The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-10-04
Negro in
w ar w Work

War Department officials state that
since the Officers Reserve Training
Camp at Fort Des Moines, out oi
which came $50 coIored commissioned
officers, and prior to the establish.
ment OF the training schools at Camps
Taylor and Pike, 10 colored men were
commissioned as officers in Infantry
III In Cavalry, and SO In Field Artil-
lery. One hundred and seven officers
in Infantry came out of the recent
class at Camp Pike and 33 in Field
Artillery came out of Camp TAYLOR
last March. The forging summary
gives total of 941 colored officers
graduating from the Officers Train
ing Schools, and these figures are
exclusive of those commissioned IN
the Medical Reserve Corps and IN
special branches of the service, both
over here and abroad, and the count
does not embrace the officers of the
National Guard and those in the origi-
nal Regular Army.
The War College at Washington
advises that there have been regis
tered 207 white labor companies, 200
of which were sent overseas before
their organization was entirely COM
plete. This is positive evidence that
these Labor Battalions are not con-
fined exclusively TO colored member
ship, as has been intimated il some
quarters.
A colored Woman's Volunteer Ser
vice League of Newark, n. j., has
been organized, as a branch Of the
Mayors Committee of sthe Woman's
Committee Of the Council Of National
Defense, and has opened headquarters
at 249 Mulberry street, where colored
soldiers may be made "at home and
entertainment provided for them A
suitable building is to be secured for
the establishment Of canteen for
the benefit of the soldiers Some of
the officers Of this Voluntary Service
League are: President, Mrs. Amorel
Cook; secretaries, Mrs. Il. M. Holmes
Mrs. Nj. =. Burrell, Mrs. E. E. Hilton,
and Mrs. Emma Wormley; and treas
urer, Mrs. Louise Hilton.
Mr.. J. E.. Blanton, in cooperation
with the Wad Department Commits
sion on Training Camp Activities, is
doing effective work IN various camps
in organizing Liberty Chorusesn
among the colored soldiers and in in
structing them in the technique Of
plantation melodies, folk-song sing
ing and the standard "spiritualsn. He
is introducing with great success Nat
allie Curtis Burlin's newly conceived
and most happily harmonized folk
song, "A Hymn of Freedom which is
set for singing the tune Of ride on.
Jesus, ride on"
Opportunities for the entrance of
competent colored men in the Veteri-
nary Corps are now open Informa-
tion relative to this branch of the
service may be had BY addressing
Major Ray J. Stanclift, Assistant hi
rector of the Veterinary Corps, Wash
ington, p. G.
New barracks are being built at
Howard University and Atlanta Uni.
versity for the accommodation Of the
young men who are coming in from
all sections Of the country to take the
military training along with their aca.
semic studies and for the vocational
classes that will come from draftees
who will be assigned there by local
boards or army camp officials The
opportunities offer young colored men
through the Committee on Education
and Special Training are being seized
with eagnerness, and so rapidly has
the demand for this type of education
. o'stN9 AAtA s'S P01SltL sIiE ltlB IGSUtiS
noted that the Governments policy
of thus turning out specially trained
men for its manifold needs, is meeting
with universal approval and is to be
continued indefinitely. BY next July
It Is estimated that 10000 young
colored men will have received this
training in some of its forms.
Charles Harris, leader of the Com
monwealth Band, of Baltimore, Md,
has been appointed assistant band
leader and will soon go to France with
one OF the colored organizations. AT
ter six months he will be made d Sec
ond lieutenant
High officials in France are said to
be exceedingly fond of the s'jazzo mu-
sic furnished by the colored bands.
General Petain recently visited d sec
tor in which there are American
trOnDs and had 0fhf t;yna ~ III. fff.,,