HOUR OF HIS NATION'S PERIL.
NEGRO'S PARTRIOTIC ATTITUDE--SELECTIVE DRAFT IN EFFECT--FEATURES AND
RESULTS--BOLD RELIANCE ON FAITH IN A PEOPLE--NO COLOR LINE
DRAWN--DISTRIBUTION OF REGISTRANTS BY STATES--NEGRO AND WHITE
REGISTRATIONS COMPARED--NEGRO PERCENTAGES HIGHER--CLAIMED FEWER
EXEMPTIONS--INDUCTIONS BY STATES--BETTER PHYSICALLY THAN WHITES--TABLES,
FACTS AND FIGURES.
As stated in a previous chapter, the Negro's real opportunity to show
his patriotic attitude did not come until the passage of the compulsory
service law; selective draft, was the name attached to it later and by
which it was generally known.
On May 18, 1917, the day the law was enacted by congress, no advocate of
preparedness could with confidence have forecasted the success of it.
There were many who feared the total failure of it. The history of the
United States disclosed a popular adherence to the principle of
voluntary enlistment, if not a repudiation of the principle of selection
or compulsory military service.
It was to be expected that many people would look upon the law as highly
experimental; as an act that, if it did not produce grave disorders in
the country, would fall short of the results for which it was intended.
It was fortunate for the country at this time, that the military
establishment possessed in the person of General Crowder, one who had
made a special study of selective drafts and other forms of compulsory
service, not alone in this country, but throughout the nations of the
world and back to the beginning of recorded history. He had become as
familiar with all phases of it as though it had been a personal hobby
and lifetime pursuit.
The law was extremely plain and permitted of no guessing or legal
quibbling over its terms. It boldly recited the military obligations of
citizenship. It vested the president with the most complete power of
prescribing regulations calculated to strike a balance between the
industrial, agricultural and economic needs of the nation on the one
hand and the military need on the other.
Within 18 days between May 18, when the law was approved, and June 5,
the day the president had fixed as registration day, a great,
administrative machine was built. Practically the entire male
citizenship of the United States within the age limits fixed by law,
twenty-one to thirty years inclusive, presented itself at the 4,000
enrollment booths with a registered result of nearly 10,000,000 names.
The project had been so systematized that within 48 hours almost
complete registration returns had been assembled by telegraph in
Washington.
The order in which the ten-million registrants were to be called was
accomplished on July 20 by a great central lottery in Washington.
The boards proceeded promptly to call, to examine physically and to
consider claims for exemption of over one and one half million men, a
sufficient number to fill the first national quota of 687,000. Thus in
less than three and one-half months the nation had accepted and
vigorously executed a compulsory service law.
On June 5, 1918, 753,834 men were added to the rolls. On August 24,
1918, that number was increased by 159,161; finally on September 12,
1918, under the provision of the act of August 31, 1918, 13,228,762 were
added to the lists of those available for military service, which,
including interim and other accessions, amounted to a grand total of
24,234,021 enrolled and subject to the terms of the Selective Service
law. This tremendous exhibition of man power struck terror to the heart
of the Hun and hastened him to, if possible, deliver a telling blow
against the Allies before the wonderful strength and resources of the
American nation could be brought to bear against him.
Commenting on the facility with which the selective draft was put into
effect, the report of the Provost Marshall General stated in part:
"The expedition and smoothness with which the law was executed
emphasized the remarkable flexibility, adaptability and efficiency
of our system of government and the devotion of our people. Here
was a gigantic project in which success was staked not on reliance
in the efficiency of a man, or an hierarchy of men, or, primarily,
on a system. Here was a bold reliance on faith in a people. Most
exacting duties were laid with perfect confidence on the officials
of every locality in the nation, from the governors of states to
the registrars of elections, and upon private citizens of every
condition, from men foremost in the industrial and political life
of the nation to those who had never before been called upon to
participate in the functions of government. By all administrative
tokens, the accomplishment of their task was magic."
No distinction regarding color or race was made in the selective draft
law, except so far as non-citizen Indians were exempt from the draft.
But the organization of the army placed Negro soldiers in separate
units; and the several calls for mobilization, were, therefore, affected
by this circumstance, in that no calls could be issued for Negro
registrants until the organizations were ready for them. Figures of
total registration given previously in this chapter include interim
accessions and some that automatically went on the rolls after September
12, 1918. Inasmuch as the tables prepared by the Provost Marshall
General's department deal only with those placed on the rolls on regular
registration days and do not include the accessions mentioned,
comparisons which follow will be based on those tables. They show the
total registration as 23,779,997, of which 21,489,470 were white and
2,290,527 were black. Following is a table showing the distribution of
colored and white registrants by states:
Colored
Total registrants
Colored June 5, 1917 Colored Total
and white Colored registrants colored
registrants. to Sept 11, Sept 12, registrants.
1918. 1918.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 23,779,097 1,078,331 1,212,196 2,290,527
=====================================================
Alabama 444,692 81,963 81,410 163,373
Arizona 93,078 295 680 975
Arkansas 365,754 51,176 53,659 104,835
California 787,676 3,308 6,404 9,712
Colorado 215,178 1,103 1,867 2,970
Connecticut 373,676 3,524 4,659 8,183
Delaware 55,215 3,798 4,448 8,246
District of Columbia 89,808 11,045 15,433 26,478
Florida 208,931 39,013 43,019 82,032
Georgia 549,020 112,593 108,183 220,781
Idaho 103,740 254 255 509
Illinois 1,571,717 21,816 35,597 57,413
Indiana 639,431 11,289 16,549 27,838
Iowa 523,957 2,959 3,022 5,981
Kansas 381,315 5,575 7,448 13,023
Kentucky 486,599 25,850 30,182 56,032
Louisiana . 391,654 76,223 82,256 158,479
Maine 159,350 163 179 342
Maryland 313,255 26,435 32,736 59,171
Massachusetts 884,030 6,044 8,056 14,100
Michigan 871,410 6,979 8,950 15,929
Minnesota 540,003 1,541 1,809 3,350
Mississippi 344,506 81,548 91,534 173,082
Missouri 764,428 22,796 31,524 54,320
Montana 196,999 320 494 814
Nebraska 286,147 1,614 2,417 4,031
Nevada 29,465 69 112 172
New Hampshire 95,035 77 98 175
New Jersey 761,238 14,056 19,340 33,396
New Mexico 80,158 235 350 595
New York 2,503,290 25,974 35,299 61,273
North Carolina 480,901 73,357 69,168 142,525
North Dakota 159,391 65 165 230
Ohio 1,387,830 28,831 35,156 63,987
Oklahoma 423,864 14,305 23,253 37,563
Oregon 176,010 144 534 678
Pennsylvania 2,067,023 39,363 51,111 90,474
Rhode Island 134,232 1,573 1,913 3,486
South Carolina 307,229 74,265 74,912 149,177
South Dakota 142,783 144 171 315
Tennessee 474,253 43,735 51,059 94,794
Texas 989,571 83,671 82,775 166,446
Utah 100,038 169 392 561
Vermont 71,464 63 89 152
Virginia 464,903 64,358 75,816 140,174
Washington 319,337 373 1,353 1,726
West Virginia 324,975 13,292 14,652 27,944
Wisconsin 584,639 718 1,117 1,835
Wyoming 58,700 280 570 850
White
registrants White Total
Percent of June 5, 1917 registrants white Percent
total to Sept 11 Sept 12, registrants. of total
registrants. 1918. 1918. registrants.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 9.83 9,562,515 11,926,955 21,480,470 90.37
===================================================================
Alabama 36.74 124,247 157,072 281,319 63.26
Arizona 1.05 39,884 52,219 92,103 98.95
Arkansas 28.66 117,111 143,808 260,919 71.34
California 1.23 312,994 464,970 777,964 98.77
Colorado 1.38 90,453 121,755 212,208 98.62
Connecticut . 2.19 171,296 194,197 365,493 97.81
Delaware 14.93 20,761 26,208 46,969 85.07
District of Columbia 29.45 25,625 37,795 63,420 70.56
Florida 39.26 55,572 71,327 126,899 60.74
Georgia 40.22 147,604 180,635 328,239 59.78
Idaho 0.49 45,224 58,007 103,231 99.51
Illinois 3.65 685,254 829,050 1,514,304 96.35
Indiana 4.35 272,442 339,151 611,593 95.65
Iowa 1.14 237,744 280,232 517,976 98.86
Kansas 3.41 161,691 206,602 368,293 96.59
Kentucky 11.52 190,060 240,507 430,567 88.43
Louisiana 40.46 103,718 129,467 233,185 59.54
Maine 0.22 67,941 91,067 159,008 99.73
Maryland 18.89 110,066 144,018 254,084 81.11
Massachusetts 1.60 391,654 478,276 869,930 93.40
Michigan 1.83 404,040 451,441 855,481 98.17
Minnesota 0.62 247,750 288,903 538,653 99.38
Mississippi 50.24 75,977 95,447 171,424 49.76
Missouri 7.11 372,106 398,002 710,108 92.89
Montana 0.41 96,753 101,432 198,185 99.59
Nebraska 1.42 130,493 151,623 282,116 98.58
Nevada 0.58 12,581 16,712 29,293 99.42
New Hampshire 0.18 41,617 53,243 94,860 99.82
New Jersey 4.39 18,615 409,225 727,840 95.61
New Mexico 0.74 36,776 42,787 79,563 99.26
New York 2.44 1,092,061 1,349,956 2,442,617 97.56
North Carolina 29.63 155,102 183,274 338,376 70.37
North Dakota 0.15 72,837 85,324 159,161 98.85
Ohio 4.61 588,170 735,673 1,323,843 95.39
Oklahoma 8.86 173,851 212,450 386,301 91.15
Oregon 0.38 69,376 105,956 175,332 99.62
Pennsylvania 4.38 353,106 1,113,443 1,976,549 95.62
Rhode Island 2.59 57,433 73,313 130,746 12
South Carolina 48.56 70,395 87,657 158,052 51.44
South Dakota 0.23 64,896 77,572 142,468 99.77
Tennessee 19.99 169,674 209,785 379,459 80.01
Texas 16.82 376,385 446,740 823,125 83.18
Utah 0.56 45,930 53,547 99,477 99.44
Vermont 0.21 30,819 40,493 71,312 99.79
Virginia 30.15 141,714 183,015 324,727 69.85
Washington 0.54 123,752 193,859 317,611 99.46
West Virginia 8.60 128,852 168,179 297,031 91.40
Wisconsin 0.31 265,501 317,303 582,804 99.69
Wyoming 1.45 24,612 33,238 57,850 98.56
Results of the classification of December 15, 1917 to September 11,
1918, in respect to colored and white registrants are shown in the
following table:
Colored and white classification compared. Number. Percent Percent
of total of
classified. classified.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total colored and white registered:
June 5, 1917, to Sept. 11, 1918 10,640,846 100.00 -----
Total colored registered 1,078,331 10.13 100.00
Class I 556,917 ----- 51.65
Deferred classes 521,414 ----- -----
Total white registered 9,562,515 89.87 100.00
Class I 3,110,659 ----- 32.53
Deferred classes 6,451,856 ----- -----
Percentage accepted for service on calls before Dec. 15, 1917 (report for 1917).
Colored ----- ----- 36.23
White ----- ----- 24.75
It will be seen that a much higher percentage of Negroes were accepted
for service than of white men. It is true that enlistments which were
permitted white men but denied Negroes, depleted the whites eligible to
Class I to some extent. Probably there were more Negro delinquents in
proportion to their numbers in the south than white delinquents. The
conditions under which they lived would account for that. Delinquents,
under the regulations, were placed in Class 1. Then there is the
undoubted fact that the Negro sought and was granted fewer exemptions on
the ground of dependency. Many Negroes in the south, where the rate of
pay was low, were put in Class I on the ground that their allotment and
allowances while in the army, would furnish an equivalent support to
their dependents. But whatever the reason, the great fact stands out
that a much greater percentage of colored were accepted for service than
white men. The following table gives the colored and white inductions by
states:
Total colored Colored Colored Per
and white registrants, Percentage inducted Percent of
registrants, June 5, of colored June 5, colored
June 5, 1917, 1917, to and white 1917, to registrants.
to Sept. 11, Sept. 11, registrants. Nov. 11,
1918. 1918. 1918.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 10,640,846 1,078,331 10.13 367,710 34.10
===================================================================
Alabama 206,210 81,963 39.75 25,874 31.57
Arizona 40,179 295 .73 77 26.10
Arkansas 168,287 51,176 30.4l 17,544 34.28
California 316,302 3,308 1.05 919 27.78
Colorado 91,556 1,103 1.20 317 28.74
Connecticut 174,820 3,524 2.02 941 26.70
Delaware 24,559 3,798 15.46 1,365 35.93
District of Columbia 36,670 11,045 30.12 4,000 36.22
Florida 94,585 39,013 41.25 12,904 33.08
Georgia 260,197 112,593 43.27 34,303 30.47
Idaho 45,478 254 .56 95 37.40
Illinois 707,070 21,816 3.09 8,754 40.13
Indiana 283,731 11,289 3.98 4,579 40.56
Iowa 240,703 2,959 1.23 929 31.40
Kansas 167,266 5,575 3.33 2,127 38.15
Kentucky 215,910 25,850 11.98 11,320 43.79
Louisiana 179,941 76,223 42.36 28,711 37.67
Maine 68,104 163 .24 50 30.67
Maryland 136,501 26,435 19.37 9,212 34.85
Massachusetts 397,698 6,044 1.52 1,200 19.85
Michigan 411,019 6,979 1.70 2,395 34.32
Minnesota 249,291 1,541 .62 511 53.16
Mississippi 157,525 81,548 51.77 24,066 29.51
Missouri 334,902 22,796 6.81 9,219 40.44
Montana 97,073 320 .33 198 61.87
Nebraska 132,107 1,614 1.22 642 39.78
Nevada 12,640 59 .47 26 44.07
New Hampshire 41,694 77 .18 27 35.07
New Jersey 332,671 14,056 4.23 4,863 34.60
New Mexico 37,011 235 .63 51 21.70
New York 1,118,035 25,974 2. 6,193 23.84
North Carolina 228,459 73,357 32.11 20,082 27.38
North Dakota 72,902 65 .09 87 -----
Ohio 617,001 28,831 4.67 7,861 27.27
Oklahoma 188,156 14,305 7.60 5,694 39.80
Oregon 69,520 144 .21 68 47.22
Pennsylvania 902,469 39,363 4.36 15,392 39.10
Rhode Island 59,006 1,573 2.67 291 18.50
South Carolina 144,660 74,265 51.34 25,798 34.74
South Dakota 65,040 144 .22 62 43.06
Tennessee 213,409 43,735 20.59 17,774 40.64
Texas 460,056 83,671 18.19 31,506 37.65
Utah 46,099 169 .37 77 45.56
Vermont 30,882 63 .20 22 34.92
Virginia 206,072 64,358 31.23 23,541 36.57
Washington 124,125 373 .30 173 46.38
West Virginia 142,144 13,292 9.35 5,492 41.32
Wisconsin 266,219 718 .27 224 31.20
Wyoming 24,892 280 1.12 95 23.93
Alaska 5
Hawaii
Porto Rico
White Percent of White
registrants, colored inductions, Percent
June 5, and June 5, of white
1917, to white 1917, to registrants.
Sept. 11, registrants. Nov. 11,
1918. 1918.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 9,562,515 89.87 2,299,157 24.04
=====================================================
Alabama 124,247 60.25 33,881 27.27
Arizona 39,884 99.27 8,036 20.15
Arkansas 117,111 69.59 31,768 27.13
California 312,994 98.95 60,148 21.13
Colorado 90,453 98.80 22,487 24.86
Connecticut 171,296 97.98 31,598 18.45
Delaware 20,761 84.54 3,628 17.48
District of Columbia 25,625 69.88 5,631 21.97
Florida 55,572 58.75 12,012 21.62
Georgia 147,604 56.73 32,538 32.04
Idaho 45,224 99.44 12,471 27.58
Illinois 685,254 96.91 68,729 24.62
Indiana 272,442 96.02 65,170 23.92
Iowa 237,744 98.77 65,935 27.73
Kansas 161,691 96.67 39,778 21.60
Kentucky 190,060 88.02 47,010 24.60
Louisiana 103,718 57.64 27,494 26.51
Maine 67,941 99.76 15,216 22.40
Maryland 110,066 80.63 24,655 22.40
Massachusetts 391,654 98.48 75,367 19.24
Michigan 404,040 98.30 94,085 23.29
Minnesota 247,750 99.38 73,169 29.53
Mississippi 75,977 48.23 19,296 25.40
Missouri 312,106 93.19 83,624 26.79
Montana 96,753 99.67 27,142 28.O5
Nebraska 130,493 98.78 29,165 22.35
Nevada 12,581 99.53 8,138 24.94
New Hampshire 41,617 99.82 8,377 20.13
New Jersey 318,615 95.77 66,527 20.88
New Mexico 36,776 99.37 8,811 23.96
New York 1,092,061 97.68 247,396 22.65
North Carolina 155,102 67.89 38,359 24.73
North Dakota 72,837 99.91 18,508 25.41
Ohio 568,170 95.83 130,287 22.15
Oklahoma 173,851 92.40 59,247 34.08
Oregon 69,376 99.79 16,090 23.19
Pennsylvania 863,106 95.64 185,819 21.53
Rhode Island 57,433 97.33 10,885 18.95
South Carolina 70,395 48.66 18,261 25.94
South Dakota 64,896 99.78 21,193 32.66
Tennessee 169,674 79.51 42,104 24.81
Texas 376,385 81.81 85,889 22.82
Utah 45,93O 99.63 10,711 23.32
Vermont 30,819 99.80 6,607 21.44
Virginia 141,714 68.77 34,796 24.55
Washington 123,752 99.70 28,513 23.04
West Virginia l28,852 90.65 39,863 30.94
Wisconsin 265,501 99.73 70,758 26.65
Wyoming 24,612 98.88 7,828 31.81
Alaska 1,957
Hawaii 5,406
Porto Rico 15,734
Further light on the question of more Negroes in proportion to their
numbers being selected for service than white men, is found in a
comparison of the Negroes and whites rejected for physical reasons. The
following table gives the figures for the period between December 15,
1917 and September 11, 1918:
Colored and white physical rejections compared. Number. Percent of Percent of
examined partial
disqualifications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, colored and white examined Dec. 15, 1917,
to Sept. 11, 1918 3,208,446 100.00 -----
Group A 2,259,027 70.41 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 949,419 ----- 100.00
Group B 88,436 2.76 9.31
Group C 339,377 10.58 35.75
Group D 521,606 16.25 54.94
Total, colored examined 458,838 100.00 -----
Group A 342,277 74.60 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 116,561 ----- 100.00
Group B 9,605 2.09 8.24
Group C 27,474 5.99 23.57
Group D 79,482 17.32 68.19
Total white examined 2,749,608 100.00 -----
Group A 1,916,750 69.71 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 832,858 ----- 100.00
Group B 78,831 2.87 9.47
Group C 311,903 11.34 37.45
Group D 442,124 16.08 53.08
The percentage of Negroes unqualifiedly accepted for service, was 74.60%
of the number examined; the white men accepted numbered 69.71% of the
number examined. The Negroes it will be seen rated about 5% higher
physically than the whites. No better refutation could be desired of the
charge, having its inspiration in the vanquished, but unrepentant
defenders of Negro slavery, mourning about its dead carcass, that the
Negro is deteriorating physically, or that the so-called degenerative
influences of civilization affect him in greater degree than they do the
white man.