Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-08-29
CONSCIENTIOUS DIRECTORS.
lBv Lnlian street,
barbarian q?

The established government Is tne
nearest thing we have to the ideal of
democracy. Not everyone is pleased
with the established government. New
ertheless we must defer to the laws
enacted by it, because those laws rep
resent the will of the majority of the
people. Though it is a very sad thing,
therefore, to think of the possibility
that a man with sincere scruples
against becoming soldier may yet
be called upon to become a soldier, a
few cases of this kind are of very lit
tie importance as compared with the
necessity for general obedience to
laws enacted by the peoples chosen
representatives for the safety of tn
country and of the democratic form of
government.
Were this government a merciless
autocracy, | should be concerned as
to the fate of the Quakers, and such,
under the draft; but this government
is far from merciless. Those highest
in authority are, in many instances,
themselves pacifists or former paci-
fists. Their errors have been on the
side of pacifism, rather than on that
il militarism. Militarism has never
been a danger to this country-from
within. Our danger has always been
of precisely the opposite character. In
practically all our wars we have SUI
fered needlessly because of our stub
bornness and stupidity in confusing
the idea of preparedness with that of
despotic militarism. In fact of the
development of aggressive autOcratic
nations whose ideals are so opposed to
ours that it is impossible for their
ideals and ours to exist, at the same
time, in the same wOrld-our govern
ment consistently refused to prepare
for war In face of the present war in
Europe, it refused to prepare. In face
of repeated aggressions by Germany it
refused to prepare Had this not been
the case, we should have been ready,
when we did enter the war, to make
ourselves felt at once. and thereby
to bring the war so much nearer its
end. The situation in which we find
ourselves is indisputably the result of
pacifism. In view of all this, is it
reasonable to suppose that, now that
our peace-lovng government has
found it necessary to go to war, it will
fail to deal as justly and humanely
as possible with all classes of Ameri-
can citizen? l think not. | think
that those who are devout conscien-
tious DIRECTORS, such as the Quakers
will be exempted from military ser
vice without difficulty; and l believe
moreover, that Quakers, and others
of similar belief with regard to war
will, because of their own self-respect
find other ways in which to serve.
The great danger, then, as see it
is not that those who should be tx
empted will fail to obtain exemption
but that slackers will attempt to OBJ,
, tain exemption by urging "cOnscien-
tious objection" as an excuse to avoid
duty. All manner of Missionaries, sen
timentalists, cranks and persons Of
warped mentality will also, doubtless
attempt to obtain military exemption
on the ground of anti-military convic
tions, and will, l suppose, attempt tC
figure as martyrs when they refuse K
he drafted and are punished therefor
this in spite of the fact that the mar
who refuses to be drafted on the
ground that he is a conscientious OBJ
jector," necessarily sets up his OWL
views against the will of the majority
and, therefore, agaiLst democracy an6