The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23

authorities had no occasion to inter-
fere.
AT the end of the first year. as
now recall 1t, Conyers quit the acao-
emy. He may have failed in his
studies. My memory is not clear on
that point. At any rate he passed
out of the brigade. l never heard
of him again from that day to this"
In his history of Annapolis Park
Benz min, who was graduated from
Annapolis in 1867. discusses with
the utmost frankness OF the position
OF the negro so far as ANNAPOLIS and
the Official personnel of the navy Is
concerned. In the chapter In which
he refers to the admission OF negroes
to the academy he first discussed
the campaign against hq2ing which
was carried on in the late sixties
and early seventies, ard No sooner
was that problem partially solved
that the authorities found them
selves face to face with the more
serious negro problem.
The New Problem.
During Commodore Worden's ad
ministration," Commander Benjamin
writes, "anothec difficulty arose
which the navy had long anticipated
and confronted with grave apprehen-
sion. The threat to send negroes to
Annapolis had often been made, but
never fulfilled. Certain representa-
tives in congress now deemed the
time ripe for forcing the issues in
yolved, and in September. 1872. Il
young man of African descent was
appointed and duly qualified. He
had been employed In the office Of
the secretary of state of South Caro-
lima, and was nominated by n con-
gresham of his own race from that
state. After year at the
academy he was found deficient
and resigned in November, 1873"
The negro TO whom the above par
agraph refers was Conyers, the first
of his race to enter the academy and
whose sad experience there has al
ready been referred to In this article.
The appointment of Conyers, Com
mander BENJAMIN states, was re-
ceived with CONSERVATION. the serv-
ice realizing, he added, that the
problem was one of great gravity"
Commander Beniamin refers brief
ly to the Annapolis careers of the
| two other negroes who. in 1873 and
1874, registered as midshipmen at
Annapolis. one OF them remained
six months, the other less than eight
weeks.
"All race and political questions
aside" comments Commander Ben
| jamin, the issue was presented OF
whether or not a negro can take his
place in the hierarchy of a warship
and secure not only the necessary
recognition from his immediate as
sociates, but be able to maintain the
| authority and enforce the respect in
cident thereto from the crew.
| Men are thrown into far closer COM
panionship in the restricted quarters
| OF the wardroom OF man OF war
| than they are in any army post, and
| there are certain unwritten laws and
| customs of the naval service which
may make life therein unbearable to
anyone who for any reason may be
regarded as personally objection
able. Naval regulations may COM
pei undesirable cOmpanionships. just
as they may attempt 10 enforce
proper Difference and subordination
| from interiors in rank and station,
| but they cannot insure that due re-
spect and cheerful obedience with
out which It Is impossible TO main
tain the intricate discipline OF
man of war"
| The writer has not talked with a
single naval officer who does not de-
plors Representative Ansorge's ac-
ton in naming Hoiley as a candidate
] for Annapolis. These officers are
not bitter in their criticism. All ex-
press deep sympathy for tho boy
whose career. If he Is admitted, Will
they say, be but repetition OF the
reception that was accorded Conyers
half a century ago. There is no
regulationy these officers point out
! under which the authorities can