SUCH WORDS NOT IN HIS VOCABULARY—DESERTIONS EXPLAINED—GENERAL CROWDER EXONERATES NEGRO—NO WILLFUL DELINQUENCY—STRENUOUS EFFORTS TO MEET REGULATIONS—NO "CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS"—NO DRAFT EVADERS OR RESISTERS—NEGRO'S DEVOTION SUBLIME—JUSTIFIES HIS FREEDOM—FORGETS HIS SORROWS—RISES ABOVE HIS WRONGS—TESTIMONY OF LOCAL BOARDS—GERMAN PROPAGANDA WASTED—A NEW AMERICANISM.
The only phase of the selective draft in which the Negro seemed to be discredited in comparison with his white brother, was in the matter of desertions. At first glance and without proper analysis, the record appeared to be against the Negro. Upon detailed study, however, the case takes on a different aspect. The records of the Provost Marshall General show that out of 474,861 reported deserters, 369,030 were white registrants, and 105,831 colored, the ratio of white reported deserters to white registrants being 3.86, and the ratio of colored reported deserters to colored registrants being 9.81. Everyone knows now that many, yes, the bulk of the reported desertions among both whites and blacks, were not desertions at all. Circumstances simply prevented the men from keeping in touch with their local boards or from reporting when called.
Desertions among white registrants might have shown a greater percentage had they not availed themselves of the exemption feature of the law. Negroes did not understand this clause in the act so well. Besides, as previously stated, many Negroes were placed in Class 1, even where they had dependants, because their rate of pay in the army would enable them to contribute as much to the support of their dependants as would their earnings outside of army service.
This was a policy with many draft boards, but it is not exactly clear in view of the increased earning power of the Negroes through wartime demands for their labor. Following are the complete figures on so-called desertions, the variances in the several states being given:
Total
white
and colored
registrants,
June 5,
1917, to Total Reported Percent of Percent of
Sept. 11, white desertions, total white
1918. registrants. white. registrants. registrants.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 10,640,846 9,562,515 380,030 3.47 3.86
========================================================================================
Alabama 206,210 194,247 3,672 1.78 2.96
Arizona 40,179 39,884 6,930 17.36 17.40
Arkansas 168,287 117,111 2,476 1.47 2.11
California 316,302 313,994 15,323 4.84 4.90
Colorado 91,556 90,463 4,910 5.38 5.43
Connecticut 174,820 171,296 12,416 7.10 7.25
Delaware 24,559 20,761 686 2.79 3.30
District of Columbia 36,670 25,625 390 1.06 1.52
Florida 94,585 55,572 1,823 1.93 3.28
Georgia 260,197 147,001 4,499 1.73 3.05
Idaho 45,478 45,224 2,242 4.93 4.96
Illinois 707,070 685,254 21,673 3.07 3.16
Indiana 283,731 272,442 5,252 1.85 1.93
Iowa 240,703 237,744 5,283 2.19 2.21
Kansas 167,266 161,691 3,172 1.90 1.96
Kentucky 215,910 190,060 2,830 1.03 1.23
Louisiana 179,941 103,718 2,250 1.25 2.17
Maine 68,104 67,941 2,553 3.74 3.76
Maryland 136,501 110,066 3,831 2.81 3.48
Massachusetts 397,698 391,654 19,841 4.99 5.07
Michigan 411,019 404,040 17,222 4.19 4.26
Minnesota 249,291 247,750 10,108 4.05 4.08
Mississippi 157,525 75,977 1,713 1.09 2.25
Missouri 334,902 312,106 10,549 3.14 3.38
Montana 97,073 96,753 7,835 8.13 8.16
Nebraska 132,107 130,493 2,608 1.97 2.00
Nevada 12,640 12,581 1,392 1.10 11.06
New Hampshire 41,694 41,617 1,428 3.42 3.43
New Jersey 332,671 318,815 15,114 4.54 4.74
New Mexico 37,011 36,776 3,217 8.69 8.75
New York 1,118,035 1,092,061 57,021 5.10 5.22
North Carolina 228,459 155,102 1,175 5.14 .76
North Dakota 72,902 72,837 2,520 3.46 3.46
Ohio 617,001 588,170 22,846 3.70 3.88
Oklahoma 188,156 173,851 5,860 3.11 3.37
Oregon 69,520 69,376 2,023 2.91 2.92
Pennsylvania 902,469 863,106 31,739 3.52 3.68
Rhode Island 59,006 57,433 2,340 3.97 4.07
South Carolina 144,660 70,395 1,107 .77 1.57
South Dakota 65,040 64,896 1,243 1.91 1.92
Tennessee 213,409 169,674 4,389 2.05 2.58
Texas 460,056 376,385 19,209 4.18 5.10
Utah 46,099 45,930 1,735 3.76 3.78
Vermont 30,882 30,819 690 2.23 2.71
Virginia 206,072 141,714 3,090 1.50 2.18
Washington 124,125 123,752 7,261 5.85 5.87
West Virginia 142,144 128,852 4,803 3.38 3.73
Wisconsin 266,219 265,501 4,663 1.75 1.76
Wyoming 24,892 24,612 1,734 6.96 7.05
Alaska 601
Hawaii 184
Porto Rico 15
Total Reported Percent Percent
colored desertions, of total of colored
registrants. colored. registrants. registrants.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 1,078,331 105,831 .99 9.81
============================================================================
Alabama 81,963 10,835 5.25 13.22
Arizona 295 64 .16 21.69
Arkansas 51,176 4,770 2.83 9.32
California 3,303 268 .08 8.10
Colorado 1,103 91 .10 8.25
Connecticut 3,524 682 .39 19.35
Delaware 3,798 303 1.23 7.98
District of Columbia 11,045 616 1.68 5.58
Florida 39,013 8,319 8.71 21.32
Georgia 112,593 8,969 3.45 7.97
Idaho 254 108 .23 42.51
Illinois 21,816 2,911 .41 13.34
Indiana 11,289 1,199 .42 10.62
Iowa 2,959 517 .21 17.47
Kansas 5,575 255 .15 4.57
Kentucky 25,850 1,524 .71 5.90
Louisiana 76,223 5,962 3.31 7.82
Maine 163 29 .04 17.79
Maryland 26,435 2,410 1.77 9.12
Massachusetts 6,044 665 1.67 11.00
Michigan 6,979 1,015 .25 14.54
Minnesota 1,541 621 .25 40.30
Mississippi 81,548 8,112 5.15 9.95
Missouri 22,796 1,791 .53 7.86
Montana 320 114 .12 35.63
Nebraska 1,614 229 .17 14.19
Nevada 59 3 .02 6.08
New Hampshire 77 3 .01 3.90
New Jersey 14,056 1,535 .46 10.92
New Mexico 235 40 .11 17.02
New York 25,974 4,062 .36 15.64
North Carolina 73,357 4,937 2.16 6.73
North Dakota 65 19 .03 29.23
Ohio 28,831 4,048 .66 14.04
Oklahoma 14,305 1,223 .65 8.56
Oregon 144 18 .03 12.59
Pennsylvania 39,363 6,599 .73 16.76
Rhode Island 1,573 251 .43 15.96
South Carolina 74,265 4,589 3.14 6.18
South Dakota 144 27 .04 18.75
Tennessee 43,735 3,573 1.67 8.17
Texas 83,671 5,388 1.17 6.44
Utah 169 11 .02 6.51
Vermont 63 4 .01 6.35
Virginia 64,358 4,935 2.39 7.67
Washington 373 30 .02 8.04
West Virginia 13,292 2,013 1.41 15.14
Wisconsin 718 73 .03 10.17
Wyoming 280 63 .25 22.50
| NEGRO TROOPS NEWLY ARRIVED IN FRANCE, LINED UP FOR INSPECTION. |
| NEGRO TROOPS ON A PRACTICE RUN NEAR THEIR CAMP IN FRANCE. |
| OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, U.S. ARMY PRESENTATION OF BANNER TO NEGRO STEVEDORES FOR WINNING FIRST WEEK'S "RACE TO BERLIN", MARSEILLES, FRANCE. |
| OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, U.S. ARMY NEGRO WINNERS IN STEVEDORE CONTEST BEING ENTERTAINED BY 134TH INFANTRY QUARTET AND BAND AT MARSEILLES, FRANCE. |
| GOING TO FIGHT FOR UNCLE SAM. TYPICAL GROUP OF NEGRO SELECTIVE SERVICE MEN LEAVING FOR THE TRAINING CAMP. |