Secretary Baker assured us that be
would take under serious consideration
all that was said and would endeayo,
to decide the questions involved so as
to serve the welfare of all partie.
concerned. IT, any negro troops are
sent to South Carolina, they will ua-
der the long established policy Of the
| war department be kept entirely sep.
! arate from the white troops.
"At the opening Of the meeting hs
announced that the Puerto Rican
troops would not be sent to Camp
Jackson at Columbia. -
Puerto Rican negroes, the delega-
ton contended, we're unused to the
Southern view Of the negro question,
and should be modified elsewhess
Senator Tiliman asked that in view
of the fact that Cuba has offered the
United States training ground on
the island. the Puerto Rican troops be
encamped there. - III
Southern senators said they;tslteon-
fdent the racial problem inStkeS train
ing of negro troops Feuld be 7sslved
without friction. ;. soaas synpathizs
with the protests of the South Caro-
lima delegation. while others believe
the South is the best place for train
Ing the negroes.
1T certainly would be mistake to
send negroes from Northern states To-
to the South for training" said
Senator McKellar Of Tennessee, mem
Der Of the military Affairs committee.
"Of course, the negro and white troops
should and, I understand will be
trained separately I think there are
many communities in the South which
would not object to selection as camps
for training the negro contingents."
Senator tHardwick of Georgia said
negroes from other states should not
! be sent to any community which OBJ
jects.
"It might cause serious trouble in
some cases to send in large numbers
Of strange negroes" he said. MANY
are to be- trained near Atlanta, how
ever, and I have not heard OF any
serious objection"
claring separate training camps should
be established for white and negro
troops. said he did not believe much
objection would come from the South
against negro training camps there.
RUB-MY-TISN-An Relieves