Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-07-19
WHITE SOLDIERS NIALTREATIiD
TOO.

CoIored troop from overseas have
been complaining bitterly on account
Of race prejudice and racial discrimi
nations. They have alleged that
they have been brutality treated. 1t
now seems that the Same treatment
visited upon colorcd mon was inflict
cd upon white ones, but not from tho
same angle. In all that has appear
cd in DR.. w. E. b. Dubois disclos
urcs in tho New York Crisis nothing
exceeds in downright brutality, tho
following telegraphic dispatch from
the National Capital:
" Washington, July ia species
of dcspotism worse than tina for
which we are going to punish the
kaiser" was charged against tho
officials of tho provost marshais OF
flee of the American army in Paris,
by Representative Ballingcr, of Mas
sachusotts in tho house today,
He said American boys "who went
across the sea imbucd with patriotism
tho best blood Of our land-arc de-
clared to have been bcatcn, dubbed,
starvod-all in the name OF dcmOc
racy."
! Continuing he said it Is charged
that men caught in tho web OF tho
American military police system OF
Iparis we're placed in vile prison pens.
! '1'hat our soldiers some of them
iwcaring wound stripes some return
! ing to duty after weeks and months
Of suffering in hospitals were thrown
into prison without trial and without
charges ever being preferred against
them for such oiIenses as failure to
have proper military travel orders in
their puSSeSSion.
"Evidcnco is produced showing
!. that men were hit and dubbed until
they blcd and tainted and that one
Imam even preferred death to the
treatment to which he was subjected
and took his own life"
:, MIR. Dallingcr quoted from letter
he had received from James w. Beck
man of New York city n former scr
goat major of the American cNpcdl
tionary forces. He said he had met
by Mr.. BcclSman and had read copies
OF affidavitS suDstantiating those
ichargcs.
|
in the army in France" Mr.. DAZZLING
ic: continued and they state that the
conditions described were matters OF
/ common knowledge to the American
soldier in France and I have become
, convinced that there is truth in these
lepOlts.
7! Three paragraphs from Mr.. Beck
mnr's letter were read to the house
"a NOS horrible incident was the
case o! so'a:cr who could not sc.ih
English very well, much less under.
!, stand it thoroughly. He was strucl
,anl beaten for not swapping to {
;micc" coln:nsrd. He cried, "This is
} TERRIBLE"
j We'll slow you how terrible 81
: is. replied those who were bcaHla
thim and he was taken before person
;nel officer and two sergeants. A lieu
Tenant beat him again and put hin
in q cell on bread and water. Ev
Identity they considered this too goo'
|, for him so he was placed in a pup
, tent for solitary confinement.
During the afternoon his quietnes:
twas noticed and when they went ovcl
) and tore his tent down he was lyin&
:, ION his back with his throat cut. L
I, Twas about an hour before the ambll
(lance arrived and the silent form
iborne off to the hospital. And tho,
} isands Of miles across the sea an(
gland perhaps there awaited a gray
fhaircd mother with q service star il
1.-THE window of her humble home, wlt
frcceived word from the war dcpar
sment that General Pcrshing had II
bported her son among those who die(
); from other causes"
Il Mr.. Dallingcr resumed: eve cal
mot sit idle while stories of torture
ssuch as these are made.
| I have turned over the information
in my possession to the select con
(mittec Of the house appointed to Il
Evcstigate expenditures of the war IL
Ipartmcnt. I shall watch the invcstig;
| Jtion Of these charges by that commi
tee and I know that every other men
Der Of this house will do the same.
I \