The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-04-02
Chairman Of Council Of Defense Sends
Strong Message TO Leader Of
MennOniIes
NOT EXEMPT FROM
SUPPORTING GOVT
Council Will Demand that MembCFs Of
Sect Aid America in Win
ming War

Members OF the Mennonite church,
although exempt from army service,
must as citizens aid the government
In winning the war, according to the
mandate that has gone out from the
County Council of Defense through
Chairman Alger Melton.
At meeting at Sanlln school
house, few miles northwest OF
Chickasha, some weeks ago, when
many members Of the sect we're pres.
ent, j. b. P. Schmidt, leader Of the
sect, made a statement in which he
said that the Mennonites would not
contribute to the Red Cross, buy
War Savings Stamps or Liberty
bonds or give any aid to the govern.
ment In carrying on the war because
their religious beliefs forbid it. At
this meeting addresses were deliv.
cred by B. B. Barefoot and Judge
Frank. M. Bailey who were speaking
in behalf of the War Savings cam.
paign ]. L. Marsh, in charge Of
the campaign in the district, asked
Mr.. Smith to make statement as to
the position Of the Mennonites in re-
gard to the war and Mr. Schmidt ex-
planned fully that they could not con.
tribute in any way to carrying on the
world contest. Judge Bailey asked
for copies of the literature of the
sect and turned the same over to Mr..
Melton who yesterday wrote to Mr..
Schmidt as follows:
Chickasha, Okla, April I.
Mr. j. B. p. Schmidt.
Chickasha, Okla
Dear Sir:
81 read considerable of the book
and pamphlets which you presented
to me sometime ago as iustifying the
position of yourself and other mem-
bers Of your religious organization
in refusing to help support the Amer.
tcan Red Cross organization by sub
scription, the government of the
United States by the purchase Of
War Savings Stamps or Liberty
bonds and compliance with the rules
of the food administration with ref
erence to the production and conser.
walton of food. ! have found moth,
ing in this literature which in my
opinion eXempts you from perform
ing any of these acts, which are now
duties of every patriotic American
citizen. / am more strongly convinc.
ed of this position in view of an or
der of the president of the United
States of March 90, 1918. with refer
ence to those who object to war on
religious grounds.
While this order exempts persons
belonging to any recognized religious
sect, organized and existing, whose
creed forbids its members to partic-
ipate in war from service in the ar.
my in a combatant position, yet it
does require the service Of these per.
sons in all non-combatant positions
in the army-in the Medical Corps,
Sanitary Department, Ambulance
Companies, Field Hospitals. Supply
and Repair departments Quartermas-
ter's Corps, and all positions in the
army outside of the actual battle
line.
1t is my opinion therefore that you
and the members of your religious
organization, as citizens of this coun.
try, are in duty bound to help sup
port the American Red Cross organ
ization, purchase War Savings
Stamps and Liberty bonds insofar as
your financial condition will justify.
observe the rules I'D regulations of
the Food and Fuel Departments, and
in fact, do everything that you can
as citizens of this country to help
win the war. This is the position
of the Grady County Council of De-
tense. and we shall insist that tha
members Of your organization do
your part in all these matters.
The individual and religious liberty
and the property rights Of the meme