St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1945-05-04
THE WASHINGTON POST ON
NEGRO SOLDIERS

Gibson Jr, Secretary Smson who has
returned from Italy, refreshngy frank in his comments the
aNegro the Italian Front The
handling problems that racial religious anagonms is all
often hamped the hand by wmeant efforts ofped
unaatabe facts and the other hand by vicious attempts to prejudice
the Since Mr. Gibson himself Negro his candid admission
the Negro combat Italy have acquitted themselves well
waved aside reudced evidence whole Negro platoon
will frequently met away" face of the pancky
conditions developing especially at night By thus facing the
facts Mr. Gibson able to concentrate on the causes OF
and to look for remedies
courage exclusive possession of any
people, but indeed commpn attribute to mankind Individual
Americans white black alike given abundant proof throughout
our history Of their fine fighting qualities And this war Negroes have
instances displayed herosm under fire that has
them singled distinctive honor "There question
mind" Mr. Gibson about the of Negro officers
soldiers and generalization the basis of is entirely
its correspondent Shirley Pov praisng the splendid fighting
record of aNegro infantry of the Regular Army
present engaged in moppingup job on Saipan.
The qualities that make good soldiers white and Negro and keep
them steady and dependable under the terrifying conditions of modern
training discipline rigorous
kind Fear is known to everybody and it REQUIRES more than physical
prevent that fear from degenerag contagious panic
times of stress and danger lack of education and lack Of
training that Mr. bson onnon nrovde es 70 the moor ne
of the Division More than
members either wholly nearly ere Furthermore of
straight from reception the division without
mnay basic training The blame for the record Negro combat
Italy, therefore, clearly attributable to the shocking decen
ces of State educational systems that have failed provide the
rudmen of education for large of their Negro
atons The training Of these eaes and semates presented
problem that the Army ready deal with when the National
Service ACT was passed consequently Negro units were organized
without adequate preliminary training of kind suited to their special
needs.
from these educational handcap Mr. Gibson acknowledges
the existence of feeling of resentment by Negro soldiers
dered by racial Sights and above the policy segregation
which the Army insists From the Army viewpoint segregation
regarded simply of avoiding con that seriously
retard the effort Nevertheless this separast policy
professions
belief the equality of all without regard To Negroes
who thus apart the fight against the forces of intolerance abroad
sometimes important than the battle against
racial equality home Not Negroes share this
and hem realize that the Army
effect revolution social institutions
largely finds them and adapt its policies
society and within limits peudices great
who make up citizen army.
By his franes Mr. Gibson has contributed
standing of the problems of the they affect the
Only getting at facts he does and heag
logical deductions develop training
adapted the special needs of generally underpeged group
Washington Post