The broad ax., 1925-06-13
SOME OF THE NEWS OF THE
WEEK
By Charles Stewart, Jr.
General Billiard Attacks Colored
Soldiers

In the crisis that led to any serious
condition when the laws and rules Of
man were inadequate to meet the con-
ditions, they invariably sought the his
tory upon which all just laws have
been and will be predicated thereon.
The cause at issue is fttingly met by
the shortest verse in the Bible, Jesus
wept," for the people Of the earth in
hopes that humanity might have just
ice at the hands Of the men who ruled
governments of every character.
The Chicago Tribune, June 9, in
section twenty-four Of General Robert
Lee Billiard, in paragraphs two and
three, he charges the Negro soldier
with cowardice. 1t contains the most
heinous attacks ever made against the
American soldier. In the outset he
cowardly lodges behind the statement
Of facts, but says that the writings
were his impressions and belief at the
time. If he had told the truth in his
attack he would have said that the
Negro was sent into this particular
battle without artillery support and
when applied for again and again the
same was denied 1t looked to the
soldiers that they were sent to the
front for the purpose Of being
slaughtered, when there was artillery
defense given to the white soldiers to
the right and left of them.
The barbwire fences which the
Negro soldiers encountered were i'm
passable and to have stood at the
point directed they would have been
slaughtered as beasts. docs General
Billiard deny this statement?)
The fourteen million Negro citizens
today mourn deeply and will for all
time to come that General Mangin,
the great French general, is dead.
Should he be living, he could better
tell the story in fairness and justice
to the black soldiers of the Worlds
War. 1t was General Mangin who
surveyed carefully all field conditions.
He visioned that the Negro soldier
was to be kept out of battle and he
asked that the Fifteenth New York
and the Old Eighth Regiment Of iii
nois, the 37Oth in battle, be attached
to the French Army
If the records Of the army, as
given BY the field officers, will Be
given to the press for public informa-
ton, every one Of Billiards. unholy
attacks will be refuted in its entirety
VIII General Billiard remember that
the Fifteenth Regiment of New York
was cited for bravery and did plant
the first American flag on the fields
Of the enemy? Will General Billiard
admit that the 37Oth was cited for
bravery and that the records show that
many Of their soldiers captured from
FIVE to a dozen Of the enemy? Will
General Billiard admit that the 370th
was the first fighting regiment and
did more actual battle at Metz than
any white regiment and that they were
in advance Of any other regiment in
leading the entry of the army into
Metz and yet was deprived Of the
honor SO heroically won to lead the
march into the city?
The Interior motives for these par
ticular attacks at this time look to Be
an effort to force the Negro out Of
the United States Army. 1t is to be
hoped that the President Of the United
States viii weigh out in full measure
Of justice the past fighting qualities
Of the American Negro from Valley
Forge to every battlefield in defense
81 the American nation at home and
abroad In justice to the vaior of the
million sleeping comrades on All bat
tlehelds where the American govern
ment has been II contact, WIN tbe
President d the United States dr.
mand IN justice 70 this group Of our
citizens that General Ballard retraci
and apologize for these malicious and
nnmaniy attacks,
Nj President. for the black soldiers
u Ne nation We ask that you per
sonaily demand for Us an explanation
from General Billiard