The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-19
EDITORIALS ! !
HIGH ARMY OFFICER is PREJU-
DICED.
"a Great Feeling of Discouragemen'
BY Such Public Edicts.

Great FeennS OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY Such Public Edicts.
We here publish the official bulletin
issued by order Of General Ballew,
commanding the 92nd division, which
is colored:
4 Headquarters Ninety-second Division
Camp Funston, Kansas, Mar. 70, 1919.
% BULLETIN NO. 81.
1. Il should be well known to all
colored officers and men that no use
full purpose is served by such acts as
will cause the "color question" to be
raised. It is not q question Of legal
rights. but question Of policy, and
ary policy that tends to bring about
i conflict Of races, with its resulting an
inosities, is prejudicial to the mill
tary interest Of the 92nd Division, and
therefore prejudicial to an important
interest of the colored race.
Q. To avoid such conflicts the Divi-
4 sion Commander has repeatedly urged
Il all colored members Of his command
and especially officers and non-con1-
II lnissioned officers, should refrain from,
going where their presence will be re-
sented. In spite Of this injunction one
OF the sergeants of the medical de-
partment has repeatedly precipitated
the precise trouble that should be
a avoided, and then called on the divls-
ion commander to take sides in row
that should never have occurred, and
would not have occurred had the SER
geant placed the general good above
his personal pleasure and convenience.
This sergeant entered a theater, as he
undoubtedly had legal right to do,
and precipitated trouble by making 1t
possible to alleged race discrimination
III the seat he was given. He is strict
" within his legal rights in this mat
ter, and the theater is legally wrong.
Nevertheless the sergeant is guilty of
the greater wrong III doing anything,
no matter how legally correct, that
will provoke race animosity.
8. The division commander repeats
that the success Of the division, with
all that that success implies, is de-
pendent upon the good will of the
public. That public is nine-tenths
white. White men made the division,
and they can break it just as easily #
ii becomes trouble maker.
A. All concerned are again enjoined
to place the general interest Of the di-
vision above the personal pride and
qualification. Avoid every situation
that can give rise to racial ill-will.
Attend quietly and faithfully to your
duties, and don't go where your pres
scnce is not desired.
s.. This will be read before all or
fganizations Of the 92nd division.
BY command Of Maj. Gen. Ballou.
Allen Greer,
Lieutenant Colonel,
u. S. IA. Chief Of Staff.
The above order speaks for itself
and no doubt the colored people Of the
United States will feel chagrined at
such an official document asking us to
surrender our citizenship and man
hood rights to satisfy the race preju-3i
diced white men Of the south, and yet
We 3are not only asked but drafted to
60 and give our lives to battle for
greater democracy and freedom Of the
European people under the German
rule. What does the civilized world
think Of our American democracy II
the shove document represents the
true idea Of our democracy. We are
indeed surprised at such q statement,
and yet not surprised if it came from
General Ballou alone, for we have
l,sard q our utter disgust similar
statements made BY him when he was
colonel Ut the officers training camp
81 Des oines We do not vet believe
tliSt such orders as the above come
from Washing tom. nor do they have
f6e npproval 81 the secretary Of war.
Rlehf 81 ifht md ,rong iis wrong nm
~ tances and II - never