Part 16

Finnistere offered many advantages for outings with the great military port of Brest as the starting point. To be in Brest in winter was to feel the gloom and penetrating chill of England with the addition during the war period of mud everywhere—earth ground into sinking mire such as only vast and constant movements of men and machinery could produce. It was the greatest port of the war, and men were always there by the thousands. We climbed high above the city one winter evening to visit the men at Camp Lincoln. As we spoke to them that night we saw their faces out of the shadows made by the flickering candles. Months later we spoke again, but in a well-lighted auditorium that had been built for the men as the result of the persistent and successful efforts of Secretary Cansler and his associates. Brest itself is full of historic interest, beginning with the sombre Chateau and its dungeons. But all around it are picturesque spots that lure one away from the town in summer days. One Saturday four Y women and twelve soldiers went by automobile north from Brest about twelve miles and reached the remote village of St. Mathieu. They were then at the most westerly point on the Continent, named by the natives “_Loc Mazi pen ar Bed_,” or the cell of St. Mathieu at the end of the earth. But the most important thing there is the ruins of a great monastery constructed in the sixth century. It was bombarded first by the English and again during the French Revolution. On all the Continent we had seen nothing more picturesque than that great roofless monastery with its cloisters and pretty Gothic windows. Covered with moss and ivy, it stood a monument to the monastic order of its day. Nearby was a lighthouse and all about us were mines, for the village held a strategic position at the entrance to the English Channel. Beneath the sea-wall was a submarine passage that had had its uses in other wars as well as in the last one. From there we rode on to Conquet, a typical little fishing village of the north coast. We ate dinner in a big old room jutting far out on the sea, where the mist fell about us like rain.

There were days in Southern France where, in addition to the interesting outings that were ever a part of the regular program, we made other journeys. Some of our number traveled to beautiful Nice on the Mediterranean, others went over those picturesque parts that border Spain and some stood by Lake Geneva and spent a night at lovely Chamonix under the shadow of Mont Blanc, marveling at its stupendous beauty. There were vales and grottoes, lakes and mountains to which we went, but there was always the soldier and one used these Stray Days largely to gather new strength, new vigor for the important task back in the Y hut. One might go many miles away from camp life, but the vision of those thousands of virile lads with soul and body steeled for the hour could not be lost and always sent one back to them with an eager longing to serve better than before.

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Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

_Ecclesiastes_ 12:13.

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Afterthought ————

We verily believe that the scriptural passage used as an introduction to these thoughts, is the rock upon which the colored people of America must build the superstructure of their civilization for all their future. It offers the only sure solution for their many difficulties, although it must be accompanied by righteous and indignant protest against injustice.

Some were not anxious for the colored soldier to take a part in the great World War. They felt that it would be a needless sacrifice for something that would bring no tangible results by way of alleviating his present condition; others felt that if he offered his life upon the altar for the principles of a new freedom, the remaining shackles that have so long bound him would be wholly broken.

Neither were correct; for while the shackles have not been wholly removed from his body there have been wonderful results accomplished that have in some measure removed the fetters from his soul.

Approximately 150,000 soldiers, officers and men went to France to represent the colored race in America. Many of them were brigaded with the French, while other thousands had a contact and association with this people which resulted in bringing for the entire number a broader view of life; they caught the vision of a freedom that gave them new hope and a new inspiration.

Some of them received the rudiments of an education through direct instruction; a thing that would not have come to them in all the years of a lifetime at home, while many hundreds had the opportunity of traveling through the flowering fields of a country long famed for its love of the beautiful, and seeing its wonderful monuments, cathedrals, art galleries, palaces, chateaux, etc., that represent the highest attainment in the world of architecture and art. They looked upon the relics left by a people long gone, and saw the picturesqueness of a great and wonderful country, as they took their way from the port cities to the front line trenches, or to the towering Alps, or through the farms and villages of a quaint and thrifty people. And while they traveled they learned that there is a fair-skinned people in the world who believe in the equality of races, and who practice what they believe.

In addition to this they had an opportunity of making a record for themselves that will be in no wise hidden from the generations of the future; a proud record of which the Frenchman took note, and for which he will be given due credit in the true history of the Great World War.

They also had an opportunity to give the truth a hearing before the Court of Justice of the civilized world; the truth with regard to their conduct, their mental capacity, their God-given talents, and their ability for the leadership of men and the accomplishment of results that were a credit to themselves and to the nation which they represented.

All of these things were quite enough to offset whatever came to them of hardship and sacrifice, of war and suffering, of mean prejudice and subtle propaganda, of misrepresentation and glaring injustice.

They have a right to have a wonderful hope for the future. Nothing but the Hand of Providence could have guided them into a great world maelstrom and brought them out with such wonderful and satisfying results. Their future endeavor should be to a greater extent than ever before along the line of demonstrating to the world their ability to follow that Providence more closely and with a greater faith; to become to the world a living example that the principles of Christianity can be applied with greater and increasing success to everyday life; and to blaze a pathway for themselves whose brightness and beauty will make a plea so eloquent that the ancient doctrine of the Brotherhood of Man will finally become the chief cornerstone of our Democracy.

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NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS

[1] A riot between colored troops and the citizens of Houston resulted in 13 colored soldiers being condemned to death. As a consequence the Des Moines Officers’ Training School had its term lengthened by one month, making the necessary time for obtaining a commission, four months instead of three; believing they were to be denied commissions altogether, many of the candidates went home.

[2] See _Crisis_ magazine, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City, Page 19, issue of May, 1919.

[3] From official record taken by soldier who was in Brest at the time.

[4] See _Crisis_, May, 1919, Pages 16 and 17.

[5] A term of contempt used in referring to the French people.

[6] From report of supervisor of instruction for colored soldiers in France.

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ABBREVIATIONS.

S. O. S. Service of Supplies. Referred to men engaged in getting supplies of food and ammunition to the troops.

A. P. O. Army Post Office. The post offices were known by numbers so that names of towns giving location of troops would not be placed on paper.

A. E. F. American Expeditionary Force or Forces. Both terms were used, and referred to troops, welfare workers, etc., serving overseas.

G. O. General Orders. Orders issued from general army headquarters.

Det. Detached.

M. P. Military Police.

F. A. Field Artillery.

C. O. Commanding Officer.

D. I. Divisional Infantry. I. D. Infantry Division.

R. I. U. S. Reserved Infantry United States.

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Transcriber’s Note (continued)

The spelling and the hyphenation used in the original publication have been retained in this transcription except where noted below. Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note while other changes to the original text are as stated in the following:

Page 31 – “reburying” changed to “re-burying” (re-burying the dead)

Page 53 – “Gondre Court” changed to “Gondrecourt” (American Training School at Gondrecourt)

Page 60 – “court-martialed” changed to “court-martialled?” (why he should not be court-martialled?)

Page 79 – “Singnes” changed to “Signes” (took position opposite Mont de Signes)

Page 86 – “effectives” changed to “effectiveness” (diminish its effectiveness)

Page 101 – “entré” changed to “entrée” (given entrée to the heart of the war)

Page 147 – “wrapt” changed to “rapt” (they listened in rapt silence)

Page 212 – “Pittsburg, Pa.” changed to “Pittsburgh, Pa.”

Page 220 – “President Poincairé” changed to “President Poincaré”

Page 222 – in plate facing, “Saxaphonist” changed to “Saxophonist” (3. Sgt. Jefferson, Saxophonist.)

Page 226 – “alway” changed to “always” (Lo, I am with you always)

Page 231 – “alway” changed to “always” (Lo, I am with you always)

Page 242 – “Bois de Bologne” changed to “Bois de Boulogne”

Page 248 – “every-day” changed to “everyday” (everyday life of those inhabitants)

Page 249 – “Carmac” changed to “Carnac” (Carnac with its Druid Stones)

Page 255 – “every-day” changed to “everyday” (increasing success to everyday life)