The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-08-21
Noble Sissle, World War Officer,
Cites Experience To Help Soldiers

but another private. who is more
bewl.dercd than lie
No Consolation There
As rule. when you tell the cor
poral you've sick. he says. Die and
prove IT," SO there isn't much con-
ISOLATION you can get on lot OF
issues that may come Cd. Such is
out OF the line Of military duty.
Of course II isn't that bad but
now how a soldier feels and | do
tnow you spend lots OF time just
sitting and thinking. and there's
where this confab fits in Let me
talk to you as soldier to soldier.
You know there is a moving pic
ture soldier and there's also a real
soldier. one who Is out 10 really kill
or get killed. / know how things
that civilians say and write abou.
racial injustices keeps your mind
perturbed. Well, lot OF things have
10 be said TO let the public and
powers that be know the truth and
bring pressure on the public Off
Gals and politicians TO act.
Blu that action is all independent
OF your duty. In fact your personal
conduct and behavior Will give
more force TO the argument for
fair play than all the Walter Whites,
Philip Randolphs, Judge Hasties,
Mrs. BethuneS, Claiming Tobiases,
and others could say. In fact their
every argument for our races fights
and for better conditions is based
on your being good soldiers.
Sweet Revenge
For example. wouldn't Judge
Hastie's fight for Negro participa-
ton in the air force have been q
farce IL 1t. Col. Davis Tuskegee
trained squadron had not subse-
quently flown those planes with
worldwide acclaim over Italy
what sweet revenge for the raping
OF Ethiopia! They were the Johnson
and Roberts OF World War !. they
were the 9th and 10th cavalry OF
San Juan Hill in 98. With one COM
Blatant trip. they wiped out all the
front rlge buffoonery OF Herbert
Julan's air adventures. Dorrie
Miller's brave deeds and military
record must go in the archives of
the highest branch of the armed
forces, and forever stand an un-
disputable claim for the rights of
Negro America poSterity.
You, as soldiers at war. must. l
feel, use the same formula as we
who went before. and l am sure
every Negro soldier of World War
will agree with me in his honest
opinion that that formula will work
again. I'm sure you will give il an
other chance that the next genera
ton and unborn generations Of our
group yet TO come might enjoy eco
nomic security. I'm positive you
will have 10 DO like your country
give democracy one more chance
10 work.
You Negroes who wear the uni
form hold our destiny in your
hands in this our country We have
many thousands (but far too few
friends among the white people
who have come out openly for us
Some have died both political and
physical deaths 10 uphold our claim
for justice BY you and your deeds
alone, will our future be made safe
our very economic existence made.
secure Our many leaders have used
all their forces and contacts to- see
that you have the right to wear
he uniform OF every branch in our
armed forces.
Today thousands Of you are at
battle stations, on the sea. under
the sea on land and in the air, both
as commissioned officers and en-
listed men Though you might not
know il, there was great opposition
10 giving you tina, privilege to be
so dressed ana trained That's all
right, A thing that has 10 be fought
for must be worth having even. as
in this instance, where il doesn't
seem 10 make much sense, in that u
IS 70 have 10 fight for the right TO
get killed.
Unlike Others
I'm sure every Nero leader.
organization and individual admits
this one fact, that the American
Negroes status in America Is un-
like any other racial group here
in that we have no COMFY outside
OF this one. We have no ancestors
who have an organized government
who can help US fight Our battles
or 70 whom We can appeal. And on
the other hand, there are no other
Negroes in the major nations ~ the
worli where the masses OF black
subjects enjoy citizenship as the
Anglican Negro does here in
America In all other countries the
Negroes are considered colonials or
a. in England, British subjects We
arc Americans. nothing less We
should give thanks TO our black
iorcfs,hers who so Willingly &C.
( .ep,ed the challenge OF Christian