New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-04-20
KITCHIN ATTACKS
THE 'SLICkER' TYPE
House Leader Would Compel ALI
Eligible to Shoulder Arms

Washington, April pa declara-
ton that no physically fit man within
the draft age should be admitted into
the ordinary non-combatant branches
of the military service if men outside
the draft age can be found equally
competent is made in a letter which
Representative Claude Kitchin, demo-
cratic leader of the House. has just
sent to a western lawyer who wrote
to him. Mr.. kitchin's correspondent,
said he was willing to make a sac
rifice to come to Washington and take
an officers commission for duty here
but that he has seen an article at
tributed to Mr.. kitchin criticising as
slaCkers men who, with military COM
missions, have no idea of doing actual
military work.
In view of the various statements
on the subject attributed to him, the
majority leader of the House decided
to make his attitude clear and eX-
pressed it in a letter to the lawyer as
follows:
My chief protest is that young men
within the draft age, who never saw
a military training camp, who never
served in the army, with no military
experience and with no qualifications
as a soldier officer, have been, and are
being commissioned in the non-com-
blatant branches of the service. Many
SUCH young men, perhaps their num-
Der reaches into the thousands, have
succeeded, through some kind of in
huence, in securing commissions, from
neutenanc1es up, in the ordnance
quartermaster's, intelligence or some
other department. for no other pur-
pose than to escape service at the
front. The uniform of the American
soldier, instead Of being an insignia Of
dare and do for the country, is being
desecrated by it's use as a shield and
protection to slackers
And [ further btect to the real
soldier. officer or private-the man
who must face danger for his coun-
! try-being required on all occasions
' to deferentially salute such non.
combatant commissioned officers
This tends to destroy the morale of
the army, and is an injustice and
humiliation to the real soldier. T IN
clude, of course, as real soldiers. the
Engineers corps that goes to the
front.
My position is that no man within
the draft age, and physically fit
should be admitted into these non
cOmbatant branches of the service.
! either as a private or commissi oned
officer, if men under or over the
draft age en- be found equally COM
petent to perform the duties. In my
judgment, such men can be found by
the tens of thousands, ready and
willing to undertake the perform
ances Of such duties.
While L have no serious objection
to civilians over the draft age being
appointed and commissioned t. such
Positions for the purpose of serving
their government. 7 see no sound rca-
son, if a civilian actually desires to
devote his time dl Il talents to is
government in such honorable ser
vice, why he should demand o. re
Qui"e military tale anG Uniform:
ann certainly, If ne is given TIL tile
and uniform, he should be perfectly
willing to have u mark known to the
public distinguishing him from the
real lighting officers and soldiers For
Instance: If he is appointed al Off
cor n the QuartprmaSter's = part
merit OF Ordnance Department, why
should ne object % having ,u,"ke
plainly on the sleeve of his coa+ re-
specti"ely, @. MI, or O. D.? Tho
man who really desires to serve his
Government could not object to tins,
except on two grounds: 1st, tint he
IS aSha of the position he noldS
or The service n which he is en-
gagged, or, 2nd, that he desires to lie
ceive the public into the belief that
he - a real soldie..
being above the draft, if vo,t or
other persons under similar "ircEm-
stances were appointed, neither I nor
any other member Of Congress. Tor
any che else, would consider You or
such person a Stacker but as one do
irG / ecessary and most honorable
service for the Government
"Nether my objection, nor that of
am other member of Congress ror Of
any Crson, so far as I know. has
been seriously directed against the
appointment of one under the III
cur1S:unces described by you, though
we DO think il but right and Justice
to the fighting man or officer of the
array that his uniform shall bea"
some mark, known tC the public. dis
tlncuislling him frt nj such lighting
nirt OF officer