| THD MONITOR TrE
— .- M -
A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of Colored Americans
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy_OMAHA. NEBRASKA, JULY 6. 1918 Vol. IV. No. 1 <Wi.\ No. 157)
Hayward’s Story
V of Soldiers’ Heroism
Colonel of (he 369th Infantry, Wh«
Have Won Renown in France,
Writes Letter to Wife of Soldier ol
His Command Who Was Decorate*!
For Bravery in Action.
MEN AWARDED PRIZE MONK!
Letter Tells How the Two Sable Sam
mies, Outnumbered Ten to One ind
Wounded, Routed Hun Assailants,
NEW’ YORK. — Colonel William
Hayward’s own story of the bra
very of Private Henry Johnson, 369th
infantry, which brought him tiic
French war cross, is contained in a
letter which the colonel has written to
Private Johnson’s wife, Mrs. Edna
Johnson, 23 Munroe street, Albany, in
which he cites graphically the in
stances of coolness and fighting
ability of Private Johnson aga'nsi
great odds.
Johnson was wounded in a trench
raid which he and another comrade
effectively stopped, and in addition to
the war cross 50 francs, which Gen
eral Gourand of the French forces
gave to Colonel Hayward for the use
of the family of the first man in his
regiment to be wounded under heroic
circumstances, has been sent to Mrs.
Johnson.
Colonel Hayward’s letter follows:
“Your husband, Private Henry John
son, is in my regiment, 369th United
States infantry, formerly Fifteentii
New York infantry. Ho has been at
all times a good soldier and a good
boy of fine morale and upright charac
ter. To these admirable traits he has
lately added the most convincing num
bers of fine courage and fighting
ability. I regret to say at the moment
that he is in the hospital, seriously
but not dangerously wounded, the
wounds having been received under
such circumstances that every one of
is in the regiment would be pieaseu
and proud to trade places with him. It
was as follows:
“We had learned some time age
from captured German prisoners that
the Germans had heard of the regi
ment of black Americans in this sec
tor, and the German officers had told
their men how easy to combat and
capture them it would be. So this
raiding party came over and. on the
contrary, Henry Johnson and Need
ham Roberts were very much awake
and alert and attending strictly to
their duties. At the beginning of the
attack the Germans fired a volley of
bullets and grenades, and both of the
boys were wounded, your husband
three times and Roberts twice; then
the Germans rushed the post, expect
ing to make an easy capture. In spite
of their wounds the two boys waited
coolly and courageously, and when the
Germans were within striking dis
tance opened fire, your husband with
his rifle and Private Roberts from his
helpless position on the ground with
hand grenades. But the German raid
ing party came on in spite of their
wounded and in a few seconds our
boys were at grips with the terrible
foe in a desperate hand-to-hand en
counter, in which the enemy outnum
bered them ten to one.
“The boys inflicted great loss on
the enemy, but Roberts was overpow
ered and about to be carried away
when your husband, who had used up
all of the cartridges in the magazine
of his rifle and had knocked one Ger
man down with the butt end of it
drew his bolo from his belt. A bolo is
„ a short, heavy weapon carried by the
American soldier, with the edge of a
razor, the weight of a cleaver and the
point of a butcher knife. He rushed
to the rescue of his former comrade
and, fighting desperately, opened with
his bolo the head of the German who
was throttling Roberts and turned to
the boche who had Roberts by the
feet, plunging the bolo in the Ger
man’s bowels. This one was the lead
er of the German party and on re
ceiving what must have been his mor
tal wound exclaimed in American
English, without any trace of accent,
‘Oh, the son of a - got me!’ thus
proving that he was undoubtedly one
of the so-called German-Americans
/who came to our country, not to be
come a good citizen of it, but to par
of its plent> and bounty and
then return to fight for the kaiser and
help enslave the world. He was doubt
less selected as a leader of the party
to speak English and perhaps fool my
soldiers, calling to them in English
not to fire, that it was a friend.
“Henry laid about him right and
left with his heavy knife, and Roberts,
j released from the grasp of the scoun
drels, began again to throw hand gre
nades and exploded them in their
midst, and the Germans, doubtless
thinking it was a host instead of two
brave Colored boys fighting like
tigers at bay, picked up their dead
and wounded and slunk away, leaving
many weapons and part of their shot- j
riddled clothing and leaving a trail of
blood, which we followed at dawn
near to their lines. We feel certain
that one of the enemy was killed by
fire, two by your husband’s bolo, one
by grenades thrown by Private Rob
erts and several others grievously
wounded. So it was in this way the
Germans found the black Americans.
Both boys have received a citation of
the French general commanding the
splendid French division in which my
regiment is now serving and will re
ceive the Croix de Guerre (cross of
war). The citation translated is as
lollows:
“ ‘Some time ago the great General
Gourand placed in my' hands the sum'
of 100 francs to be sent to the family
of the first one of my soldiers wound
ed in a fight with the enemy under
heroic circumstances. Inasmuch as
these boys were wounded simultane
ously, and both displayed great hero
ism I think it but fair to send to each j
one-half of this sum.’ ”
War Department
Not to Discriminate
All Cases of Alleged l nfairness Re
ported Will Be Fully Investigated;
Secretary Baker Says, “Any Wmng
Done Will Be Righted."
Washington, D. C., July 1.—The
War department has made it clear j
that it will tolerate no discrimination
i.gainst Colored draftees by the local
draft boards in any section of the
country and that cases of alleged un
fairness will be fully investigated and
corrected by the departmental au
thorities.
Secretary of War Newton D. Baker,
in a recent interview, speaking with
1 reference to alleged discrimination
against Colored draftees, said in part;
“I have heard that draft boards in
adjoining counties take a different
view of practically identical facts with
regard to Colored men; but the an
swer in all these cases is that a re
view is provided directly by the presi
dent, and all that is necesasry for any
body to do who thinks there is a giiev
ance is to point it out to the War de
partment, and it will be investigated.
If the draft boards act unfairly we
will correct their action.
“The War department will brook no
discrimination, and any cases of al
leged or suspected discrimination
brought to our attention will be in
vestigated, and any wrong 'lone will
bo righted.”
SOLDIER NABS ENEMY SPY
Mexican Posing as a Negro and Work
ing in an Ammunition Plant
Arrested as German Spy.
New York.—Sergeant Clarence Rea
son of the Fifteenth regiment trap
ped and arrested a Mexican nosing ns
a Negro and working for the enemy at
one of the New Jersey ammunition
plants.
Sergeant Reason a few weeks ago
was assigned the task of rounding up
several of the men of his regiment
who had vot reported for duty and
who, it was believed, had sought work
in the ammunition plants. Sergeant
Reason went upon his task in plain
j clothes and at one of the plants he
visited came upon the German-Mex
I ican tool, who approached him with an
| offer and a plan of making “easy
I money,” promising a division of $1 000
j a piece if he would join with him in
| the firing and bombing of ammunition
j plants.
Sergeant Reason, seeing the oppor
tunity of doing his country a valuable
service outside his regular line, asked
time, promising to interest a frior.fi
who, he told the Mexican tool of
haiserism, was “good” at that kind of
work. The sergeant then looked
around for some one to act as a wit
ness in support of his charges against
the spy. As soon as this was achieved
he had the Mexican arrested.
As a result of Sergeant Reason’s
patriotic work the Mexican is now re
posing in the county jail of Newark,
held in $25,000 hail, and several other
enemy workers have been ferreted out
through information grilled out of the
prisoner.
Many are giving their lives; you
ore asked only to loan your money.
Colored Editors and
Leaders In Conference
Moulders of Public Sentiment Con
sider Methods by Which the Negro
May Best Aid the Nation to Win
the War.
NOTH'! I ADDRESSES BY
OFFICIALS OF HIGH STATION
Free, Frank and Full Discussion of
Many Vital Issues Affecting Col- i
ored Americans Characterize Rep- j
resentative Gathering.
Washington, District of Columbia.—
By the authority and direction of the
War Department and the Committee
on Public Information, Emmett J.
Scott, Special Assistant to the Sec
retary of War, called' to Washington
recently for a conference, thirty or
forty representatives of important
Colored newspapers of the country, |
together with a number of the leaders
of thought and opinion among the
Negro people, to consider methods by
which the millions of Colored people
of the nation may best assist in the |
winning of the war.
Proceedings Marked by Dignity and
Unity.
I he conference formally opened
Wednesday morning, June 19, in the 1
main auditorium of the new building
of the Department of the Interior, I
18th ano' F streets, northwest, at 10:30
o’clock, and continuer! throughout
Thursday and Friday, June 20 and 21.
Mr. Scott presided at all of the
sessions which were marked by an
earnesne.ss of purpose, a broad grasp
of the questions at issue, and an un- j
wave* ng loyalty to the flag of the i
nation, as well as by an intense devo- j
tion to the highest interests of the
Colored Americans for whom they
came primarily to speak.
The discussion covered a wide range
and the conferees were given an op
portunity to present their views, re
flecting the state of mind of the Col
ored people of the country, with the
utmost freedom and frankness, un
hampered by parliamentary restric
tions or any effort to direct opinion
in any particular channel—save that
of utilizing in the most effective man
ner every resource at the command
of the race to bring victory to the
American ur ns in its present struggle
for iibertv and world-wide democ
racy. Mr. Scott’s admirably tempered
addresses at various stages of the
deliberations repeatedly admonished
the conferees to voice their sentiments
fully and fearlessly, laying all griev
ances and suggestions for their re
dress upon the common altar, with the
view of strengthening where needed
the patriotism and morale of the Ne
gro people. So fair and impartial
were the rulings of the chair upon
every pioint raised or principle
enunciated, that at no time was a
single exception taken to them. Ev
ery conceivable shaoc of individual
opinion was represented in the body,
but there was from the outset a firm
disposition to subordinate private and
personal considerations to the general
good, without regard to politics, creed,
faction or section. This lofty aim was
adhere to most religiously. Dignity
of statement, harmony of thought and
unity of action were the predominat
ing fea'.ures of the three days’ session.
The document, reported by the spe
cial committee appointed to summar
ize the expression of the conference
as to the best plans for the mobiliza
tion of the resources of the 12,000,000
Negroes oi the republic in support of
the war a n.s of the government, was
adopted by a unanimous vote, given
heart'ly and enthusiastically. “Amer
ica” was sung with fervor and unc
tion as final adjournment was taken.
Notable Addresses by Officials of
High Station.
The conference was addressed in
sympathetic vein, during the session.-,
by the following notable officials of
high station:
Hon. Newton D. Baker, secretary
of war.
Mr. George Creel, chairman of the
committee on public information.
Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, assist
ant secretary of the navy.
Mr. Edward N. Hurley, chairman
of the United States shipping board.
Major Joel E. Spingarn, attached
to the general staff, United States
army.
Captain Arthur S. Spingarn, of the
medical reserve corps, national army.
General Paul Vignal, military at
tache of the French embassy.
Major Edouard Requin and Major
L. . DeMontal, of the French high
commission.
Extract From Resolutions Adopted
The following is extract from the
resolutions adopted by the confer
ence:
"We, the thirty-one representatives
of the Negro press which has a cir
culation of more than a million co
pies, principally among the.Colored
people of America, and representa
tives of other activities, wish to af
firm first of all, onr unalterable be
lief that the defeat of the German
government and what it today repre
sente is of paramount importance to
the walfare of the world in general
and to our people in particular.
“We deem it hardly necessary, in
view of the untarnished record of Ne
gro Americans to reaffirm our loyaltj
to our country and our readiness to
make every sacrifice to win this war.
We wish, however, as students and
guides of public opinion among our
profile, to use our every endeavor to
keep these 12,000,000 people at th(
highest pitch, not simply of passive
loyalty, but of active, enthusiasts
and self-sacrificing participation in
the war.
“We are not unmindful of the rec
ognition of our American citizenshin
in the draft, of the appointment of
Colored officers, of the designation of
Colored advisors to the government
departments, and to other indications
of a broadened public opinion, never
theless we believe today that justi
fiable grievances of the Colored peo
ple are producing not disloyalty, but
an amount of unrest and bitterness
which even the best efforts of then
leaders may not be able always to
guide unless they can have the active
and sympathetic co-operation of the
national and state governments. Ger
man propaganda among us is powei -
less, but the apparent indifference
Pf our own government may be dan
gerous.
"The American Negro does not ex
pect to have the whole Negro problem
settled immediately; he is not seeking
to hold up a striving country and a
distracted world by pushing irrele
vant personal grievances as a price
of loyalty; he is not disposed to cat
alogue, in this tremendous crisis, all
his complaints and disabilities; he L
more than willing to do his full shar ■
in helping to win the war for de
mocracy and he expects his full share
of the fruits thereof—but he is today
compelled to ask for that minimum
of consideration ft-hich will enable
him to be an efficient fighter for vic
tory.”
Camp Dodge, la., June 18.—By a
War department order the entire offi
cers’ training school of the Ninety
second division was transferred from
here to Camp Pike, Little Rock, Aik. |
DEBS ARRESTED ON
ESPIONAGE CHARGE
Cleveland, O., July 1.—Eugene V.
Debs was arrested Sunday on a secret
indictment, said to contain ten counts,
under the espionage act.
The indictment was in connection
with a speech made at the socialist
state convention in Canton, O., June
16th.
Debs, socialist candidate for the
presidency four times, was about to
deliver an address here when United
States marshals arrested him.
Debs has always been a great friend
of the Colored people and outspoken
in their defense.
AMERICAN “BIRDS” FLY
400 MILES IN ITALY
Rome, July 1.—An escadrille of
American airmen, piloting Capronl
planes, flew from Milan to Rome, a
distance of 403.65 miles. They were
under comamnd of Captain La Guar
dia, former New York congressman.
—
Negroes Cool As
They Beat Huns
Colored Boys Prove Value as Fighters ;
in Attack Near Verdun; Only
One Is Wounded.
BY FRANK J. TAYLOR,
United Press Staff Correspondent.
ITH the' American Armies in
France, July 1.—American Ne
gro troops proved their value as fight
ers east of Verdun June 12. The Ger
mans attempted a raid in that sector,
but were repulsed completely bv the
Negroes.
The boches began a terrible bom
bardment at 12:01 a. m., throwing
over between 3,000 and 4,000 shells
from guns ranging in size from 67 to
340 millimeters. The bombardment
was concentrated on small areas.
Many of the shells made holes from
ten to fifteen feet across.
The Negroes coolly stuck to theii
posts, operating machine guns and
automatic rifles and keeping up sucii
a steady barrage that the German in
fantry failed to penetrate the Amer
ican lines.
The Americans sustained only one
wounded.
“Dixie luck was a-workin’ with us,”
explained one. “We all got knocked
down lots of times, but every man got
right up.”
Officers Praise Negroes.
During the attack a machine gun
crew was bowled over by minenvverfer
attacks, which made a fifteen-foot
hole, ten feet from them. They all got
up, remounted the gun and continued
shooting until it jammed. Then, de
spite the bombardment, they fixed it
anil again turned it on the Germans.
This was repeated twice.
Both French and American officers
reported that the Negroes performed
like veterans and compared with the j
best troops.
Equal Rights
Made To Coi'^ress
Delegates to Session Here Put Peti
tion in Senator Penrose’s
Hands.
(Washington Post, June 30, 1918.)
CONGRESS is requested to make
lynching a crime against the fed
eral government, and as such subject
to the jurisdiction of the federal
courts, in a petition unanimously
passed by the National Colored Lib
erty Congress, which closed its ses
sions here yesterday.
This and five other requests for the
abolition of specific race discrimina
tion are advocated by the petitioners
as a win-the-war measure. The peti
tion has been placed in the hands of
Senator Penrose and is to be presented
to the senate this week.
The Colored congress protests that
Negroes are discriminated against in
public and federal buildings in fed
eral territory, in public carriers oper
ated by the government in certain
states, in the army and navy schools,
in the right of suffrage in certain
states and in the civil service.
The petitioners ask, in view of the
military service rendered by their race
during the present war, “that our own
republic may not be a part of the
world not safe for democracy.” They
also protest the segregation of races
in the officers’ schools.
The congress was called for the pur
pose of laying the cause of the Color
ed man before the United States con
gress and was attended by 115 dele
gates from thirty-three states. H. H.
Harrison of New York was chairman
of the congress and Prof. J. W. Bell
of Kentucky secretary. William M.
Trotter of Boston was elected chair*
man of the national executive com
mittee for the coming year. M. W.
Spencer was elected secretary.
COLONEL YOUNG VISITS
THE WAR DEPARTMENT
Washington, D. C., July 1.—Colone!
Charles Young of the United States
army, who has been stationed at his
home in Wilberforce, O., since his re
tirement from active military service,
was a callev at the War department
this week. He was presented to Sec
retary of War Newton D. Baker by
Emmett J. Scott, special assistant.
CIVILIANS MUST NOT GIVE
DRINK TO SOLDIER GUESTS
Washington, D. C„ July 1.—Fur
nishing of liquor to officers and men
of the army within private homes is
prohibited under new regulations for
mulated by President Wilson and Sec
retary Baker and made public tonight
by the commission on training camp
activities. Dry zones around every
camp, where as many as 250 men are
stationed for more than thirty days,
also are established.
The Monitor
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