New Britain herald., 1918-10-24
OBJECTORS WILL
 SOON GO ID FRANCE
Will Engage in Agriculture and
 Other NOn-miIitary Work

Hartford, Oct 24-At the request of Third Assistant Secretary of War Frederick Keppel, Grosvenor E, Clarkson, director of the field divi- sion, Council of National Defense, has called the attention of the Con. necticut State Council of Defense to the policy of the war department re. gard1ng conscientious objectorS and pointing out that the early future de- tachments of these men. chosen by lot, will in all likelihood be sent to France to engage in necessary agri. culture and military work. Sim- liar notification was sent by Mir, ClarksOn to all State Councils of De- fense. In his letter to the Connecti. cut Council he said it was important fhat local committees understand and support the nations conscientious objector policy.
 This policy has been adopted, not because of sympathy with the stand of the conscientious objectors, but be- cause it utilizes to the fullest ex. tent the man power of the nation,h said MT. Clarkson. At the same time it accords to objectors a lot that is endurable and serviceable, but III no sense pampered, and commands it. self to the common sense and prac- ticability of the American people,"
 The war department explains that it's policy regarding conscientious ob- jectors has from the beginning been based on the provisions of the federal draft law and subsequent executive orders. It has been the liberal Amer ican policy of according a measure of self-determinatiOn to the few who in all sincerity have not been able to ad- in de f0 10n 1c of tod present sudden and desperate emer- gency. Tn dealing with objectors the difficulties have not been primarily those of policy, but of practical pro- Cedure.
 According to the usual procedure of the war departm a draftee is certified as 8 conscientious objector by his local beard on proper presen- tation of facts. On call he goes to cantonment as does any other draft ed man. He there has a hearing be- fore a board of inquiry on conscien- tious objectors made up of Major Wal ter G. Kellogg. Judge Julian Mack and Dean Harlan k. Stone of the Col umbia Law School. Pending a hear ing, ObjectorS are segregated in camp as a special detachment under con- trol of a military officer, and live un- der the same conditions as apply to soldiers in training, except that no. military duties are exacted. La bor is usually required, and in notable in- stances this has had considerable monetary value. At Camp Sherman, for instance, the C. O. detachment has hauled manure and fed hogs on a large adjoining farm the owners of which have a contract for disposing of 1,h a nf 10
 The board of inquiry passes on the sincerity of objectors. Those adjudged insincere are required to perform regular military service, in default of which they are subjected to court martial and remanded to the disci- plinary barracks at Fort DeaVenworth. Those adjudged sincere are encour- aged to enter On-cOmbatant, mlll- tary service; and many have done so. But those whose convictions prevent this are furloughed to various forms of service under the jurisdiction of civilian commissioner of the depart, ment who has supervisory and rec ommendatory powers. The vast ma- pority of objectors have been life long members of religious sects the tenets of which forbid participation in war. Most prominent among these are the Society of Friends, the Mem nonites the Dunkards, the Christa- delphians and various minor sects such as True Lights, Holy Jumpers and others little known outside of re- stricted and isolated areas.
 In the early future, attachments of conscientious objectors will in all likelihood be sent to France to rem der forms of service, agricultural or otherwise, not directly connected with the prosecution of military activities.
 Every effort is being made to re- spect the sincere scruples of a small minority of our people, at the same time that their power to contribute to the nations efficiency is turned to good account.