Chicago, January 31, 1921.
My dear Colleagues: --
Your memorandum of Dec. 24th relating to the deplorable results from the presence of French African troops in the occupied German territory on the Rhine is before me. I am familiar with some of the facts referred to by you, and I am in complete agreement with you as to the evil consequences of this situation, both locally and in the future, in that it greatly intensifies the hatred between the German and the French peoples. But what can we scientists do about it?
The American daily and weekly Press has from time to time items concerning the doings of French Colonial troops in Germany, and denials of these reports from Paris. The American public has been so greatly deceived by European propaganda in the past, that at present a great many people do not know what to believe in European reports. But at times able American officials who know the situation in the occupied German territories speak out, as may be instanced by the quotations in the Nation (New York) for Jan. 19, 1921, a marked copy of which I have the honor of sending you by separate mail.
I shall give such publicity to your memorandum as I may be able, among colleagues, and in the Press, but I do not believe the present French Government will heed any appeal from us on that point. [page 2]
I served two years in the U.S. Army during the war, most of the time in Europe, and in nearly every country in Europe. I believe I know the conditions of sex mortality in armies. The facts are that much sex immorality, and some sex violence against the local population occur under all circumstances. Both these [occurrences] are greatly increased when troops are located in enemy countries. I do not know that Negro or African soldiers have ever committed crimes against women more unusual and brutal than those committed by white men, but African troops probably commit these excesses in greater number, especially in countries where the women resent the sex advances of colored men more than those of the white soldiers. This is not the case in France; and history shows that the French people mix freely with all the colored races which they come in contact with.
It appears also to be an axiom of the French military that sexual intercourse is as necessary for the soldier's welfare as the wine ration.
The obvious aim of the present French Government is to produce the greatest possible demoralization of the German people. African troops on the Rhine is one of the means to that end. I feel certain that there are in France many just and far-seeing people who do not approve of the policy of quartering thousands of colored troops in Germany in times of peace, but what influence have such people with the present militaristic government?
Very truly yours,
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