Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-11-09
head upton receipt

New York, November 5th.-As the
| Negro forces of the United States
Army are being augmented from day
to day, both here and abroad the
knights of Columbus Committee on
! War Activities has taken cognizance
OF the need of having colored secrc-
| taries follow their brother fighters
and bring to them the much needed
| consolation and comfort during their
hours of trial and anxiety. Several
| colored secretaries are now stationed
| in environments throughout the coun
| try. The work being done by the
| Knights of Columbus has appealed
to them to such an extent that they
and many others have expressed the
| desire Of going overseas to carry the
woIk right to the front lines. The
X. OF C. is operating in American
| camps and overseas under the direc
ton of the National Catholic War
Council.
The work Of colOrcd secretaries in
| camps here is proving wonderfully
| successful and is winning the warm
| approval Of the Negro soldiers. From
an article appearing III the latest edi
J ton Of news paper for soldiers at
Fort Funston, Fort Riley, Kas. one
may get vivid idea of the approcia
ton the Negro soldiers have for tho
X. of G.
The work the Knights Of Column
bus organization is doing in provid-
ing rccrcational buildings and prop
er home surroundings for the color
cd troops at Camp Funston and 9TH
or environments in the country Is IL
patriotic inspiration to cvory mem
Der Of that race; 1t Is q service that
stamps it with the highest spirit Of
loyalty.
IAN interview with X. OF G. Secre
tary Titus Alexander OF 10 Angeles
Cal, graduate of Oberlin and II
man OF marked executive ability In
this work in the far west, best out
lines the scope Of the useful service.
mail is sent out twice each day,
Secretary Titus said and we average
about 5000 letters each week. Dur
ing the movement of troops the out
going mail is much heavier. These
figures are only for the letters writ
ten and mailed in our building. Dur
ing \ recent movement OF troops we
sent out in one day seventeen sacks
of mail mostly parcel post.
"Recently II colored woman from
Mississippi came into the Knights OF
Columbus building No. 3, looking for
her son She said: L camo right from
| the train TO the X. of C. Building,
No. for l knew l would find my
son there. He writes all his letters
from there.
"In tho X. Of C.. building for the
entertaining of colorcd soldiers there
are two writing desks stretched the
| entire length Of the room. at the
back Of which are magazines. We
have two dozen tables for the PLAYERS
Of checkers and dominoes, punching
bags: boxing gloves; handballs: base
balls; basket balls; foot balls etc.
A pianola is installed on
the stage. Mass is said every
morning at $50 and Sunday
mornings at $40. All of the big
magazines as well as fine library
are provided Also monograph and
movies"
The article continues by stating
| that in addition to looking after
these comforts and pleasures of the
colored soldier the X. of G secretary
meets the troops on arrival. ",There
he lectures them a bit on patriotism.
it states. "and what is expected Of
them at this, their first opportunity to
make good and to measure up to the
full expectancy Of the world; also
TO ask them for their discarded cloth
ing FOR the Belgians.