Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-21
Directors Army,
Minus Arms, Prepares
For War Service
Seventh Doy Adventist
Youths Ready to Garry
Wounded From Combat

PORTAGE. Wis. CNANAO.-An
army without guns has just COM
pleted training on the frozen hills
near Portage.
Recruited from the ranks of men
who refused to violate the COM
manoment Thou shalt not kill,
this army is learning to save lives in
world bent on determination and
to solve for its soldiers one of the
.knottlest problems of church and
state-conscientious objection to
|Mar.
For Is days these Wisconsin men.
|hll Of draft age tramped, trotted and
|CraWled through frigid woods, brush
fhoked hollOWS and snowy fields:
studied text books and submitted to
p ragid military discipline that they
'may become skilled in salvaging the
Fuman WreCkage from Americas
beXt battlefield.
These men who refuse to kill be-
cause of religious beliefs are classed
|as conscientious DIRECTORS under the
paw that requires all males of good
physical condition to serve in the
armed forces of the United States
upon selection by lottery. The law
provides that they may serve the
flme required by others of the armed
forces doing noncombatant work or
civilian work of national importance.
What this work shall be or the
conditions under which it shall be
done have not yet been specified.
Have Chosen Dangerous Job.
But the men of the Seventh-d day
adventist medical cadet corps are
hot waiting to be told by the Gov
|ernment how they can serve their
country without breaking their cove
hant with God They have deliber-
lately chosen for themselves a vital
land most dangerous type of nom
|rombatant work-bringing aid to the
Wounded and carrying them out of
the flaming hell of battle to the
increasing safety of dressing station,
ambulance and hospital.
1t is work that rivals that of a
front line soldier in peril and may
demand more moral courage. for the
medical men go into battle armed
only with bandages, stretchers and
medicine.
The Seventh-day Adventists'
medical cadet corps was founded
seven years ago by a history pro-
fessor in Lincoln. Nebr., who had
served more than year as an ar
tilleryman on the battlefields of
France in the World War and who
learned his history from the Uni
verSity of WisconSin'S Turner, Pax
ton and Fish Now he is Maj.
Everett Dick. commander of a corps
already 1000 strong and growing
fast.
Approved by Surgeon General.
Only a handful Of Seventh-day
Adventlsts had been trained by
Maj Dick until the shadow of W1r
in Europe fell across the UriteG
States and raised anew the prob
lem that had confronted the church
since the Civil War. Dicks plan was
taken up by his church and he was
made full-time commander and
organizer. His plan was approved
by the surgeon general of the
United States Army. and the
church received verbal assurance
that its trained members would
have preference III medical work in
the event they were drafted.
The Wisconsin men who we're
trained under Maj. Dick will re-
ceive certificates indicating their
proficiency and experience. If they
are drafted they will present these
cards at Army reception centers,
and the taclt agreement between
the church and Army is that they
will be assigned to medical units.
The only man over draft age in
the Wisconsin corps is a naturali7eG
American citizen who was gsSSed
and seriously wounded fighting in
the German Army ii the World
War. He knows ne will probably
never be summoned again to the
horrors of the battlefield, b'r+ he
feels it is a good thing to know
how to help his felloW-men.
I'VE want to serve" explains FL