Evening star., 1942-05-22
By FRANCIS E. STAN,

| CAMP LEE, Va, May 22.-One
theory this war is certain to shatter
Is that the American Negro cannot
command troops. Here at Camp
Lees big new Quartermaster Omcer
Candidates School the Negro is
proving that he is just as good as
a leader as he Is within the ranks.
The modern Negro officer and his
troops have learned a lesson since
the last World War. As fighting
men the Negroes are backed by
tradition that will bear inspection
and stand comparison. They fought
the Redcoats in ITS. They fought
in the Civil and Spanish American
Wars and they battled bravely in
France. But it remained for white
officers to lead them to glory.
Many Of the line officers failed to
show drive and initiative. One of
the reasons advanced was the SEEM
ing unwillingness of their troops to
show the respect they accorded
white officers. These are mistakes
never likely to be repeated. The
new Negro officers are good and the
soldiers are good, too. Army men
point out, and here at Camp Lee
they illustrate this argument with
cold statistics.
IS Try for Commissions.
In March, 1941. four colored SOL
diers from the 9th Regiment en-
tered the officers training school,"
one of them said. Today there are
approximately rs Negroes here try
ing for their bars as second lieu
tenants. And when they arc fin
ished they are capable officers, Just
as good as the 9th Regiment ITSELF
Here, indeed. is high praise. The
Fighting 9th" colored @. M. regi-
ment, is one of the most efficient,
industrious and justly famous OF all
regiments, colored or white. It's
motto, Above All My Country" has
been described editorially by the
Army Times. widely circulated mill
tary publication. as the most in
spring national battle-cry yet
adopted.
Basic, forceful. it is a loyal little
group Of words that boils down to
leave only the essence of our reason
for fighting" said the Times. TT
reminds the civilian population that
forgotten must be all the prejudices
of religion and race, all petty dis
putes between capital and labor, the
pickering OF opposed minds, the in
conveniences of shortages, and the
normal operations Of peaceful
times"
Exacting Course.
No favors are shown the Negro
candidate for a commission. BY the
same token, there is no discrimina-
ton. The course is just as exacting
and the regulations equally as stern
for white and colored, alike. After
three months of intensive study the
soldier who qualified for the course
emerges with the gold bars and the
Negro troops, having discovered
their own as officer material, really
work for him.
Earning a commission. or learning
to be a good soldier in the Quarter
master Corps, is harder now than
it used to be. For the first time in
the history of the CORPS, soldiers
are instructed in the use of weapons.
Selectees fire on the rifle and pistol
ranges. They march with field
equipment and wear gas masks.
Of1cers study and master not only
the old @. M. ritual but learn, also,
of the methods to combat modern
"blitz" warfare.
Most of the Negro oficar candi-
dates hold college degrees but so,
too, do the white candidates.
Howard University of Washington
has produced many of these ofI1cers-
to-be, including ex-Private Bruce
Trolley, one of the first four colored
men to enter the school here. West
Virginia State, New Jersey State
Teachers, North Carolina A. and M,
Colorado College and Northwestern
are other prominent institutions to
send men into the school.
"AM Out for Bars"
The Negro enters the Quarter
master school like any one else
After q period Of indoctrination he