Phoenix tribune., 1918-09-21
NEGRO SOL LDIERS GIVEN FINE 0PP0RT TUNITY
Famous Tenth CaDay SaDes The Day At Noga1es Arizona
JUNGLE SAM" A BENEFACTOR
TO NEGROES IN HIS SERVICE

Camp Travis. Texas. sept. 1S-The
color line plays no part at all in the
efforts made by the United States to
train, equip and make suitable for
the supreme effort against the Ger
mans the men responding to the call
to colors under the selective draft
act. White men or colored, they are
equally well provided for, notwith-,
standing some arguments made by
German sympathizers.
Never before in his lifetime has the
Negro had such opportunities accord
ed him as he has at the present time
in the service of tne United States.
No more must he keep up a continual
scramble for such employment as will
afford bread and meat and clothes for
himself and family, to the absolute
annulment of any chances to better
himself AS a soldier in the great
armies Of the country the black race
has an opportunity long desired but
never possible before.
At Camp Travis, for instance. the
Negro soldier has opportunities of
schooling, of training along mechani-
cal lines, of training along hundreds
Of other lines of work that will bet
ter fit him when the war is over TO
take his place in the world. Thou
sands of Negroes have gone from
Camp Travis in engineering units or
stevedore companies or in fighting
branches. In every instance they
have been able to accomplish much.
Especially in the work of fighting
men, they have called forth the praise
of General Pershins and of the
French and English military officials
Aside from his work at drill. with
his rifle on his shoulder, or in his
studies in the camp bakeries OF cook
ing schools, or in the mechanical re-
pair shops or constructing bridges
and roads according to the most ap.
proved methods, there also is plenty
of pleasure for the Negro soldier
Schools are open for his study of
English, for reading and writing.
Thousands of library books are at his
disposal. The Y. M. C. A. has q
branch open to the Negro where he
has the benefit of everything the Y.
M. G. A. can give him for good.
Entertainments of literary and
athletic nature are provided by the
commissions on these various activi-
ties. Recently at Camp Travis there
was organized Negro band Of more
than fifty musicians that is develop
ing into one of the finest of it's kind
in the country. A Negro minstrel
show displayed such talent that it
was invited to perform at neighbor-
ing camps and the money thus ac-
Quired will be used in the purchase
and erection of a Negro dance hall
near the camp. At certain intervals
great field meets are held with cash
prizes for clog dancing, jigging, for
boxing. wrestling. leap frog, racing,
etc. Then there is competitive ath-
letic drill, as well as military drill.
These are but a few of the advan-
tages offered the Negro of today.
Added to this is the fact that in
the Government service the soldier
as private receives $50 per month,
with his clothes, bedding. place to
sleep and three good meals per day.
Medical attention is also provided
when necessary. The Negro in Uncle
Sans army has an opportunity to de-
velop physically, mentally and in ey-
cry way to make him better citizen.