The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-03-15
THE RELATION OF THE NEGRO TO
THE SELECTlVE DRAFT
CONTINUED from page y.

peculiarly fitted to render necessary
advice to the War Department with
respect to the Colored people Of the
various states, to look after matters
affecting the interest Of the Negro
selectives and enlisted men, and to
inquire into the treatment accorded
them by the various officials connect
ed with the War Department. In
the position occupied by him, the
Special Assistant to the Secretary
of War was thus enabled to obtain
proper perspective both of the at
titude of selective service officials
to the Negro and Of the Negro TO
the war and especially to the. draft.
AS the representative of his race
his expressions, therefore, have great
weight. In a memorandum address
to this Office, on the subject Of the
relation of the Negro to the war and
especially the draft, on Dec. IL, 1875
Mr.. Scott wrote:
Eager to Accept Terms
THE attitude of the Negro to the
war, and especially to the draft, was
one of complete acceptance of the
draft, in fact, of an eagerneSs to ac-
cept it's terms. There was deep re-
sentiment in many quarters that he
was not permitted to volunteer, as
white men, by the thousands, were
permitted to do in connection with
AT1As al
branches of military service which
were closed to Colored men. One Of
the brightest chapters in the whole
history of the war is the Negroes
eager acceptance Of the draft and
his splendid willingness to fight.
His only resentment was due to the
limited extent to which he was al
lowed to join and participate in COM
Blatant or lighting" units. The num-
Der of Colored draftees accepted
for military duty, and the compar-
itively small number of them claim
ing exemption, as compared with
the total number of white and Col
ored men called and drafted, pre-
sents an interesting study and re-
fleets much credit upon this racial
group"
Many influences were brought to
bear upon the Negro to evade his
duty to the Government. Some effort
in certain sections of the country was
made to induce them not to register.
That the attempt to spread German
was a miserable failure
may be seen from the statement Of
the Chief of the Bureau of Investiga-
ton Of the Department of Justice to
the United States Senate committee:
1.-THE Negroes didn't take to these
stories, however, as they were too
loyal. Money spent in the South
for propaganda was thrown away.
How Morale Was Promoted
Then, too, these evil influences
were more than Offset by the various
publicity and promotion of morale"
measures carried on through the
office of the Special Assistant to the
Secretary of War, and his assistants.
Correspondence was kept UP with
influential Negroes all over the coun-
try. Letters, circulars, and news
items for the purpose Of affecting
and encouraging the continued loyal
ty of the Negro citizens were regular
ly issued to the various papers COM
prising both the white and Negro
press.
"a special committee of 100 Col
ored speakers was appointed to de-
liver public patriotic addresses all
over the country, under the auspi-
cies of the Committee on Public In
stating the war aims Of
the Government and seeking to keep
unbroken the spirit of loyalty of Col
bred American citizens.
"a special conference of Negro
editors was called to meet in Wash
ngton in June, 1918, under the aus
picies of the Committee on Public
in order to gather and
disseminate the thought and public
opinion of the various leaders of the
Negro race. Such has been only a
part Of the work of the department
Of the Special Assistant to the Sec
rotary of War in the record of the
Of the man power of the
American Nation.
1.-THE appreciation of this repre-
sentative of the Colored race for the
cooperation shown by the Selective
Service administration, especially as
It affected members of the Colored
race in reference to occasional COM
plants received, will appear from the
following extract from a memoran-
1um written to this Office on Septem-
Der 18th by the Special Assistant to
he Secretary of War.
Mr.. Scott tells of Draft Fair ssS.
Throughout my tenure there / have
keenly appreciated the prompt and
cordial cooperation of tie Provost
Marshall Generals Office with that
particular section of the office OF the
Secretary Of War especially referred
" herein. The Provost Marshall
Generals Office has carefully investi-
gated and has furnished full and COM
)lete reports in each and every COM
Dlaint or case referred to it for az
ention, involving discrimination, race
prejudice, erroneous classification If
iraftees,' etc., and has rectifed these
whenever IL was found,
lpon Investigation, that there was Just
ground for the same. Especially in
he matter Of applying and carrying
nut the SelectiN Service Regulations,
he Provost Marshal Ger erals office
las kept watchful eye upon certain
zeal exemption boards which seemed
Eisinclined to treat Negro drat.ees on
he same basis as other Americans.
iubject to the draft law. 1t is an
lctual fact that in number Of in
stances where fragrant violations
rave occurred in the application of
he draft law to Negro men in certain
of the country, local exempt
on boards have been removed bodily
md new boards so appointed have
AVE been ordered by the Provost
MARSHAL General to reclassify Colored