The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-11-18
PERSONAL LIBERTY.
QUESTION WHETHER A MANS
TIME Is HIS OWN.
DIR. Young Raises 1t and a Subpoena
Comes Directing Him to Act or
Go to JsiI-Of Interest to
Professional Men.

frOtceStOual meus
A case of peculiar interest and one in
volving question of individual liberty
and the rights of citizen came up to-
day before a United States officer, De-
Putty, in the government building in
Canton. Some time since the, widow of
Thaddeus Flohr applied for an increase of
pension, alleging that certain physical de-
rangements contracted in the war was the
primary cause of the illness which fol-
lowed her husband through life and up to
the time he committed suicide. There
was tendency on the part of the depart
ment of the Interior at Washington, to
resist the pension claim and insist that
the illness of the late Thad Flohr was due
to causes other than those traceable to
service in the army. In support of this
contention the evidence of DIR. f. H.
Young, Of this city, was sought it hav-
ing been learned that DIR. Young treated
the deceased, during his life, for certain
difficulties and had knowledge of the
troubles affecting him and the causes
leading thereto. An agent of the gov
ernment called upon DIR. Young and ask
ed that he make affidavit TO certain State
ments, setting forth in detail the condi-
tion of deceased at the time he was treat
ed. DIR. Young did not desire to stand
between widow and pension-a mere
pittance at best--and declined to make
the statements and affidavit without first
securing fee for the same He was in
formed that there was no fee attached,
and that be must take time to answer
and make affidavit. This DR.. Young re-
fused to do, insisting that his time was
valuable and that no one, even the gov
ernment, had a constitutional right to re-
quire his time without recompense. The
matter remained in statu quo for about
six weeks, but today DIR. Young was
served with writ from the United
States district court at Cleveland, calling
upon him to make immediate answer and
affidavit to all questions at issue. Mr..
De Putty, who served the paper, told
DIR. Young that refusal meant that he
would be locked up. On the question of
principle DIR. Young was certain of his
position, but having no personal interest
save his time, and not being prepared to
make the sacrifices incident to trial,
whatever the result might be, be agreed to
make the affidavit, which he did.
He has, however, accomplished the in
PRODUCTION of the question to medical
men and other citizens whose time and
services might be demanded. In support
of his position he insists that the depart
ment of the interior, in demanding his
time from his business, must be wholly
right or wholly wrong. If professional
mans time or the time of any citizen may
be required without compensation for ten
minutes or an hour, it may be required
for ten days or year without compensa-
tion. The underlying principle is the in
teresting question. If man must take
his time from his business at the behest
OF public officer, at great loss to himself,
for professional man never knows when
his best and most remunerative case is
coming, to what extent might not his
individual liberty be assailed? If his
time may be taken-and his time is his
money, or the means Of making it-why
cannot his property be taken9 If the
government has a right to appropriate
any of his time, why has it not right to
appropriate his whole time and require
him to do service for the remainder of his
life, without compensation. The princi-
pie would appear to be the same
Mr.. De Putty stated that he was only
following out the oders of the court, and
said that in all his experience it was the
first time the question was raised. While
not directly at issue in this case, since
DR.. Young could not sacrifice his time to
make the fight, the fact that it has been
brought up will excite agitation and it
soon will be settled definitely. DR.. Young
stated that he would give it as much pro-
minence as possible among the medica
fraternity.