The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1941-09-05
DemOcracys Challenge: 50 Negro Soldiers Go AWOL To
Escape Racial Bigory Intolerance Sweeping The South

Denocracy-a word worked in the north and
scrap of paper in the SOUTH needs rebrth The old pattern
given by founders has been dsgraced within and
ridcued without Old Glory longer floats proudly
our homes.
Our boys march proudly away to war, offering up their
lives for the only country they know.
The War Department knowing well the attitude of the
souheer sends Black Soldiers unarmed in their midst for
training There they leave hem the prey of hoodums who
have not yet accustomed themselves to respect the uniform
of those who answered the call to the Union The uni
forms black soldiers in the south is tantamOunt to waving
a red flag in mad bulls face The uniform a white sol
der from the north wins but faint applause.
WAR is COMING TO US
We may well cry for peace may be weeks, may be
months is to come. Already have committed
every act of war save actual shooting Department
has used every has in preparing for it,
sense.
What service be expected of black soldiers when the
country he offers him encouragement? He is beat
before he leaves the barracks Common would teach
The War Department to send soldiers to the field of battle
with song In their mouths and not with the lash their
backs it is rule that good Offense is good defense, it
is the duty OF each of to be right and at the same time
practical TO do all we can to be Americans.
The War Department is inclined to assume that the
draftees themselves to blame for the low morale in the
army True, all drafees undergoing drastic change of
their every day lives Some have suffered hardshps.
Military training must of necessity nure them to ardshps
War is he'll and soldiers must be trained to face it in all its
81 varieties.
1t is unthnlabe that any American citizen would shir
his duty when his country is mperied 1t is unnabe that
this government would call upon any part of its czenery
national duty urged by the insults OF hoodums
and antagonist section of the very country for which his
life is offered
BLACK SOLDIERS MORALE is HURT
No wonder the War Department is worried over the
Armys morale If morale is low among White soldiers it is
encouraging if it exists at all among the blacks
nation is stronger than it's army. An army is no
stronger than its morale.
There is no use denying The morale of black SOL
ders hurt 1t hurt by the country they would serve
Proudly they go forth to offer up their lives the altar of
their country But if die they must black boys would like
to die defending pattern of democracy defending an
honest democratic America here this soil any soil over
which the American flag may float.
Jews, Gentiles Negroes Catholics and Professionals make
I'D our army Tyranny be defeated at home before it
can defeated abroad Beangs administered by State High
way PATROL abuse and insults to men in uniform must
cease.
Choosing between their lives and prison sentence for
being AWOT black soldiers fled from their outfit the
9th Engineer Battalion at Camp Robinson Arkansas, to
seek safety without They unarmed and unable to pro-
ect themselves To remain they would be compelled to suf-
fer brutal beatings, bacacs and bullets from race-atng
southerners vowng to ean OUT black soldiers The same
conditions exist North Carolina South Carolina and Okla
homa
- We quote from the Chicago Tribune large and influen-
taI white daily
been apparent for time that everything is
not as should be in the army Congress and the people gen.
orally suspected that something wrong when the 700
hoo incident occurred indicating did, that the training be-
ing given in the camps had not made disciplined soldiers
That affair laughed off but nobody laughing al
the more recent incidents which have been occurring i'm Ark
ansas.
Men have been killed white officer commanding Ne
gro soldiers beaten by local police and his soldiers in the
uniform the United States ordered off the highway
by an armed posse.
"NIOre than so of the Negroes have fled northward
There little evidence to suggest that the troops in question
were unruy but they were they and their officer should
have punished by military court If the troops were
conducting themselves properly, it is remarkable that tei
officers did not resist the hghhanded conduct if the
: stabuIary"
We protest with last breath the War Department