The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-04
CONVEYANCE WITH
KLAN, DISMISSAL
OF NURSES CITED
N. A. A. C.. p. Wire tO>DirectOr
Hines Charges Colonel
Stanly is Unfit
SITUATION CALLED SCANDAL
White Doctors on Staff Willing
to Testify to Act sof Dis
elimination.

New York, Aug. &.-Director Gen.
eral Hines of the Veterans Bureau,
has been asked in telegram sent by
the National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People, to re-
move Col. Robert H. Stanley, at pres
ent commanding the government hos
pital for colored war veterans at
Tuskegee, Ala. The demand follows
disclosure of charges that Col. STAN
ley had permitted the use of the gov
eminent hospital supplies by the
ku Klux Klan, that he had failed to
protect colored subordinates from the
threats of mob violence, and that a
number of colored nurses who it was
feared might reveal conditions at the
hospital, were summarily discharged
without cause. A letter to President
Harding calling the Tuskegee hos
pital a national scandal" and asking
for a definite stand by the admins
tration, supplements the telegram.
The telegram sent to Director Gen
.eral Hines is as follows:
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People asks
that Col. Robert H. Stanley be re-
moved Immediately from command of
government hospital for colored war
veterans at Tuskegee. Our request is
based upon information on file in
your Office, establishing conclusively
the failure of Col. Stanley as COM
| ma:tder of the hospital to protect COL
ored subordinates against mob
threats; and showing that Col. STAN
1o1, toll tod ha 11xy
connive at Ku Klux invasion of the
further, that colored nurses have been
We ask the reinstatement of the
Many other acts of discrimination are
white doctors of Col. Stanley's staff
are ready and willing to testify"
Letter to Harding.
The letter written to President
\ Harding by James Weldon johnson,
secretary of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo-
pie, is as follows:
"Dear Mr.. President:
"Unfortunately during your ab-
sence, the Tuskegee hospital situation
has reached the stage of a national
scandal. We have seen a body of
lawless mobbists in the name of the
Ku Klux Klan, attempting to defy
the United States government, driv-
appointed to work at the Tuskegee
hospital, We have seen the white
commander of that hospital, Col.
Robert H: Stanley, failing to protect
his colored subordinates who had been
threatened with mob violence, and
tolerating if not conniving at Ku
Klux activity in the government hos
pital. under his command.
"Let me recall to you the exact
words of a letter written on April %
to this association by your secre-
tary. Mr.. Christian, at your direc-
ton:
Your communication of April 10Th
has been submitted to the President
and he directs me to make reply and
say that the task of selecting and
completing the colored staff for the
management and administration of
Tuskegee hospital is we'll under way.
1t is the plan of the director of the
veterans Bureau, with the approval
OF the President, to man this institu-
sonnet
as it the purpose of the United
States government to change is plan
because few mobbists make
threats? Is political pressure in
washington going to retain in office
commanding officer who has shown
. nj nlmself so unfit as has Col. Stanley?
THESE questions colored people
throughout the nation, and white
people as well, are now asking. We
cannot do otherwise than present
them to you, for we have steadily and
perslstently warned your administra-
tlon OF the danger in making any
concession whatever to the mob SEN
, timent represented by the Ku Klux
; Alabama.
1--WE have already asked Director
Hines to remove Col. Stanley. We
ask your approval for this action,
preceded OF course by thorough in
vestlgation and substantiation of
:, tine charges against this officer. We
ask furthermore for the exact con-
tinuance Of the governments plan.
:. that is, complete colored staff of
s auaii1ed physicians and nurses, from
: the commanding officer down, and, if
t necessary, United States troops in
4 Alabama to see that they are not in
terfered with in the work to which
t their government has called them.
81 ~f,....zs. (Signed)
ell JAMES WELDON JOHNSON,
n Secretary,
t National Association for the Advance
nnent of Colored People"