The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-01
CROWDS CHEER AS
 NEGRO SELECTMEN ENTRA|N FOR CAMP
Over Nine Hundred Ne. grOes Leave for Camp Sheridan to Begin
 Training
By JEFF BAILEY

With as much pep as would be con- tained in sea of Mexican chili or a cargo of hot tamales, 905 negro select men left Birmingham yesterday en route to Montgomery. where they will go into training to get their spurs for overseas duty, where they will get the autocratic angora of the Kaiser if he ever shows his head, around them.
 Happy, full of good humor and native negro wit, these negroes loaded aboard two special trains in answer to their country's call and are now in camp, waiting for the sundry new adven- lures that are to come to them as they do their bit for worldwide democracy.
 "Good-by, sugar." was as spontane- ous1y uttered and as easily heard all up and down the line that encircled the Louisville, and Nashville station, as was noticeable mouths full of white teeth that glistened like pearls in the sun.
 The Birmingham young negro men had gotten the spirit of fight so thor oughly in their systems, until there was not an objection to be raised, and practically every mammy's son of them said with emphasis: If we don't get CT German, dere aint none over dere, dats all, white folks" And every one believed it, for there was brawn and muscle, health and willingness to obey orders and a desire to fight for his country.
 Young negro girls, middle aged wom- en, old mammies and brothers and dad dies shed tears as their boys, brothers and near relatives marched into the station and waved a good-by and climbed aboard in perfect order. They looked like soldiers already, so well did they understand the procedure.
 Ut was absolutely the best handled movement of selectmen ever sent out of Birmingham" said Secretary Pep perman yesterday afternoon, and want to thank everyone who partici- pated in the handling of the enormous crowd of colored people and the large number of selectmen This was the largest movement that we have had, yet it was the easiest l have ever handled.
 SUCCESSFUL ENTERTAINMENT
 MT Pepperman stated that he de- sired to especially thank the klwanis club. the Chamber of Commerce civil ian military training camp, the Civic association, the Boy Scouts and Maj John T. Yeatman, for services rendered and without whose assistance there could have been nothing like the suc- cessful entrainment that was experi- Maip ga acted grand marshal of the whole affair, and his work was praised by all who Wit nesses the parade and entrainment.
 Iieuts John zeigler, H. E. German and w C. Perkins of Camp Sheridan came to Birmingham md escorted the selectmen to Montgomery. These young officers became very popular with local board officials within their short stay in the city, due to their courteous man. ner and strict military discipline and bearing.
 GATHERED AT PARK
 The selectmen gathered at Capitol park at 10 o'clock and were immediate ly checked up. given their numbers and tags, allowed to be at rest with their relatives and friends for short while then given lunches and marched to the station, where they immediately embarked for Montgomery. The ne groes made a decided impression upon their hundreds of white friends who went to- the station to see them off.
 Have any of you boys seen Henry, my chauffeur,'' said an elderly lady, with a pair of dogs one under eacn arm. q want to find him"
 She finally located Henry and handed him a lunch ard small roll of bills, for which he grinned and thanked 'Missus," and all the negroes looked on with envy. until "Missus" said to Henry, Now kiss the dears good -by,' referring to the canines.
 Good Lord. nigger." yelled one of his comrades, "git on here fore you gets shot You ought to be glad to go to war. For de love of de Lord, dats just lak aXing you to kiss CT German. Git on dis here train"'
 WANTED A FORD
 One negro boy who bore every indi- cation of having man power enough in his arms to tear German limb from limb said, when asked by newspaper man what he was going to do: All I wants is CT Ford and one of dem ma chine guns. den it's goodnight till gets to Berlin
 The train pulled out amid cheers. sobs. screams and much jollying be- tween the negroes aboard the train aI,,l the women assembled there to see them off. As parting remark big brown skin fellow. standing in the doorway of the last coach, yelled back: Lord hut I am getting mad. I believes l could eat CT dozen big biscuits right now Lordy, but I am madt" and down the track trailed 905 Birmingham ne- groes, every man there hoping that they would all come back, unharmed, but not without having done their bit in destroying the land and person of ''The Beast of Berlin"
 And it's dollars to doughnuts that you will hear further from that near thousand of Smoked Yankees" as they fhep,calyec