The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-12-07
COLONEL SPEAKS
At "U' ASSEMBLY
LEADER OF NEGRO DIVISION
TELLS OF COLORED SOLDIERS
IN WORLD WAR

The Negro Soldier IN the World
War" was discussed before University
of Idaho students Wednesday morn
ing by Col. G. c. Ballou, commanding
officer of Fort George Wright, Spo-
kane, and former major general in
command of the 92nd division, made
up entirely of negro soldiers. Colonel
Ballou urged giving to the negro
equality in industrial life, equality of
education, equality for development
and equality before the law.
Armament and disarmament prob
lens sink into comparative insignifi-
canoe in comparison with Americas
race problem was one of the strik-
ing statements of the regular army
man.
Leads Negro Division
Colonel Ballou told of the organiza-
ton Of the 92nd division, and the first
regiment to be composed of negroes
from the colonel on down. He told of
the hardships he had experienced in
training the men and the hardships
in keeping up his division in France |
In speaking of this work and the arri-
val of negroes for training the speaker I
in part Said-
"At once there were evidences of
the dangers of the race problem. The I
negroes had the idea that becoming
officers they would become gentlemen
and as a result they became cocky. +
Complaints against them were re-
ceived and / called them all together
to impress upon them the fact that
they must keep out of trouble. BY
firmly establishing the theory of
keeping out of trouble the camp came
to a successful conclusion.
"The big problems came when the (
division of negro soldiers arrived in
France. In the United States liquor
was almost impossible to get in the
camps or we would have never gotten
an army to France. In France there
was plenty of liquor and for the first ,
time in their lives the negroes were
on terms of equality by the
white women of France"
The Colored Officer
In speaking of the qualifications of ,
he negro officer Colonel Ballou said:
"The war department gave him,
with his inferior education and train ,
ng, an opportunity to become an Of /,
icer and then they refused to pro- ]
note him. Negro officers should be t
judged by their conduct and capabili- {
les and not by the color of their skim ,
Social equality can never be estab-
ished by orders or regulations" con- ]
inued Colonel Ballou. THAT comes
rom our own sense of fitness. The
legro is free in one sense of the word Ia
lie has not had Industrial freedom Hc
n organizing the 92nd division S
ould not find the technically trained s
lack man. There has been no de- d
nand for that grade Of colored man /
he negro has not had the equality t
f industrial opportunity. T
RI do believe that we should see to 4
that the negro, with the black popu- n
alton in this country Of from twelve a
} thirteen million, who came to this a
ountry not of his own will, should be F
iven the equality of industrial op- e
ortunity, the equality of education, n
quality for development and equality t.
efore the law Y
Fine Musical Program n
The assembly program was opened
y a number by the University r. o.
!. G. band. Director Brent Nelson
allied for an encore upon the insist Il
nee of the crowd Il
The real feature of the morning was h
le piano solo and an encore number b
Y Frederick H. Sommers, talented 81
ut partially blind student at the uni W
ersity. His first number was the l.
rst movement from McDowells Il
Eroica Sonata" Col E. r. Chrisman, T
commandant was in charge r
the assembly program G
A special review of the university r
!. o. T. G. was put on following the
hour in honor of Colonel al
J(1y.