The Twin City star., 1918-10-26
COLORED AMERICAN
IN WAR WORK
Qssued from the Office of Emmett J..
= Scott, special assistant to the Sec.
retary Of War;

retary or war;
Especial to Twin City Starr
Washington. D. c., Oct. 23.-There
are now fifty colored chaplains in the
United States army.
The September call for sslcctive
draftees, issued by Provost Marshal
General Crowder, included 29,016 col.
ored men.
In the total of 100000 American
troops sent overseas a goodly proper
tion may be accredited to the Negro
race. This total was given by the
War Department officials at a recent
hearing before the House Committee
on Military Affairs.
Many press reports, commenting on
the American army in France, inti-
mate that the Germans have a whole
some fear of colored troops in action.
General Pershing is lavish in his
praise of the colored soldiers and has
testified officially that they show mar
velous GOODNESS under shell fire, and
an entire regiment, as well as indi-
vidual colored soldiers, has been cited
for decorations of honor.
Preliminary to the recent session of
the National Baptist Convention at st.
Louis patriotic meeting was held at
the Coliseum, in the course of which
10000 enthusiastic colored people pro-
claimed their loyalty to the United
States. A long parade, chorus of
300 voices and program Of stirring
addresses and songs, featured the cele-
bration. The general theme of the
orators embodied a review of the part
which the American Negro is playing
in the destiny of the nation from the
time that slavery was first introduced,
through the Civil and Spanish-Amer-
ican wars, into the present conflict.
A canteen has been established by
the colored women of New York City
at Nos. and w. 131st st. for the
exclusive patronage Of colored SOL
diers and sailors. Spacious accommo-
dations where the men may read and
write and have their meals served at
cost are provided. The canteen is Of
ficially known as Canteen No. 5, Of
| the Mayors Committed, and is op-
Grated by a committee of public-spirit-
ed colored people of Harlem, under
the leadership of Mrs. e. c. Goode.
Such canteens are being established
in many cities and they are doing q
mint of good for our soldiers and
sailors.
The War Department Commission
on Training Camp Activities has made
provision for the entertainment Of a
labor battalion of about 1000 colored
troops which has been sent to Camp
Kearney, Linda Vista, CAL, for sani.
tation work around the camp. This
battalion Is made up Of colored men
unfit for overseas duty by reason of
minor physical disabilities.
Conservative estimates place the
number of colored soldiers now in
the United States army establishment
on both sides of the ocean at little
less than 100000. ...
Detroit, Mich, has opened a we'll.
appointed clubhouse for colored sol.
diers at 282 st. Antoine st. Mrs. e.
ID. Trowbridge is chairman Of the com.
mittee in charge. Roscoe s. Douglas
of the Detroit Urban League is gen.
eral director.
At a recent meeting Of the Califor.
MIA Federation of Colored Women g
Clubs at Los Angeles the governor OF
the state delivered an address that
stirred the audience to the highest
pitch of enthusiasm. The governor
was escorted to the platform by Will
liam Edgar Easton, the well-known
journalist, orator and literateur
author of "Dessalines," etc.-and
member of the speakers committee
of 100 for California.
Mrs. Victoria Clay-Haley Of st.
Louis is state organizer for the Col
ored Women's War Savings Commits
sion Of Missouri.
Mrs. Rippin of the War Community
Service, in charge Of the protective
work for girls, is planning to place
colored protective workers in Chilli
cothe, Ohio, and Rockford, ILL.,, just
as soon as the salaries are available
for these positions. Camps Shermar
and Grant, respectively, are located
near these cities.
The colored man now holding the
highest rank in the regular army IL
Lieutenant. Colonel Benjamin Oliver
J Davis, a native of Washington, d. c.
, stationed with the 9th Cavalry in the
Philippines. He has seen service II
Mexico and a number of points in thii
country and won distinction as mill
tary attache of the United States ir
Liberia. He was in the Spanish-Amer
. lean war and won his way up from
! the ranks through sheer merit.
!, The seasoned 10th United States
Cavalry has been doing some effec
tive work in repulsing Mexican az
gressions on our border in the South
west.
Home for CoIored Female War
Workers.
1t is highly encouraging to note thai
the colored women OF Chester, Pa.
Il - - A4 nvn