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History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With MexicoSweeney, William Allison

History

History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico

Name: History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico
Author: Sweeney, William Allison

Sweeney, William Allison

African American soldiers; African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American

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:

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