Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-06
Ayres Called
Insincere as
An Obiector
Career From Now on
Well Worth Watching
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

N SOlNSSlEN llOOS ODJeCtOT
- is a quaint queer bird. Sew
eral attempts have been made
to define him.
The one usually accepted is a
member of a well recognized
sect which has religious or other
scruples against engaging in war
in any FORM"
1t won't do. There are too
many different kinds of "Kon-
SHES" They start with those
who will do anything to help
their country in war except TO
pull the trigger Of a gun aimed
at an enemy.
At the other end of the scale
are those who wouldn't stick a
pole in the ground il they
thought it would be used TO
grow a stalk of corn to feed a
soldier.
IRON another angle there
L really are some who belong
to old religious pacifist sects
flor there are such organiza-
tions) and others who are "Kon-
SHES" in their own right and
don't belong to any sect.
These latter the law does not
protect, but, as q matter of
policy, the government does not
treat them exactly as draft
dodgers. Just the same. their lot
is not a happy one. They are
all in a kind of protective
custody"
The government is right in
not making martyrs out OF any
of them, but, with few ex-
ceptions. they are a lousy lot.
They accept the protection of
their government and their
neighbors and the glory and
privilege of American citizen
ship for years, but when the
time comes TO pay something
on account for il, their con-
science won't let them.
-
IF 1T were a tax to pay tlike
L all the rest of us). we would
have no scruples about dis
training and selling their prop
erty and paying it for them.
But. if il is military duty they
owe for benefits received, about
all we do is TO put them in
camp, feed and house them and
take such service as fighting
forest fires and clearing under
brush as they are willing stint
ingly to give.
They can't all be condemned.
There Is a sect called, as / re-
rember. Molokans. OF which we
have one or two colonies in the
southwest.
They are old, and. as part of
their religious practice, so mutt
late themselves in times of
peace that no government would
take them as fighting men in
time of war. That must be
sincere.
There are others. like some
sects Of Amish. who have some
OF the same practices as Quak-
ers. They are among our best
citizens in everything but this.
QUT this happens 10 be one
- Of the fundamental duties
Of citizenship. Without its gen.
eral performance. no nation
could have an independent ex-
istence.
This has been proved over
and over again since the world
began. Perhaps il can be kept
at a minimum and so be barely
tolerated. But il cannot be
encouraged and its treatment
must be harsh as possible this
side of martyrdom.
The experience of Sergeant
York and Gary Cooper's excel
lent movie is being held up as a
shining example. But there was
only one York and Lew Ayres'
conscientious" refusal TO serve
can hardly be mentioned in the
same breath.
MIR. AYRES has been richly
N1 rewarded by this country.
His discovery of his conscien-
tious scruples may be perfectly
sincere but they have a distinct
odor of carefully planned and
timed publicity. His immediate
future will be we'll wort h
watching.
Having had a close experience
with this thorny problem IS
years ago. il may seem more i'm
portant to me than il really is.
But the present scramble Of
various pressure groups to serve
at home rather than with the
cofors. indicates a distinct de-
cline in the determination and
answering purpose of this
country in time of war.
We can't build good armies
and navies on any such sissy
britches policies as these.
Distributed by King Features synd. Inc.