The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-09-03
CONSCIENTIOUS oBJECToRs

CONSCAEN1 AOUS ObJ EC1OftS
To most people these days the let
tiers G. o. stand for Commanding
officer, but in many places 1t first
brisgs to mind just the opposite term
Directors" Thus
the same letters by queer quirk
of irony, designate both the leaders
of fighters and those who won't fight.
1t has been estimated that there
are, roughly, about $4,000 conscien-
tious DIRECTORS in this country who
have refused military service because
of their beliefs. These non-fighting
C. O.'s have been treated very con-
siderately by Uncle Sam. They were
provided for in the Selective Service
Act of 1910 (thanks to the inter-
vention of certain churches), and
draft officials knew just what to do
about them, and with them. Those
of military age who have been called
are now divided into three general
classes. In the military service, as
in some SO Civilian Public Service
Camps are 1884, and in prison are
an estimated 1000 or more who re-
fused to register or otherwise obey
the laws.
Those who are willing to help the
armed forces, but unwilling to fight,
serve as stretcher-bearers, first-aid
men, ambulance drivers and the like.
They are in the Army and have the
pay and allowances of the fighting
soldiers. They are also exposed to
danger, and there have been cases
of heroism on their part.
But the bulk of the C. O.'s also
object to noncombatant service, and
under the Selective Service Act they
are assigned to work of national
importance under civilian direction"
A program for this sort of work was
evolved by several Government ag-
encies on one side and the National
Service Board for Religious Object
ors, an organization representing
various churches, on the other.
Thus originated the Civilian Pub
lie Service Camps, which are well
scattered over the country. The men,
many cases, are housed in the old
CCC cmaps and work at soil conser-
walton, forest service, national park
service, weather bureau service and
as farm laborers. Other camps, or
groups, take dangerous assignments
in hospital work, serving as atten-
dants in mental hospitals, etc.
About one-tenth of the C. O.'s
have been assigned to this "detach-
ed service" in hospitals, asylums, re-
formatories and other public insti-
buttons, in which there are discom-
fort and danger as well as work. A
parachute unit in Montana is evil
dence that not all G. O's are avoid
| ing danger. These are called smoke
jumpers", for they are in the forest
service.
The c. P. s. camps are under
Army jurisdiction, but are projects
| of various Governmental agencies
and are, for the most part, under
church administration. The G. O.'s
about $35 for maintenance cost
groups. The objector receives no pay,
and either he or his church, or some
other church organization, must pay
for his maintenance. This is considI
cred an expression of his willingness
to make sacrifices for the things he
believes in. Basic equipment, like
cots, stoves, cooking utensils, and
blankets are furnished by the Selec-
tive Service System.
The churches represented on the
N. s. B. R. Q. National Service
Board for Religious Objectors) are:
Church of the Brethren; Mennonites;
Friends (Quakers); Methodists;
Disciples of Christ; Catholics, and
the Federal Council of Churches.
Only four have administrative agen-
cies for the camps-Quakers, Cath
olics, Brethren and Mennonites.
Some of the camps are Govern
ment camps" not under church adj
ministration, and few C. O.'s ap-
ply for them for this reason. All
farm work is of this sort. The men
assigned to farm work are paid the
prevailing rates by farmers, but the
money goes into the U. s. Treasury,
while the G. O. is allowed so cents
a day for personal expenses. He gets
his room and board on the farm
where he works. A PROJECT to send
work units to China and other for
eign places was squelched by Con-
gress on the ground that transporta-
ton priorities belonged to fighting
men.
The conscientious directors In