Show ff I SOCIAL WRITER SEES fl 1 MENACE IN BLACK g 1 ARMY i t I ri L French Author F Fears ar for fo r S I Result of Conscription in in Colonies I. I 1 By MARTHE BIGOT j i In Famous Social Writer 1 t Translated from PARIS Dec 10 In In her African e ex expansion ex- ex x France Franca has hag not only demanded demands a 1 I of her colonies the best they can produce I In Jn food and supplies but also o the best bes t I f th they can produce in cannon o fodder th J. J I A b black kP army has been utilized tI der which h 1 t E E. E D D. Morel in his last list work estimates estimate s t at nt at combatants and aux aux- l l' l On the day of the armistice armistic there ther were in the depots of North Africa ca t men not Including contingents contingent caa a 5 lI j from Madagascar and r f jf How was was' this immense black army re recruited rei re- re i r under the Tricolor Several years before belore the the- war plans plan II were mado made providing prodding for voluntary en enlistment en- en j of blacks to form several regiments regi J 1 ments which were to be used In Africa Afric a 1 only I In 1912 a first essay at Conscription was wa s I attempted ted which developed so quickly quick in i tl I that in 1914 it was ImS possible for several severa I battalions a to be bo ea e expedited edited in France I t where where they participated participated In the first great grea greaS t jj S 4 I battles of the war ts i e Those who were ere In Paris In those days day s remember well the passage through the I suburbs of those of Sen- Sen on their way to the front t to 0 i fight white men WERE VERITABLE SAVAGES SAVAGES k I p I They were veritable savages for whom s I the war var for civilization and right was vas tJ only just as any other war would have I t been These mercenaries practiced x i I wholesale assassination even on defenseless defense defense defense-aff f less prisoners and witnesses are nuI numerous nu nu- i I to prove that they even paraded parade d l I 1 towns and villages in the north sporting g t r r necklaces made mado of ears cut from th the i i heads of German Gennan dead One Senegalese I P. P I was even seen at pt the Versailles station f ft in n t 1914 triumphantly carrying a war trophy troph Y r In the shape of a bloody German head t I But recruiting was not fast enough an any and d y- y I the most odious means were us used d bv by ou our l I representatives in Africa to obtain more black soldiers Tribal chiefs were promised promised promised prom prom- cash for so many men and they were punished if they did not supply them Money offers for men si Money offers for men roen attained such sizes ez that a veritable new industry sprang u uan up an an industry of rape A high commis commissioner commis- commis l oner Deputy Diagne was Ws charged t to centralize the efforts of the new black black- birders in Inthe the service of at the right and h ho he boasts of ot having thus furnished to th the shambles CO recruits On July 30 ZO 1919 the war vall wa r being finished fin fin- nine niue months conscription was ass prescribed prescribed pre pre- scribed for all negroes In fn French African territories Shortly afterward the decree decre was extended to include Madagascar Senegal must furnish men Upper Senegal Guinea Ivory Coast Coas Dahomey 2500 etc Commencing 1922 this army will comprise three classes and will attain a total of men Madagascar and Pacific Islands is islands Is- Is lands will furnish another OCO ant and will be enlisted in Algeria and Morocco These contingents must serve I three years of ot which two years must be passed in France TO BE USED IN STRIKES The Black Army was utilized during the war partly PartY on the French front and ant partly in other theatres Black regiments regiments regi regi- ments were sent to Macedonia the they occupied occupied occupied oc oc- enemy consulates in Greece they were employed against Russa others are now in Syria and public opinion has bas already been outraged by revelation o ot of their conduct on the Rhine There is no doubt but that this unquestioning unquestioning unquestioning un un- questioning army is a magnificent weapon weapon weapon wea wea- pon in the hands bands of the men of at state incase Incase in incase case of at a coup National nal strikes will be suppressed by capitalism in this manner We consider it a crime to take these men on whom is exercised the superiorIty superior superior- ity of violence from their homes to suffer in cold countries to them with the vices of our civilization or give them to tuberculosis sis while they wait walt to be sent to massacre And we consider ita i ia it a a. great fault to thus reduce the sum o of tropical labor which cannot be replaced Finally the time has arrived for the theman theman theman man of ot color as for tor the white man to refuse reluse to sacrifice their interests for those which concern them not at all i |