Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1944-07-14
inds One Spot
In Army Where
Jim Grow Does
Not Reign
(By George Coleman Moore)

SOMEW HERE IN VIRGINIA
- (ANP) - We would ike to
share with you an experience we
had when we were on field train
ing here. 1t concerns the large
measure Of democracy we en-
countered with in the service, an
attitude that stemmed from the
top command all the way down
to the rawest recruit.
The significant thing that pow
er and authority can be all inn
portant in shaping attitudes Of
subordinates. 1t can influence good
or evil. In this instance, the in
fluence was good
The trainees are under the d.
rect supervision of commander
martinez in the matter of en-
forcing rules Of conduct on the
reservation, which is located deep
in the hills of lie Virginny, amid
rough, uneven terrain.
Were making things tough for
the men here because there's
nothing easy out yonder," said
LIST 1t. Robert F. McCauley, a
ruddy-cheeked Texan, who is a
veteran Of North Africa and Sic
lily. WED be guilty Of neglect
of duty if we did notherwise.
You've got to be hard, accustom-
ed to hardship to look one bru-
tai enemy in the eye and live to
tell the tale.
Strict blackout conditions are
enforced, guard duty is stressed,
hikes, forced marches, living
sleeping, eating in the open man
datory. From the healthy glow Of
compilations, we have seen every
where - blacks, whites, brown
and red men together 1900 they don't
appear to have suffered any from
the strenuous program. Obsery-
ing these Heterogeneous colors,
races and nationalities together
provoked our interest. A question
was posed to tall, rangy' LIST Sgt
Andrew Voytbee of Newark, N.
j.. concerning such mixing. He
wheeled about, stared wondering
", then blurted out, I'VE don't
make any differences down here
They're all men To he'll with the
laws of Virginia or anything else
We've got a job to do and were
doing it the best way we know
how"
We saw Negroes and whites
Chinese, Indians and Mexicans
all Americans eating together,
living together, working, training
together in harmony on the great
est team in the world. AS is the
way of men when living without
women, there was the usual Jok-
ing, community singing, consider
able horse-play and the newt
ab,egame of chance with the six
sided cubes.
MANY of the soldiers are whites
from Mississippi, Georgia North
Carolina and other states where
the ancient social restrictions
against Negroes are jealousy
guarded, Objections by any OF
them to the proximity Of Negroes
would not have been unexpected
Therefore, we were amazed when
a wild.eyed youngster from cos
mopolitan New York City burst
into the company commander
office, where we were awaiting
our interview, to reveal his bigot-
ny.
The chap objected to Negroes
and whites sleeping together IN
the narrow confines Of a pup
tent. Did the company command
or know? What was he going to-
do about it?
what kind Of a tale is this
you bring me?' exploded 1t. Nc
Cauley, furiously. as anyone fore
ing you to sleep with Negroes?
No one can make you Steep with
anybody, nor is anyone trying TO-
Incidentally, it's no disgrace to
sleep with a Negro. They're hui
man, / believe.
Besides, continued 1t. Nc
Cauley, Il don't want to hear
any more such stories from you
or anybody else. III have you dig
ging a six by six"
With our appetite whetted by
this incident, we asked 35.year-old
John Vaughn, white, Of Vicks.
burg, Miss, no whe liked the demo-
cratic setup in the field. TITS