The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-08-22
How Far Will US. Go
To Protect It's Citizens
By ATTY. ALFRED CASEY

A SHOW OF determination was made by the s. War
~ department for the protection Of Negro soldiers tr,
when this department ordered the prosecution of two
Beaumont Texas police officers for beating M and shoo
ing Of Pvt Charles j. Reca of the United States a my
In long series of incidents of his kind in the So,th
mat have filled the Negro Press this and in World War
J. TINS Is the first positive action aiken bv the Federal Gov
eminent TO call halt to the abusive oNocatye ntlu
datnR and illegal conduct Of southern police Officer,
against Negro soldiers
On order of the War department Attorno,. (.o,o.l
Riddle has ordered the filing of any information apant
me police officers, CLYDE Brown and Billy Brown of tn.
heaumon Police department Texas. for the rnisirea..
ment Of Pvt Charlie j. Reca Negro ON July % after Rnc
was ordered of bus for taking for whit,
passengers The Negro soldier was badly bcafen AMI
shot twice by the aresiing officers king the arrest pon
The officers msdemeanor punishable bv one wear
IN prison or fine of $ 600 or both
The bus driver made statement in which he said
mat me Negro soldier Charles Reca cursed him and drew
served for white passengers That he stopped ard
reported the incident TO the police who the arrest,
Private Reca will tell his STORY Of his treatment by the
Beaumont Texas police officers by the United States Cox,
eminent.
World war-Words But No Action
In Texas few weeks ago. a Negro accused Of crime
lynched by mob in daStardly and tpplorablc
exhibition of mob violence He dragged from q hos
ptal bed tied to automobile and dragged through tn,
streets amid the shrciks and shouts Of Texas mobocat
In the First World War this of Texas
most notorious for the msrcaimcn of Negro soldiers and
vnching of Negroes that resulted in the Houston riot
which II Negro soldiers Of the , ih nfanrv
ed Conditions grew so bad that President Woodrow Wi
issued his famous proclamation against lNnclng
HAVE CALLED upon the nation To put It's great energy
into the and it has re>pondcd-rcSpond With
spirit and genius action that has thrilled the world
now call upon It's men and women cNerNWhcre 10 see thi
laws kept invioaie lis unlainished We proud
~ claim to he champions Of democracy. If really
deed and in truth let that do not dScred
| never accept man a champion o.
liberty either of ourselves for the world he does not
reverence and obey the laws Of beloved land.
those laws ourselves have made - has adoptcd the
standards Of the enemy of his country. whom he az
fects and deSpise"
These were forcefu words directed by former Pre~l
dent Of the United States against the Mobocrai> OF me
Southland. BY such words President Wilson hoped 10 Diet
kluXer- minded elements Of the Souihs population
that have consistently defeated the operation Of the 18TH
l4th and 5h Amendments the Constitution IN their ar
plication 10 the Negro. But in 1917 and 1918. the rec
ords show that there SO and 81 lynchng IN this
country respectively showing hat more than words is
necessary to halt the hand of mobocraS and the kuNer
minded police officials Of the South.
SO our ey es are Attorney General Bdde OF the
United States in this action against the two poicemeN
CLYDE Brown and Billy Brown. for beating up and Shoo'
inc twice the Negro Pvt Charles j. Reca 81 the nlle'
States Army i'm Beaumont Texas w e entertain me nope
that this prosecution Will be the starting point ON the PARK
OF the Federal eminent TO- give fu protection pal"
under Constitution to Negro soldiers anu cNHeS
Ia another wear there will likely be one million Negro So
diers into the army Of the United states Tor de-
,nocracv and the survival of this country rs nee na"n
The war will come home nearly every Negro lam
liz in the nited States The Federal Government can
wise the morale of Negro millions by showing de
termned action against these mobocfa'S IN 'nS 'ouF
dead issue for the Negro