The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-08
PROVIDE WORK
FOR DIRECTORS
KITCHEN AND HOSPITAL
TASKS GIVEN NON
COMBATANTS.

ing consciences, even while on
waits, to a Jew who are so homes
and so deeply sincere in their be
lief that they are quite willing t,
die for their faith.
When the youngest OF the allie
entered the war in April, 1917
Uncle Sam with great good vii
firmly declared his intention of Civ
ing all sincere, conscientious OBJ
jectors square deal AS a conse
quence, certain provisions wer
made whereby those who could Civ
satisfactory proof that they wer
affiliated with well organized re
lgious sect or organization organ
lied and existing May Is, 1917
whose creed forbade any participa
tion in war, could be exempted iron
strictly military service.
Conscientious objectors are classi
fed in quite the same fashion tina
other registrants are in all papers
certificates. reports, records, etc
however, they are designated by
cipher-"a fact, one OF the authorl
ties calmly stated, with a quie
smile, (which is Of considerable sig
nihcance.'
Members of these numbers reli
gious sects found that war imposed
certain duties on them which vert
OF non-combatant character. New
ertheless, there were certain lndi
yiduals who resisted this rule anc
brought upon themselves subsequent
embarrassment, and, in case re-
sistance persisted, punishment was
inevitable.
OF course each and every drafted
man receives sooner or later an
order to report at a specified camp
Assuming that drafted conscien-
tious objector is properly notihed
the next step is "up to him. In
case his good sense commands him
to go. nothing can deter him but,
on the other hand, if he believes his
duty is to remain where he IS, he
will quietly resume the work i'll
hand. However, as a precaution-
arv measure, he will probably eX-
plain his reasons for his non-ap-
pearance to those in authority and
give them his address. At the given
address a military policeman will
shortly make his appearance, and,
with little ceremony, take the OBJ
jector to camp.
There he will be confronted with
problems his conscience will be com
PEELED to dispose of rapidly. Al
most Immediately he is told to don
the uniform which is given HIM, and
on the heels OF this comes peremp-
tory command to drill with other
recruits. Invariably the conscien-
tious objector voices stout pro
test, and quite as invariably his OF
hcer refuses to take him seriously.
If the man persistently declines
to join the drill a superior officer
is advised OF the situation. The re-
calcitrant conscientious objector IS
given a hearing, and il he can con
vince his superior officer of the
truth of his statements and is found
to be of Dunkard faith, for in
stance, he is henceforth excused
from drill.
But it is not possible for him to
betake himself home. To the con
sternation OF some conscientious
objectors, who had perhaps hoped
for better things, they soon learned
that they could not even leave camp,
but were asked to show their 10y
atty to their country by serving IN
the commissary department or, II
they preferred, in the wards OF the
hospital.
In every military camp there have
been instances where ever this So
called alternative service" was re
jected These few extremists, eN-
treme even for conscientious object
orS. are put in a separate company,
where they will remain until such
q time as the president makes a
ruling relative 10 noncombatant SER
vice.
one hears unusual stories con-
cerning conscientious objectors
which are more or less difficult to
verify. When the draft law began
to work in Oklahoma there were
farmers vino gathered together and
declared themselves willing TO re
si,t the draft by resorting to force
Of arms if this became necessary.
They fought the authorities iercely.
though up 10 that time they had
merely been asked 10 submit to an
examination. However. they were
so violently opposed to the draft
law that their intention for the time
being was TO thwart the govern
ment. giving it is much trouble as
possible Many arrests were made, .
and this taught them that the gov 4
ernment was very much in earnest I.
and not TO be triAed with. Even F.
iually they were persuaded to yield f.
to reason.
4 number OF interesting individual .
cases also presented themselves. a 4
story Is related OF one young man
who IS said TO have promptly re-
ported at camp. but who. after
little while. disappeared. A search |
was made for him about camp. He I
could not be placed. but a letter .
was found respectfully informing his .
officer why he was leaving camp.
where things were not at all 10 his