The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-03-21
TIE SYMPATHY RACKET
Pathetic Article in Des Moines Cap
itaI Regarding Drafted Soldier
Not Supported by Facts.

The draft law causes some strange
things to occur. Last Thursday the
Des Moines Capital had an article
written by their special Camp Dodge
reporter, Miss Dorothy Ashby, which
made it appear that the Decatur
county exemption board were hard
hearted and had certified Benjamin
he had a wife and three little chill
dren who were left destitute. 1t
was a pathetic story as printed, but
unfortunately the facts do not bear
it out, as many people in Decatur
county can testify. Benjamin Suth-
erlin was placed in class ! by the
local board because it was well
supporting his family, and the fam
lily would be better off with him in
the service and receiving the gov
ernment aid than with him out of
it, Sutherlin has neglected and
failed to support his wife and chill
dren, and bills on file and paid in
this county show that the county
Of his neglect and non-support.
The local board at Timber Lake, S.
d., has written to the Decatur county
board, calling their attention to the
matter, and stating that the i'm
preston there was that it was a
sympathy racket which the facts in
the case did not justify. The fol-
lowing is the article which appear
ed in the Capital:
War isn't all flying flags, and
glory, and shouts of victory.
1t has. it's tears and heartbreaks,
too, right out here at Camp Dodge.
1T represents disrupted homes,
hunger and suffering. A little fam
lily gathering at the hostess house,
Wednesday afternoon, is proof of
that. The reunion was SO pathetic,
SO pitiful in it's happiness, that
more than one on-looker got all
checked up at the sight. But it was
just one of the by-products Of the
war.
They sat at a little table in the
cafeteria Of the hostess house,
hungrily devouring little lunch
Girector Gnesf 'in had Ae prepared for tSem
There were FIVE. A great strapping
soldier, three very white-faced chill
dren, and pale, discouraging-loolS-
ing woman, with great dark circles
under her eyes.
A month ago, these people had a
happy home, up at Timber Lake, N.
d. Benjami1 Sutherland; the tat father, s.
his little family. His wife wasn't
very strong you see, and often hem
orrhages from her lungs carried her
very close to the valley of the
shadow.
Then the fathers name was
drawn in the draft, and though he
wanted to fight for his country. he
wife, and the three babies, who
clamored constantly for food: But
his name was put in Class A, and
last week he came to Camp Dodge
where he was assigned to Company
A, 163rd Depot brigade.
Things were pretty hard to bear,
after the father left. There was no
money. The children were hungry;
the mother was i'll. So when she
together enough money to come to
Camp Dodge Surely. she thought,
they wouldn't keep her husband, if
they knew the conditions at home.
And when Private Sutherland
came into the hostess house Wednes-
day afternoon and saw the brown
eyed baby holding out her arms to
him, he snatched the little figure. to
him, bent his head over the tiny
one, and sobbed.
A mans tears aren't hvsterical,
and this soldiers were racking sobs
which shook his whole frame The
child held him tightly, while she
looked about her, satisfied, now that
she'd found her daddy" She'd
been wondering where he'd been
all this time.
Il guess my draft board had it in
for me-" Mr.. Sutherland said, hope
lessly. 'They knew of my circum-
stances. and yet they sent me. I'm
willing to fight I'm an American.
But it's hard for a man to know his
wife and children are hungry and
cold" And the tears rolled down
his cheeks, as the soldier spoke.
The civilian relief committee of
the Red Cross will look after the
wife and children while they are
here. Efforts will be made to Sc
cure the discharge of Private Suth-
erland from service.