The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-01
! jor White Makes First ptafenent About Funston
 Conscientious Objectors
Upon Demand For Court of Inquiry He Was Given Honor able Dscharge-He Feels That Officers Under Court Martial Are Being Imposed Upon and Makes
 Statement in Their Behalf

Maj. Frank S. White, Jr., arrived here yesterday from Camp Funston, Kan, Where he has been serving as camp Judge advocate on the staff of Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood of lie Tenth division. lie has recently been honorably discharged from the military service, and says that after spending six months in the army he is glad to return to his office and resume his law pracice.
 He expresses great admiration for Gen eral Wood, with whom he has been in- tlmately associated in the service. and g prlngs with him from General Wood the highest commendation for the way in which he discharged his duties as camp judge advocate.
 He says that the officers at Funston. from the highest to the lowest, feel very keenly the injustice that was done the seven officers at Camp Funston by the War department in it's recent action in discharging them sunmarily for not be. ing more considerate of pretended con- scientious objectors. These officers were olscharged by the war department with out having been given hearing or an opportunity to make any explanation of the circumstances surrounding the case
 l have not heretofore made any state ment on the subject" said Major White
 Tor the reason that being in the mili- tary service it would have been improper TOT me to have done so, but now since l have been honorably discharged, and no further personal vindication being necessary for me, feel that in justice 10 the other officers concerned, and the military establishment of this country that statement from me would not be amiss
 Tt was not claimed by the war de- partment that I had inflicted any indig- mites at all on these so-called conscien- t1ous objectors, it being asserted that the only thing I did was that when or dered to make an investigation of their alleged i'll treatment I did not find that the officers and guards having them in charge had mistreated them
 Camp Funston was selected as dump ing ground for the segregation of large number of these so-called conscientious obJectors. The military authorities had no trouble whatever in dealing with those having religious scruples against engaging in cOmbatant service. They all readily accepted such noncombat tant ser vice as was assigned them There was, however, a large number of alleged con- scientious objectors who, when selected under the draft act, made no claim that they had religious scruples against fight ing, but pretended to have conscientious objections, based upon their own view of the obligations which they owed to the country.
 s'They were composed in the main of German, Austrian, Russion socialists and l. W. w. who openly denied the right of the United States to induct them into It's military service, some of whom had endeavored to get commissions in the army, and after having failed to do so, when drafted, conveniently found them- selves opposed to engaging in military service, and then when ordered to per- form noncombatant service, openly de. clared that they owed this country no duty. refused to obey any orders from a military source, thereby defying the mill itary arm of the government These men ha4 conspired together and refused a obey the lawful commands of a su- perior officer to wear the uniform of the United States army, or to take rake and rake up hay and load it on a wagon; or to police up around their own quar- ters. Charges had been preferred against them for violation of the sxty-fourth article of war, and they were in con- finement in the provost guardhouse awaiting trial or result of trial by gen. eral court
 '"The selective service law exempted from combatant service-all persons who because of religious belief claimed ex- emption from military service, but no person so exempted from combatant. ser vice was exempted from noncombatant service. These men did not come within the purview of the act affording ex- |emption from military service to sincere religious objectors. They were admitted. ly socialists, and proven to be pro-Ger- mans, who did not believe in Deity, and