Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1917 — IS THIS BECOMING SOLDIERS? [ARTICLE]

IS THIS BECOMING SOLDIERS?

Company M Refuses to Eat With Drafted Men. It is with genuine regret that we learn the details of the recent visit of Company M to Morocco to partake of a banquet prepared in honor of those who had enlisted from Morocco and also those from that community who had been accepted in the draft, when the members of Company M refused to eat with the drafted men. It appears that the citizens of Morocco were so ashamed of the conduct of the soldiers, including some of their own young men. that nothing whatever was said of the affair, afad the disgraceful actions might never have been made public but for the publication of a letter from a Morocco young man . who is in the regular army and who had seen the conduct of the soldiers, and felt it is his dujy to criticize their attitude from the standpoint of a member of the regular army. According to this letter the members of Company M refused to march from down-town to the church where the spread was to be served with the drafted men, who were included among the guests of honor. Arriving at tihe church the soldiers further refused to eat at the satne table with any drafted man. The people of Morocco were so shocked at such brazen conduct that they quietly provided other tables for the conscripted men and then sought to throw a mantle of charity over the ungentlemanly conduct of the soldiers by doing all in their power to keep the matter quiet. The Democrat investigated this matter and was assured by a former officer of Company M, who was present at the banquet, that the report concerning the actions of the members of the company was true. This gentleman also stated that he did not approve of the course pursued and tried to dissuade the men from doing as they did, but all to no avail.

Class distinction has never been countenanced in the United States and this is indeed a very poor time for anything of this character to be started. The national guardsmen and drafted men are all human beings and all American citizens, and anyone of sufficient character and ability to become a part of the great American army who I can not “conduct himself in a more gentlemanly manner than did the members of Company M at Morocco, is lacking in proper respect of his country or training. Inasmuch as Rensselaer is the home of Company M, this escapade is a reflection on our good name. But be it known that Rensselaer is not the home of every member of the company. However, the company officers are from here and we acknowledge that it may have been lack of proper training of the men that caused such disgraceful actions. The nation is as one in according all honor to both the enlisted man and his drafted ’brother, and the country is also as one in. condemning any such actions as above recorded. The average drafted man is one who has spent months and years in fitting himself for some

and creditable station in life, perhaps now earning good tvages and reluctant to sacrifice the opportunity that will be his with continued service. Can you blame him. and can as much be said of the average enlisted man? The Democrat has no desire to reflect In any way on the enlisted men, but we do desire to see them conduct themselves as sensible American citizens and accord every other man, whatever his status in life, an equal consideration.