The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1917-12-21

Every registrar III Inc eouey
e. Stevenson, have been signally non.
ored by Provost Marshal General
Crowder, as result OF the patriouc
service members of the Doaru anu
their assistants rendered to the gov
ernment in handling the reglstration'
examination, exemption ana finai se~
lection and delivery OF Lee countys
quota of men without cost to the
government 1t Is known peyono
question that the Lee county board
is the only board in the seventy-Ive
counties in Arkansas that served
without pay and delivered 10 tne
military authorities the men without
anv expense whatever to the govern
ment. II Is believed that no otner
board in the more than 1000 regis
tration districts in the United States
has made a record equal TO tnat
made by the Lee county board. 80
efficiently, expeditiously and Win
such a high type of loyalty and pat
riotism has the Lee county Doaro
discharged the trying and arduous
duties imposed upon Its members ~
the military authorities, that GOV.
Brough felt that 1t was matter or
simple Justice to call to the attens
tion of Gen. Crowder the splendio
service rendered here. Immediately
Gen. Crowder wrote to Sheriff Arthur
Cotter. chairman OF the board, ex-
pressing his deep. appreciation ana
commencing the local board for the
efficient and patriotic manner In
which II discharged the work. The
letter is reproduced on this page OF
the Courier-Index and will doubtless
4 int and with
feeling OF pride by every citizen
of Lee county.
Upon other occasions the Courier
Index has commented upon the ex'
cellent work done by the local board.
When the government ordered all
males OF draft age to register, County
Judge Plummer consulted with
number of representative citizens
and decided the county would bear
all expenses incident to furnishing
Lee countys quota of men to the new
army He offered to pay the mem
+, bers OF the local board the per diem
| fixed by the goyernment--$4 a day,
| but the members declined TO accept
any compensation for their work.
| Cotter. Dr. o. l.. Williamson and j..
| ed without pay. Scores OF men, OLD
and young, have from time to time
volunteered their services TO the
local board and have assisted In
making up the complicated and vol
luminous record. The name OF every
/ man who contributed his services
has been filed with the war depart
ment.
| II is further stated that no board
in the state sent to the office OF the
adjutant general as neat and COM
| plete set OF records as did the
local board. Every report was care
fully checked and rechecked and
typewriter in duplicate. One copy
was sent to the adjutant general and
one was kept here.
When the board took up the ex-
emption claims 1t employed stenog-
rapher and appointed c. T.. Daggett,
well known local attorney, as chief
advisor, to whom was also delegated
| the task of questioning witnesses.
and every syllable OF the testimony
was taken down in shorthand and
later copied in duplicate. With each
mans exemption claim filed with the
district board a complete copy OF all
the testimony was also filed.
And while much credit is due to
Sheriff Cotter. Dr. Williamson and
Mr.. Stevenson, members of the board
for the excellent services they have
rendered, too much cannot be said
of the splendid work done by G. <
Daggett and d. s. Plummer. Mr.
Daggett quit his law business fol
several weeks and devoted all his
time to the work of the board. Mr.
Plummer also temporarily abandoned
his practice and acted as clerk fol
the board. devoting days and nights
to the task of making records ane
devising plans for carrying on the
work with the minimum OF confusion
and the maximum of neatness ant
efficiency.
These men. with the dozens o
patriotic citizens who assisted then
and who are now doing their bi
helping the board make out th'
"auestionaires, have not only honor
ed themselves by the great servic'
they have performed for the govern
ment, but have brought honor to Le'
county.
The letter from Gen. Crowder 4
the members of the local board wa
reproduced in the Arkansas Gazett'
of Tuesday. with the following intro
duction:
The members of the Lee count.
local board win have souvenir q
show in after years. in which M
doubt they win take great deal
pride The souvenir is letter IRON
Provost Marshal General Crowder, a
the suggestion of Gov. Brough, cor
graduating them on the fact tina
they performed their services withou
expense to the government.