The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-06-12
Open Forum
COLUMN
FOR THE VOICE OF THE
PEOPLE

Hditgr at The Skyland Post
Dear Sir
AS neaF as | con reconstruct it
fram fFagmentary notes, the fol-
| loving is Q copy of letter which
II wrote TO Secretary Stimson
| Aug. II, 1910. The letter was not
| returned and | did not receive a
reply I'm not criticizing Mr.
Stimsan. | am sending the letter
10 members of the North Carolina
delegation in congress and to the
| press:
Mr.. Henry l., Stimson
Secretary OF War
u. s.. War Department
Washington, ID. c.
Sir:
Had the CCC been given mill
tary training from the date of its
establishment, we would now
have more than two million men
ready to take their places in the
defense lines of our country in
case of war. The boys who have
passed through the CCC camps
will be in the first class called in
any draft. It will in all probabili-
ty be necessary to rush them into
combat with very little training.
Hundreds of thousands of them
may have to pay with their lives
because the government w a S
forced to heed the wishes of a
lot of inexcusably misinformed
American pacifists, led by foreign
fifth columnists and made patent
by petty politicians passing as
statesmen.
The CCC boys are being paid,
fed, clothed, quartered and hos
pitalized by the government. They
are already in uniform. They are
already under the command OF
army officers. Military training
could be given at very little ad-
ditional cost. It could be started
as soon as an order could be
transmitted to the camps. 1t
would be mighty good thing for
the boys. 1t would be mighty
good thing for the country.
There is a camp near here at
Laurel Springs, N. c. I visited
that camp Aug. Is, 1910. Captain
Baker and Lieutenant Barlow
are about as talkative as the
sphinx on this subject. They are
fine officers and I believe that If
they or any other officers were al
lowed to express an, opinion on
the subject, would favor military
training.
I know several of the boys in
the Laurel Springs camp. l be-
lieve that if they were consulted,
an overwhelming majority of
them would favor the immediate
establishment of military training
in order that when the call comes
to them to follow the flag, they
might be better soldiers and they
might have better chance to
survive the conflict. They know
that one of the infallible rules OF
war is, "The less training the more
casualties.
I think I know the sentiment
of the people in the three counties
whose boys are in the Laurel
Springs camp. I am convinced
that large majority of them
would favor military training. l
also believe that short circular
letter from the President, ex-
planning the advantages it would
be to their boys and themselves
would bring the rest Of them
into line.
Mr.. Secretary, I respectfully re-
quest permission to address the
CCC boys at Laurel Springs on
this subject and to ascertain their
views which I would transmit to
you for consideration in connec-
ton with the defense program.
Respectfully,
UPTON BLEVINS
If it takes congressional action
to establish military training in
the CCC I respectfully request
that the congress take that ac-
ton as soon as possible. I know
that the Little Wheeler, of Mon
tana; Lindbergh, Won Lewis and
the rest of Hitler's peddlers will
continue to play ''The Watch on
The Rhine" but you gentlemen
of the congress are ''our watch
men" and we know you will not
fail us.