Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-19
FIT SHOULD FIGHT
CONGRESSMAN SAYS
Democratic House Leader Would
Transfer Them From Non
Combatant Berths.

Washington April iS.-A declaration
that no physically fit man within the
draft age should be admitted into the
ordinary non-comhatant branches oi
the military service If men outside the
draft age can he found equally competent
is made in a letter which Representative
Claude kitchin. Democratic leader of
the House, has Just sent to a western
LAWYER who wrote To HIM. Mr.. htchln
correspondent said he was willing to make
n sacrifice To como To Washington and
take an officers commission for duty here
hut that he had seen an article attributed
to MIR. Nitchln crlticlsing rs Slackers
men who. with military commissions,
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 ms
attitude clear and expressed IT IN letter
10 the lawyer, as follows,
"Nlv chief protest IS that Young men
within the draft age, who never saw
n military training camp, VINO never
served IN the arluv. with no military
experience and with no qualifications as
a soldier officer. have been, and are being
commissioned IN the nou-comhatant
branches OF the service. Many such
1oung men. perhaps. their number
reaches into tho thousands. have succeeded
through some kind OF influence IN scout
ing commissions. from hCutCnancCS up,
IN the Ordnance. QuartcunaStcr 5, lnt'lh-
rcncc. or some other department. ior
no other purpose than IL escape service
at the front The uniform Of the Amcr-
can soldier. instead of being AN insignia
of dare and do for the country, IS
being dcsccratcd hy its use as shield
and protection to Slackcrs.
"And | further object 10 Tn" real
soldier. officer or private the man who
must face danger for his country hclnG
required on ail occasions 20 detcrentlailN
salute such uon-comhatant commissioned
officers This tends to destroy the morale
Of the army and Is m injustice and
humiliation 10 the real soldier. ! m
cludc. of course. rs real soldiers, the In
gInccr CORPS that goes to the front
INV position is that no man within
the draft age. and physically tit, should
~ admitted INTO these non-combatHut
branches ii the service either n a private
or commissioned officer, II men under or
over the draft age can hc found equally
competent 10 perform the duties in
my judgment. such mon can hC found
hN ilc tens 81 thousands, ready and Will
ing to undertake the performances ot
such duties.
While have no serious objection
10 civilians over the draft age being
appointed and commissioned to such
positions Tor the purpose az serving their
government ! see no sound reason. q
Il civiIlau actually desires to devote his
time and talents ~ his government IN
such honorable service, why he should
demand Or require a military titir and
uniform: and certainly, # hc is glNCnjtho
title and uniform, he should be perfectly
willing to have a mark known to the
public distinguishing hum from Tho real
fighting officers and soldiers. TOR I'M
stance. II he Is appponted an officer
IN the tluartCrnastcr Department or
Ordnance Department, why should he
object at having marked plainly on the
sleeve Of his coat respectively, q. NJ ID
or O. d? The man who really desires
10 serve his government could not object
10 this. except on two grounds first, that
he Is ashamed of the position hC holds
or the service in which he Is engaged, or
second that he desires ~ deceive the
public into the bcIIcl that he i q real
soldier
Being above tho draft i You or other
persons under similar circumstances were
appointed. neither nor any other member
of Congress. nor any ono else would con-
>ider you or such person d Stacker. but
as ono doing necessary and most honorable
service for the government
Neither my objection. nor that ~
anv other member Of Congress unr of arn
person 50 far As know. has been seriously
directed against the appointment 81 one
under the circumstances described hy
YOU. though VIC do think II but right and
Justice TO the fighting man or officer ot
the army that hl> uniform shall bear some
mark, known 10 the puhhc, distinguish
inc him from such fighting man or Off
Ger
L. :. Has 1.772 swivel Chair" Officers.
Washington. April 19-lhe Secretary
of War Yesterday was asked IN q Senate
resolution 10 furnish list Of men to whom
commissions III the army have been issued
hut who have not been placed IN command
OF troops Acting Secretary CroweiI
under a House resolution. has iust made
"a report showing there were l.713
officers ON staff duty in Washington