Читать книгу The Mennonites in WW1 - Jonas Smucker Hartzler - Страница 39

One illustration will show some of the methods used by the examining boards in testing the sincerity of those who claimed a right to exemption: A young man came to such an office with a view of proving his rights to such exemption. When he came up to the desk and stated what he wanted he was told that the officer who had that part to look after was out, but that he would be back soon, and pointing to a desk his informant said, "When you see a man come in and sit down at that desk yonder, then go and tell him what you want." The young man sat down on a long seat provided for those who were compelled to wait. Soon another man came in and went up to a desk, but was told that he too should be seated. He sat down near the young man and the following conversation took place:

Young man. "Well, are you here about the draft too?"

Farmer. "Yes, and I can hardly go on account of conditions at home, but I suppose when they get a person's name on the list there is no such thing as getting excused. He simply must go."

Y. M. – "I m expecting to get off."

F. – "You are? Please tell me how you are going to do it. Possibly I can get off the same way."

Y. M. – "I am conscientious."

F. – "What do you mean by that? Who ever heard of such a thing?"

Y. M. – "Well, I believe it is wrong to fight. All war is wrong."

F. – "Well, how peculiar. Then, too, I have crops out and no one to take care of them."

Y. M. – "Can't you get off on that?"

F. – No, I tried, but it seems to do no good. Then what makes it harder for me to go, I have a neighbor who is very angry with me about a line fence, and I wanted to reason with him about it, but he began to curse me and call me all kinds of names. I was sorry and angry at the same time. What would you do if a man would talk that way to you? He is just as mean as he can be."

Y. M. – (Much interested, and forgetting himself) "Ha, I d slap him too quick."

The farmer lifted his coat and said, "Young man, you see that star? Your conscientiousness is not very deep. Come with me; you can fight, all right. The young man had to go.

Then, as in the late war, there were "slackers" who tried to hide under the cloak of religion, but many, like this man, were caught at it and made to do military service. The imposters usually do not gain what they hope to, but they surely make the road harder for the genuine.