The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-11-29
ARTICLE VI.
Coiored Stevcd0res Doing Essential
Work. nj Base Ports.

ARTICLE vi.
Coiored Stevedores Doing Essential
Work" at Base Ports.
Somewhere in France. Figures just
made available show that, for the
month Of September, there was ham
died ut. the American base ports in
France B7,64s tons, or a daily average
|of 25,588 tons, an increase of nearly
ten per cent. over August. When it
lis considered that eolored stevedores
handled by far the largest per cent.
Iof this tonnage, some idea can be
formed of the very important service
eolored stevedores are rendering the
Goyernnlent here in France, and how
necessitoas are they To the success of
the Allies. The work Of colored steve
dores may be menial, and is laborious,
but it Is as essential as the manning
OF guns at the front Fact is, with
out these stevedores first unloading
and aiding III transporting the guns,
munitions, and supplies TO the front,
there would be no manning Of guns at
tire front. One who sees the steve
dores work, notes with what rapidity
and eheerfulness they work, and what
q very important cog they are In wars
machinery The colored stevedore has
greater endurance than the others,
and because Of the absolute necessity
Of steyedores to aid the men at the
front, The employment OF drafting Of
so many colored stevedores becomes Ii
compliment.
Golored Soldiers Saving Their Money
for Rainy Day"
While visiting III the Colored Y. Nj.
g. A. huts over here, as particular to
make inquiry as to the progident III
clination Of eolored troops, and
cially those III the service hattali
| was gratified to learn that ii
appreciable number of the men
saving up for a rainy day takii
care Of their money. vas cogni1ans
Of the fact, before sailing for France,
That there were many solicitous mem-
bers Of our race, back home, who were
wondering what the colored soldiers
here were doing with their money
since the Government supplied them
with everything necessitous.
learned that there are ii consider
able number who are sending their
money back home; that very consid-
cradle number are Sailing" their
war is ended. met one young man
at Hut No. ! who had wife and child
back in the states, in Arkansas. When
! asked him il he WIS saving his
money, he replied. Yes, every sou.
| feel the need of more education, he
said, eand il is a question with me
whether to use my excess money to
provide more and better education for
myself, or rustic along with what !
have and spend every penny on my
child. | sort Of feel that he will need
he education more than /, and | can
not educate both him and myself
There are here, as at home, some
who are improvident; but, from what
I could learn, there are many sur
plising number who will bring back
With them, on who will have sent back
home, every penny above what was
absolutely necessary to spend over
acre. In five huts, il is stated, l25,o0o
more francs tS6,25o) we're sent home
than had been expended here. The
freedom offered colored soldiers in
France is a great inducement to ex-
travagance, and especially 70 many
whose freedom, IN the way Of privi-
leges, had been more or less limited.
this, the number who are
saving their money Is most gratifying.