New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Planned for Use
When Peace Comes

The significant fact in all this ;s ~ q,
~ IS being planned for permanence
~ may require notifications to suit
II 10 uses IN times of peace, but the
need for it will be just as great Fo,
'ne community centre aims at some.
'nlng larger than war work-it aims
70 satlsfy the need of the negro 70,
expression in healthful, normal chan.
nels. 1t will be place where he w;l,
De tree from the furtive, degradin.
CONSCIOUSNESS of inferiority. He will
learn there to bear himself like q
cltlzen-and so eventually be one.
The negro is more susceptihIe r. in
huences than the white-good as well
as bad. Music and the fervor of 70.
ilglon are the most powerful factors
IN Working with him. That means that
ne can be reached by, simple means,
"A social worker said, "In making the
negro happy and getting results YOU
can DO more with five dollars tb.r
you can with hundred for the white !,
And after year of this work IL
is already having it's result. A negro
soldier coming to town goes about his
business. lie knows he has his place in
the community. He bears himself we'll
ana the townspeople treat him accord
ingiy. 1t all bears directly on his
work within the camp-which in the
hnal analysis is the work of winninp
the war. 1t shows itself in his zest.
IN his company pride, and, most
critical test of all, the attitude Of the
white troops toward him. Ask anv
white officer what he thinks of hi.
negro soldiers. He will tell you Of
their unfailing good nature, of their
quick response to call and their
oeslre TO please whom they resnect
"A white leader prefers to believe that
the negro would rather have a white
leader. 1t gives a paternal touch +o
his attitude toward his troops which
the men like. But it has been shown
that they stand up just as we'll under
colored leadership. The life of most
OF them is, perhaps for the first time.
hlled with purpose. AS civilian the
negro worked spasmodically and lived
an irregular, if sometimes cheerful.
existence. In the camp he works
harder, but is fed and housed better.
He is in fine physical trim, his energy
is directed and he is achieving
greater measure of respect.
He is havsng the time of his life.
On the long marches his singing never
flags. He pours out his inexhaustible
heritage of songs. Some of the good
old classic rags have been revamped
and given a military cast. sit Takes!
Tall, Dark Gal to Make a Preacher
Lay His Bible Down" is now ut Wilt
Take Tall, Dark Man to Cut the
Kaiser Down." And his fighting spirit
Just mention to a colored soldier
that you think his regiment is destined
for stevedore service overseas! You'll
start trouble.
He is wonderfully responsive to the
entertainers that are sent to him in
camp, but he has great fund of native
talent that he just can't suppress.
Every once in while it breaks out and
carries off the laurels. The white SOL
diers OF the same camp, hearing of it,
clamor to be shown, and then follows
an interchange of local talent. A camp
often prefers its negro talent to pro-
dessionals, and very often these are so
good that they are sent out on tour
of the camps.
The most marked result of all is
shown in the quotas Of drafted negroes