Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-09-07
THE DOCTORS PROTEST
TO PRESIDENT ON
RACE ISSUES

Richmond, Va. Aug 2S.-Wo the
mCrbcrs Of The National Medical AS
sociation, in annual convention as
scmblcd with delegates from every
state in the Union, representing five
thousand medical men, feel that We
owe it rs II duty to ourselves. our
race andour nation to make the fol
lowing declarations:
|. AS loyal and patriotic medical
mon, We have offered and are offer
ing our services to the nation now
in the throcs of Il great national cris
is. About ono hundred Negro physi-
clans have already been called upon
to render professional service in
the Medical Reserve CorEI;. In addi
ton TO this about two hundred phySi-
clans have been commissioned in the
Medical Reserve Corps but have not
been assigned to active duty, not
understanding the fact that the Gov
crnmcnt is calling for moro phys:-
clans. We have information that no
more Negro physicians will he com
misSioncd in the Medical Reserve
Corps, in accordance with tho present
policy of the war Department. We ap
prcc!atc the representation we already
have but we dcplorc the discrimina--
ton against our physicians where
by they are excluded from further
commissions. Thousands Of Negroes
are being drafted into tho army. and
We appeal to the War Department to
right the injustice OF the present pol
ley and TO give us \ fair representa-
ton Of commissioned officers.
2 Negro physicians who arc now be
ing drafted are being assigned as
privatcs with no apparent chance OF
bcinG transferred to the Medical re,
serve Corps where they could render
the professional service for which
they have hccn trained. Under the
new draft age. IS to 45 at least 90
per cent Of our physicians arc sub
icct to the draft and may be assign
cd as privatecs. We hereby petition
the War Department to remedy this
condition of affairs so that our physi
clans can bc transferred to the Mcdi
cal Reserve Corps.
3 We heartily approve tie decision
of the War Department. to enlist Ne
gro trained nurses in the Rcd Cross
Service. However, this privilege is
limited to service In the Base hospi
tails at home. The Negro trained
nurse is loyal and true. and We ap-
peal to the War Department to re
ward her loyalty and devotion by
giving her the opportunity to serve
the brave black soldiers on the battle
fields OF Europe.
i. AS close students OF tho War sit
uation we realize that adequate provi
sion has not been made for the train
ing of Il sufficient number of Negro
Officers to man the large number
OF drafted Negroes. In fact tho
eight Negro regiments now being
formed are manned by white officers
We give due praise for the recognition
we have already received in the mat
ter of officers in the Army. At tho
same time VIC feel that it is only fair
ana just to us as a race, that if we
arc TO lie drafted as Negroes, and
Kept in separate regiments as Ne
grocs. We should have our proportion
ate share Of Negro officers assigned
to such regiments We feel that at
this critical hour, loyalty should
dominate race prejudice; and that
the brave black soldier and the patri
o(ic citizen should not be proddcd in
the back with the fangs Of race pre-
JUDGE while he is facing the brutal
Hun in the defense of this country
We appear " TIC war department
to give us fair proportion Of Negro
Officers for our Negro regiments, to
the end that loyalty and faithful ser
vice may be the test and not the color
Of our skin.
5. The Negro physicians constitute
one OF the most loyal group of
Americans and ono Of the most potent
factors in our racial development.
We are using this great Influence
to promote patriotism for and conf
dence In our Government. However,
as we travel from place to place in our
professional duties, and to propagate
patriotism VIC arc indOnvenienced
Inundated and abused by the pas3en
ger car system known as the Jim
Crow Cars. 1t is out Of keeping with
the tenets or American Government
for which the world is now bathed
in blood, that the Government itself
should operate such passenger traf
nc system. 1t not Only debases pa
triotic class Of citizens but breeds
discomfort and deprives a citizen OF
fair compensation for his money
invested in a railroad ticket. We there
fore appeal to tho Director General
of tho railroads to abolish the Jim
Crow Car system as war measure
to the end that twelve millions of
faithful citizens may be given Justice
for their devotion.
6. We give unstinted praise to our
great President Woodrow Wilson,
for the great service he has render