The only phase of the selective draft in which the Negro seemed to be discredited in comparison with his white brother, was in the matter of desertions.  At first glance and without proper analysis, the record appeared to be against the Negro.  Upon detailed study, however, the case takes on a different aspect.  The records of the Provost Marshall General show that out of 474,861 reported deserters, 369,030 were white registrants, and 105,831 colored, the ratio of white reported deserters to white registrants being 3.86, and the ratio of colored reported deserters to colored registrants being 9.81.  Everyone knows now that many, yes, the bulk of the reported desertions among both whites and blacks, were not desertions at all.  Circumstances simply prevented the men from keeping in touch with their local boards or from reporting when called.

Desertions among white registrants might have shown a greater percentage had they not availed themselves of the exemption feature of the law.  Negroes did not understand this clause in the act so well.  Besides, as previously stated, many Negroes were placed in Class 1, even where they had dependants, because their rate of pay in the army would enable them to contribute as much to the support of their dependants as would their earnings outside of army service.

This was a policy with many draft boards, but it is not exactly clear in view of the increased earning power of the Negroes through wartime demands for their labor.  Following are the complete figures on so-called desertions, the variances in the several states being given: 

Total
white
and colored
registrants,
June 5,
1917, to Total Reported Percent of Percent of
Sept. 11, white desertions, total white
1918. registrants. white. registrants. registrants.
------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------- United States 10,640,846 9,562,515 380,030 3.47 3.86 ====================================
==================================================== Alabama 206,210 194,247 3,672 1.78 2.96 Arizona 40,179 39,884 6,930 17.36 17.40 Arkansas 168,287 117,111 2,476 1.47 2.11 California 316,302 313,994 15,323 4.84 4.90 Colorado 91,556 90,463 4,910 5.38 5.43 Connecticut 174,820 171,296 12,416 7.10 7.25 Delaware 24,559 20,761 686 2.79 3.30 District of Columbia 36,670 25,625 390 1.06 1.52 Florida 94,585 55,572 1,823 1.93 3.28 Georgia 260,197 147,001 4,499 1.73 3.05
Idaho 45,478 45,224