Of the New York National Guards (now the 369th) who have been decorated by the French for routing 24 Germans and preventing the carrying out of a well-developed plan to assail one of the most important points of resistance on the American front. They have been awarded the War Cross by the French.] [Illustration: COLORED SOLDIERS BUILDING ROADS "OVER THERE."] [Illustration: COLORED SOLDIERS IN THE TRENCHES "OVER THERE." (Note the tin hats.)] [Illustration: HOTEL BOOKER T. WASHINGTON "OVER THERE." The Negro Soldiers are surely fighting for Democracy. It is coming to them by leaps and bounds.] [Illustration: COLORED SOLDIERS LEAVING AN AMERICAN PORT FOR "OVER THERE." (See them dancing on the right.)] The Late Major Walker, of the First Colored Battalion, District of Columbia National Guard [Illustration: The late Major James E. Walker was born in Virginia, September 7, 1874. He was educated in the public schools of Washington, D.C., and was graduated from the M. Street High School in 1893, and the Miner Normal School in 1894. For twenty-four years he was in the public school service, and since 1899 was supervising principal. In 1896 he was made Lieutenant in the First Separate Battalion of the National Guard of the District of Columbia. In 1909 he was made Captain and in 1912, through competitive examination, was commissioned Major. His command was called out to guard the White House, and while on this duty Major Walker's health became impaired. He was sent to the U.S. Hospital at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, for treatment, where he died April 4, 1918.] [Illustration: THE FIGHTING U.S.A. MARINE BRIGADE IN BELLEAU WOOD. Here the Germans were not only stopped in their march toward Paris, but "knocked out." The furious and fast fighting of the Marines proved their superiority. The Hun was badly beaten. The soldier applying the bayonet is an American Negro.] [Illustration: AFRICAN TROOPS IN FRANCE. THEY FOUGHT FOR THE ALLIES. A war dance, relieving the monotony and for the benefit of British and French troops. These colored soldiers gave a good account of themselves.] [Illustration: KAMERAD! KAMERAD! Three colored Canadians imitating the Germans, whom they captured in this dugout near the Canal du Nord, as they put up their hands and shouted "Kamerad"!] CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. CIVILIZATION AT ISSUE--THE GERMAN EMPIRE--CHARACTER OF WILLIAM II--THE GREAT CONSPIRACY--THE WAR BY YEARS--UNITED STATES IN THE WAR--TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILES OF BATTLE--THE DOWNFALL OF TURKEY--THE DEMOCRATIC CLOSE OF THE WAR.