Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-07-30
APPEAL OPPOSES ARMY COLOR
LINE

The Appeal wrote tho Secretary OF
War for information relative TO The
s"sr" ,.,lcn Ct co'ored Americas in
the United States Army. The following
is the reply:
WAR; DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON
Mr.. j. Q. Adams,
Dditor "THE APPEAL"
st. Paul, Minnesota.
Denr Sir:
I am In receipt Of your letter of
May 14th, in which you take cxcep.
ton to the idea of organizing color
eli troops into separate divis
ion for National Guard service. In re
ply may say that although the separ
ate organization Of colored divis.
ION has not been ordered by tho Wur
department for peace time National
Guard service, it is strictly In ac-
cordance with the policy Of this Do
partment that colored units shall no
organized into complete and separate
divisions whenever tho nhcoss,,v
arises for tho formation of such units
III TIME OF war. This policy Is based up
on the experience gained by the Var
department throughout our country's
military history. 1t was carried out dur
ing the Wortd War IN the organfzc-
ton OF ahe 92nd and 93rd Divisions
which saw overseas service, and I am
surprised that this plan which met
WIN such thorough approval at the
time should now be objected.
tIlnk that you must have been
incorrectly informed as to the War
departments attitude OF ;li,S ones
ZION Tor years is the first criticism OF
thl' policy which we have received
On the other hand this office has ro.
cclVed numerous letters from colorod
citizens endorsing the organization of
COMBAT divisional units of colorea
membership and objccting 10 tho fact
tnat inc War Department has found
IL necessary Tin view OF limited an
proportions and the difficulty of train
ing units scattered over wide areasI
10 restrict for the present the organ,
Zatlon OF colored troops in the MT.
ipnal Guard to those units that enc,
ate directly under orders of the rorn.
or Army Commanders and which Il,
not enter into the composition of u III
vision. . W.
Very truly yours.
(Signed) JOHN W. WEEKS
Secretary of War.
his is tho reply of The Appcal.
St. Paul, Mimi, June Is, 1921
TO Secretary Weeks:
Hon. John W. Weeks.
Secretary of War,
~ washington, ID. c..
l have received your letter without
"tto written in reply to my letter of
May Ii, asking information relative
90 the formation of n separate color.
eu alVlslon Of tho National Guard
Wpale l am pleased to learn that no
such organization has been ordcrod
LOT peace time l regret to hear tbnt
~ Is the policy Of the War Depart
~ organize separate divisions at any
ene' either In peace or war.
tie matter Of organizing colorod
sauiera INTO separate units Is funda-
iieil'itlly wrong, and | believe uncon-
Hltutlonal 1t is wrong which ~.
continued since the organization NJ
colored troops, but The continnot1on
~ y. wrong does not make it right 1t
10 wrong which the World War
tougnt as IT was claimed ito make rho
world safe for democracy" shouI,1
nave righted. 1t is wrong becau.o -
is undemocra:ic. -
II IS wrong because it takes i'll,
coiorcdl soldiers out of their nronnr
piaces In the states in which tIev
llVe anu makes them q segregote1
pare OF the Federalized National Guard
~ aelies them their rights as citizen.
VI thelr respective states and foro,.,
mem into a special segregated stains
winch Is not applied to other oro,ns
u 1Ainerlcahs' such as Germans, Jcish
russians, French, Poles, Spanish, Por
.lguese. Danes. swedes; British. Ans.
Trans, Hungarians, Serhians, Buleor.
i"nS, belgians; ETC., and it Is not nm.
pileo 10 Indians; Jews; Japenesa.
chinese; Koreans; Jayenese. Ea.t
indians; Burmese; and other colnrsd
races. 'o'ofSo
IL the colorod man is q citizen i,
Is entitled to All tho rights of clifton,
sElp and this includes the right m u,
on an absolute equality with ou 9th
CT citizens. 1t is unjust for the p,v-
eminent to single MIN out from tho
various clements which comnoso
h;n1 . citizenship and placa upon
MN the badge OF a pariah caste.
am sorry to learn that + am tho
Ila' 10 protest against this " ~,
out trust that from now on prcr,sts
may como in by the thousands 10 tho
ena that you may be induced to c,onno
'hls policy Of your predecessors,
Very truly yours,
j. D.. ADAMS,
Editor The Appeal.