Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1920-02-24
EX-SERVICE MEN
AT FORT BROWN
!, May LOSE JOBS
How Many of 100 Will Be AZ
fected Is Unknown, Legion
Will Make a Protest

A war department circular an
nouncing the governments retrench-
ment policy was received at Fort
Brown yesterday and is causing no
little CONSERVATION and discussion
among the civilian employees. The
order calls for the release of all civil
lans called into the service since the
signing of the armistice, at least such
civilians as were hired to replace sol
diers who were discharged.
In Fort Brown nearly all the civil
ian employees who will be affected by
the order are discharged soldiers, and
the American Legion Post is planning
a prote.. of the order to be directed
to the department and to Congress
man Garner. When the first orders
discharging men after the armistice
was signed was issued ii provided. in
staff corps departments. that civilians
be employed to replace them. These
civilians were employed under tempo
rary contracts. There are in the
neighborhood of / 90 civilian employees
in Fort Brown, but it is not yet known
Just how many Of these will be af
fected by the order.
Civilian Employees Make Protest
Civilian employees at Fort Brown
today requested The Herald to pub
lish the following statements:
We. the undersigned employees Of
the quartermaster's office. Fort
Brown, Texas, take exception to thai
part of the screed published in the
Brownsville Sentinel under date Feb.
"a, 1920, which refers to such EN-
ployes as seeking employment in the
quartermaster corps in order to evade
the draft.
''If the writer should have taken
the trouble to jog his memory, he
would have discovered that the quar-
termaster employees were in no way
exempt from the draft; in fact. sew
eral were taken and served honor
ably overseas, while some did not
wait for the draft, but volunteered.
and did not ask for commissions.
I'm justice TO every one concerned
IN this accusation. we demand that
proof be offered covering the actions
of any one or all Of US where an at
tempt was made, in any manner.
shape or form to evade the draft,
failing this proof. then an apology,
as public as the accusation, is de
manded
I'VE entertain the profoundcst re-
spect for those men who were FORUM
ate enough TO be accepted into tn,
service, particularly for the men who
were called for foreign service, many
of them making the supreme sacri-
flee; but loyalty Of those Of Us who
were not so fortunate, either by rea-
son Of dependents or physical dis
abilities?
Does the editor Of the Sentincl
represent the local post Of the Amer
lean Legion in his article?
Can he substantiate his state
ments?
'lf not. then public rctraction il
in order Immediately.
(Signed) Nv. {. McFadden. David
Fl. Sloss. Geo. f. Mayer, A. S. Lanier,
w. ID. Brown. ID. NJ. Brown. Jr.. A.
+. Lightburn, +. c. Asher. l.. r.
Cowan. A. j. Whitaker. W. II
Frank.
Also the following statement:
1--WE, the undersigned ex-service
men. members of John Hanson Post
of the American Legion, affected by
the recent war department order re-
garding reduction of force. disclaim
any knowledge of statements appear
ing in the Brownsville Sentinel OF
February "a. 1920, regarding entry
into service of any civilian Of the
quartermaster department To evade
the military service. We at For:
Brown disapprove Of the publication
Of this statement, as not being based
on facts.
(Signed) "Jules B. Aveilhe. Ben
F. Baskin. Harry f. Felty. ]. o. Ter
ry. Thos. III. Allyn, Edward Fry"