DAY BY DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13851, 31 August 1918, Page 4

DAY BY DAY

Under arms to-day in the American Army are 186.000 negAmerica's roes. If the man-power Negro of the United States is Soldiers, wholly put into the field,

on the same scale as in Europe, 900,000 black soldiers will appear in France and Flanders. What sort of fighting stock can be expected to come of a savage and slave ancestry* Every student of the American Civil War knows the answer. Some of the best troops in that terrible struggle were blacks. Since then the traditions of the negro soldier have been worthily maintained by the famous 9th and 10th Black Regiments of Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Regiments of Infantry. From the selected stock that survived the most terrible ordeal of the slave-raiding days on the African coast a negro race has sprung with a physical stamina apparently more hardy than the white. This is indicated by the records of medical examination for the National Army Among the first 2,500,000 men between 21 and 31 years of age who were summoned for examination, 25 out of every 100 whites were passed as physically perfect, and 32 out of every 100 negroes. It is not in the ranks alone that the negro fighter is found. There are 650. commissioned officers, all men of college education, among them, commanding coloured troops, and fresh promotions are frequently made. And, in addition, 225 negroes are serving as doctors and dentists, which implies that they hold diplomas from colleges. \ military expert has written concerning tfae historic four negro regiments of the American Army: "They are notably steady under fire, patient to endure hardship, cheerful and good-nature,| at all times; and they can fight." Tine of the first experiences of the negro troops in France resulted in two negro privates on sentry duty winning the coveted Croix dc Guerre.