Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-02-11
NEGRO VETS FORM NATIONAL.
ORGANIZATION.
Claim Condition Of Ex-Soldiers
Intolerable.

washington, ID. G., Feb. 4.-'Lesl
they forget" was the slogan Of a deter
mined group OF over 100 ex-Servsre
men who gathered here ut the Netion's
capital this week to form national or
ganiZation Of Negro veterans of tho
, World War. Enlisted men and ex.ot1 :
GERS mingled freely in real spirit OF
comradship which bespoke success for
the movement. One OF the first mo
tons to be adopted was the abolition
OF rank. thereby eliminating all Of the
friction and petty jealousy that might
come rs the result Of past military dis
tinctions.
"The organization, which is to be
known as tho Negro American Vetcr-
ans of the World War, Is the inevitable
outgrowth Of the discrimination that
has been practfsed every where agains.
the Negro veteran" said DR.. II. r.
Jones. former Captain in the Melicnl
Corps and wearer Of the Distinguish.
cd Service Cross, especially has this
discrimination been most rampant IN
the South. in the treatment Of suffer.
ing and dis abIed men,
Our organization means to root Ouf
these cases and to stir up the country
! to the suffering and dire need Of these
men. Denied admission into the hosp
tails OF the South. thousands Of these
veterans. suffering from tuhercul 1sis
end mental disorders. FIRE languishinr
away in the unsnnitary 1ails and alns
houses to which they have been sent
for treatment because the hospitals
will not take Negroes.
Hundreds Of men with active tuber-
Hn10S1S h0f ro f,,n ok11-
for In Their homes. taking chances
with the lives OF their own people,
rather than be sent into the miserable
holes that are being improvised for
them. Even worse than this Is the con
dtion of still other tn ousands Of needy
veterans who are entitled 10 compensa
! ton but who are inundated from max
in" claim for government relief
When the soldiers find that their mr.
carnations will actually bring then.
into contact with tho government, dn;:
, s further more ready to carry on an
active fight in their behalf IN : whn,c;
hearted an unselfish manner, this
movement will spread faster than any
other organization that has ever been
stared among Negroes"
The organization considers itsolf par
ticnlarlv fortunate in having as n Nat
ioral Vfce.Chairman Captain Cempbel
&. Johnson who Is an official of the Vet
erans' Bureau In Wash ington. Captain
Johnson's knowledge OF conditions
. among Colored veterans together with
his ability to be OF help to them, pa ri
cularly qualities him for an important
role in the newly-formed organizati y,
DR.. IT. e. Jones was elected National
Chairman Louir r. Mehlinger, n promi
nent young attorney was elected Sc re
tary; Victor r. DAILY. Business Manae-
er Of the Journal Of Negro History was
chosen as the National Organizer, Eli.
Jan reynolds was made Treasurer
William A. Ryles Director of Pub
LEFTY.
Victor VI. DAILY. the National Org,.
, nicer located at 1916 You street, N. w.
Washington. d. c., stated to represen-
tatives Of the press that no efforts
; would he spared to reach every avail.
able veteran and to muster him int,
the ranks Of the organizations. We
want to make the Negro American Vet
Grams Of the World War model orga-
nAation Of efficiency and strength. We
have common bond between us, and
outside Influences are cementing that
bond In way that may prove very
ANNOYING matter to those who are re.
sponsible for 1t. The founders Of this
movement have but single purpose in
mind, to insure to the Negro veterans
and their families those rights and
privileges that are Justly theirs as q re
suit OF the part that they have played
In the war. g..,y.s,.
] JOURNAL OF NEGRO HISTORY