The evening world., 1918-05-21
Our American Negro Soldier Do.
ing Great Fighting, Especially
With Bayonets, Against the
Germans.
OouT7sh lpls ~ The pr~ r1h'lv Inr CO
IIbt Neu lutk Lteuing World

@FHN "a VT
THE American negro soldiers are
already giving the Germans Of
taSe or their fighting lualii,
Men OF their race can feel eNtremcl,
proud OF Private Nccdham Robert,
ana Private Henry johnson. bo'b
from Now York. Who have received
the French CroiN dc uiucrrc for bcroI,
fighting.
The performances OF Rober,. and
Johnson were Just what might have
oeen expected. Down at UPTON the
otnor soldiers watched the negro
regiment stationed there a couple of
months ago with tho greatest interest
Inose boys certainly do love tho
oayonet." said an officer TO ma ons
day when VIC were watching the
darkics at work. And they certainly
did. Cold steel is the natural woonor
or the African. lie has been bred N
handling II In many centuries o,
hand fighting with a~ssacaI
and heavy knife. The negro regimen
went through bayonet practice with
all the fury OF actual combat.
The negro regiments will do rreo,
fighting In this war.
The feats OF Roberts and Johnson
already described in the news. do.
serve r place in history. Surprised
In an outpost by two dozen German,
on patrol and after prisoners. Rob.
erts was knocked down and wounded
by bursting hand grenades. Lying or
The ground he threw grcnadcs at the
advancing Germans with his lcfi
hand. his right being disabled. Mem
while Johnson killed one German with
g rifle shot II another with HE
gun. and was struck by three
revolver bullets. Three Germans
tciZed tho wounded Roberts to drag
him away, and johnson turned and
rushed at them, killing two with his
heavy bolo knife. This broke up the
party. The remaining Germans.
panic stricken by such furious re-
~sistance. rctreated. Johnson, before
he collapsed. hurled one more greL-
aGc.
All OF these negro infantrymen are
trained boxers and wonders with the
gloves.
A FAMOUS amateur athlete now
n serving in France writes homs:
We've just had an athletic
meet. | went In five events. won two
lrsis a second and a third. The
prizes wero all cash and I cleaned
~ forty-two francs. ! suppose II
the \. A, l. heard OF this they'd de-
clare me a pro 1t wouldn't worry
me"
The 4. A. L. isn't going TO declare
any army athletes professionally be-
cause they compete In the Regular
Army sports for cash prizes or any
other kind OF prizes. II the A, A. u.
did there'd be a new A. A. u. But
probably the A. A. L.. doesn't care to
interfere with any detail OF army ath-
lctic Affairs. Soldering Is essentially "a
professional career. The soldier can't
b. 4 mug hunter" lie couldn't carry
any mugs" around with him. A SOL
der is supposed TO take purt In any
form OF army athletic competition,
aud he will compete for nothing but
the Joy OF winning or for whatever
prizes the officers tell him to compete
Tor.
\ soldier lives IA life that is under
no regulation aside from that OF the
military government. when the war
Is over he can come right back as an
amateur athlete II he was an anna
tour beforehand IL he cares for such
mild excitement after playing In the
greatest game OF hem all,
nILLY GIBSON wires that Benny
u Leonard leaves for New Yorl
May 26 and that he will bC
ready TO show his skill for the sol
di"rs whenever called upon. Behn,
viii go right back TO Upton. wher,
his brother Charlie has been fllinI
his place as instructor during hi
absence,
Leonard has done no fighting 70
himself on the Western trip. He wa.
detailed by the Commission ON Train
ing Camp Activities TO help the rails
ing OF army athletic funds on tn
Coast.
When he went West Leonard wa.
sim and heavy from the hard grin,
a. Upton. Probably the rest and IN
competition In the ring have brough
him back TO his championship form
snd he will go to work again witt
new enthusiasm n pep.
CUNDAY afternoon at the Pol
- Grounds a large number Of tn
best athletes in New York wi
compete in running, jumping an
weight throwing events. The re
ceipts will go TO the athletic FUND
Of Camp Dix and Fort Slocum. JAG
{ e.S Pat Mcdonald, Dave Poi!tzei
Nike Voekle. Jim Plant and TER
Ildlpin arc among the contestants.
EDDIE MGoORTY Is worried be
- cause he can't get enough ngh,
ing in the army, Eddie wante
furlong TO fight Phil Harrison an
didn't get IL,
Wait a bit. Eddie. There'll be CON
Scrapping TO do on the other side.