Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-14
MEN AM BROTHERS ALL

william 8. NcNutt tells q very Striking and He&y3oNs
ing story in Golfers.
In one NATIONAL Army unit at Camp Lee there ware
sixteen hundred negroes, selected from West Virginia.
Ten days after they arrived in camp, the call came to
them to so Immediately to France for special services.
The general in command knew that these men had not
e4neetsd to have to &c for several months at least, 20 he
called for volunteers from the five thousand other Aegre
selected msR in the camp to fill up the vacancies IL some
Of the sixteen hunared did not went to 80 so soon.
Every one Of the five theuxand volunteered for i'm
mediate overseas service!
The si4teen hundred were marched to 4 hall, -teld
of the order, and informed that the,e were volunteers
to take the place of any who preferred to remain behind.
Only 20 per cent Of the sixteen hundred decided to etay.
When the general came from the stage on his way
cut these newly drafted negroes. facing 4etiSe aers1ce in
the war zone within less than two weeks after having
broken their civilian ties. started to sing America" AZ
the general went down the aisle tbs singing grew to =
harmonious uproar Of affirmation. The thing was abse7
lately spontaneous. they had not been coached. 1t was
a spontaneous e4prsssian Of sentiment In the face Of dan
ger. .
"CoHae with me to the officers mess hall the next
day. There Is a shout outside: Hey! Look what's com.
ing!' We step outside. Down the road, thump, thumn
thump, thump, comes that same battalion of negro sol,
diers in full marching order. These soldier, from the mills
and cottonfelds ara on their way to France. The whole
camp knows it; the whole camp is grave, quiet. Thump,
thump. thump, thump! There is no sound in all that
great environment save the beat Of marching feet and the
creaking Of packs. The black nen know that they are
on their way abroad. They are a solemn looking lot.
A minister steps out to the edge Of the embankment over
locking the road down which the troops are marching,
and calls out shakily: "Good-by, boys. God bless you.
God take care Of you, boys
There is an uprel!ins of eyss and q shaky chorus Of
voices in answer: Thanky, sub. Thanky, kindly. Thanky,
par,on. Thanky. suh' w -,
"A big Aisissippian, standing near. swere growing
under his breath, gupsd, ana cried. tina done talking
against nisEers,' he declared huskils. Those boys have
been damn fine soldiers here, an if they ever get back
from France, I'm big enough to lick any man who don't
give 'ena = square deai' =
silence but for the shuttle and thump Of booted feet
on ths roadvay The %roilcking syncopated songs Of yes:
tsrday we're forgotten. A soft, drawing, quavery voice
from somewhere in the ranks began the hymn: will
There Be Any Stars In Ny Crown:' Others took it up,
and to the words and music of the old church song those
black boys t7rped their solemn way opt Of camp to put
their bodies to the chance Of war on a foreign soil"
Loyalty, patriotism, courage. devotion-nope Of the
finer qualities Of tbs human heart are determined by the
color Of 4 mans skin. There are white souls in black
bodies, and black souls in white bodies.
We shall get something cut Of this war-,semethins
bastdes peace ana liberty and = world safe for democracy.
We shall set neighhorliaes and national unity when
nsa frsm al states, mep Of ali creeds and all races, fight
shoulder to shoulder At Arna<sddon.
We shall get a breaking down Of boundaries between
nations and peoples that have fought shoulder to shoulder
for the right, and we shall get that much gain toward .
world community under tho Fatherhood Of Cod and the
BrotheFhood Of Man.
And we shall st, please God, this great thing: that
after this war has worked its changes. we shall hear more
about MEN and less about kinds and eolers Of men. Bar
ners Of eoler. and creed and race will be broken down.
and a new sro.herheo4 Of maa viii be knit Of the hero
tsna Of those who have toiled and fought side by side,
and sealed with the mingled blood Of ths sle.n.-Duluth
HeraM.