To the Last Man - Jeff Shaara [300]
“What about all the bull in the papers about the abuse of the Negroes?”
Pershing let out a long breath.
“I don’t understand where all that has come from. How can anyone believe that this army, that my command is anything but equitable to the Negro soldiers?”
“You have enemies, sir. This entire army has enemies. Besides, one Negro gets beaten up, and you know damned well some rabble-rouser in the States is going to make hay about it.”
Pershing was feeling the depression again, shook his head. “I visited the Negro divisions last week. They have both equipped themselves well in the field, and I have no doubt they will continue to do so. If there is one failing, it is in the training of their officers. Hell, the fact that they even have Negro officers should have gotten some attention back home. It wasn’t allowed in the Civil War. All the officers were white. I just wish the War Department made some effort to train those people better. I know damned well that the problem lies in the training camps. Some idiot instructor somewhere has decided to ignore his Negro students. Those soldiers deserve the same quality of leadership as anyone else in this army, and they’re not getting it. That’s one way George Creel can help this army. Encourage the Negroes to enlist, to insist on better training.”
Mitchell shook his head. “Sometimes I think you’re as idealistic as Woodrow Wilson. Creel has no interest in the Negroes. He’s as much a rabble-rouser as anyone. If he thinks Negro soldiers will make some people uneasy, he’s just as likely to preach against sending them over here in the first place.”
“I cannot believe the American people would be so easily manipulated. This is a war, damn it. I would rather believe that we can come together and put aside so many different views.”
“By God, you are an idealist. Right now, there are citizens being jailed because they choose to argue with men like Creel. Whether or not Negroes make good soldiers is far down on that man’s list of concerns. From what I’ve read of the Sedition Act, it is now illegal to speak out against the war, or to even suggest that buying war bonds is a bad idea. A man can go to jail if he says something unkind about the president. Believe me, I’d love to tie a rope around all those loudmouth Bolsheviks who think this Russian jackass Lenin is the new messiah. But I’m just an old army mule. I can bitch about it because I know it won’t really happen. If all they do is gripe, those morons are no threat to anyone. But now, the Sedition Law says they are. Now, talk can be treason. If this war goes on much longer, it could get real ugly back home. Vigilante justice, General. Scares the hell out of me.”
“Bill, I can’t do anything about civilian law. But if things are getting that bad, then the one thing I can do is try to end this war.”
Mitchell thought a moment. “Yes, sir. I suppose that’s true.” He paused. “Will that be all, sir?”
Mitchell stood, and Pershing suddenly remembered why he was there.
“No, sit down. Dammit, Bill, you have a talent for leading me all over the place. If the British ever saw how you talk to me, my whole command would be undermined. I sent for you for a reason. General Foulois has requested a new assignment.”
Mitchell leaned forward, wide-eyed, said, “What?”
“That surprise you? Seems he’s beginning to feel the heat you’ve been putting on his staff. I’m guessing he doesn’t care for it, but—”
“But he knows that if he tries to shut me up, I’ll coming running straight to you.” Mitchell laughed now. “Excuse me, General. Sometimes this job does give me some satisfaction.”
Pershing tried to keep his seriousness. “It’s not considered especially appropriate to bypass the chain of command, Colonel.”
“Certainly not, sir.”
“As you may have heard, I am reorganizing the AEF. It is my intention to create an American First Army, consisting of those divisions who have already demonstrated their abilities in combat situations, along with the divisions