Above-One of the big Y. M. C. A. tents near the front in France. The "Y" gave the same service to the Negro Troops as to the white soldiers.

Below-French Colonial Troops (Senegalese) being drilled in use of rifle grenades on the Marne.

Above Baptism for Army Men. Colored troops of the U. S. Army receiving Holy Baptism at
the Norcross Rifle Range, Camp Gordon, Ga.
Below-Part of Squadron "A," 351st Field Artillery, colored troops on the Transport Louisville.
These men are mostly from Pennsylvania.

The Secretary directs as necessary in the military service that you proceed to Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois, and report in person to the Commanding General of that camp for assignment to duty in connection with the Colored Development Battalions at Camp Grant.

WILLIAM KELLY, JR.,

Adjutant General.

One of the most important functions of the office of the Special Assistant to the Secretary of War was to help maintain a healthy morale among Negro soldiers and the twelve million colored Americans, whose continued loyalty was so severely tried during the war. In coöperation with the Committee on Public Information, he conducted a systematic campaign of publicity through the Negro press, the Official Bulletin, leading white newspapers and magazines, etc., which kept the colored people and the country at large fully informed as to the aims and policies of the Government and especially as to the attitude of the War Department with reference to opportunities offered and treatment accorded colored draftees and soldiers. This campaign did much to reassure the colored soldiers, to maintain the morale of colored Americans generally, and to vitalize their efforts toward winning the war.

While it was not possible to accomplish even a small proportion of favorable results in all of the matters which arose; and while in many instances the full measure of justice was not accorded Negro soldiers, sailors, and civilians, it yet remains a fact that during the whole period of the war the office of Special Assistant continued to urge a program of One Hundred Per Cent Americanism, it sought to obtain for them the fullest measure of opportunity possible and to promote friendly feelings between white and colored citizens of the country, based upon the highest ideals of justice and fair play.

CHAPTER V

THE NEGRO IN THE NATIONAL ARMY

Selective Service Law the Most Complete Recognition of the Citizenship of the Negro, North and South-All the Duties and Responsibilities of Patriots Imposed Upon the Negro by the Draft Act-Tribute by the Provost Marshal General to the Colored Soldier-Assignment of Negro Draftees to Canton

ments.

On May 18, 1917, Congress enacted what came to be known as the Selective Service law. As stated in the First Report of the Provost Marshal General, "It was unequivocal in its terms. It boldly recited the military obligations of citizenship. It vested the President with the plenary power of prescribing regulations which should strike a balance between industrial and economical need on the one hand and the military need on the other. It provided that men could be summoned for service in the place in which it would best suit the common good to call them. It was a measure of undoubted significance and power and flung a fair challenge at the feet of those doubters who did not believe that the country would respond to a draft upon the man-power of the republic."

It is of moment to state that on June 5, Registration Day, a number of representative colored citizens served as Selective Service registrars to the entire satisfaction of the Provost Marshal General. There was complaint, however, that so small a number of colored men were permitted to serve as Selective Service registrars, considering the large number of colored men who were called upon to register under the draft.

Under the first selective draft 9,586,508 men between the ages of 21 and 31 were registered; of this number 8,848,882 were whites and 737,626 were colored. Thus it appears that the total registration of citizens of African descent was nearly eight per cent of the entire (racially composite) registration. Of the number of white and colored draftees who were certified for service, official