Mrs. A. P. Barton letter to Champ Clark - April 25, 1917

Transcript

3332 Troost Ave Kansas City, [Missouri] April - 25 - 1917. To the Honorable Speaker of the House, Our Dear Mr. Clark: My late Husband cast his vote (Presidential) for “Champ Clark.” And I am constrained to write, approving with all my heart, the attitude you take in regard to conscription. If war is ever honorable, would it not be a slam on our men to say before the world that they have to be compelled to defend their Country! Why not give them a chance first, to prove the boldest? I have a letter from a broken-hearted mother in Staunton [Virginia], begging me to advise her, to help her boy, only 17 years old, to keep away the terrible fear that he will be drafted into the army. The recruiting Navy office there, warns him that if he doesn’t get in within a few days, it will be too late, and then the army will get him! His father travels, is far from home, and he has to have his written consent. She writes that her boy, and only son, is nearly wild over the situation. He was to graduate from high school in June. I say it is a burning shame to force such children into the war, against their consciences, in this “free country,” when there are plenty of war-spirited men who would volunteer. Let us leave the Country a few civilized and enlightened men at home, to take real care of the Country’s interests. Meet the barbarians with their kind. Why restrain T.R. with his equipped warring class, and stoop to force boys barely out of knee pants, to take up arms! It looks like madness! In this time of world-stress, Uncle Sam should not lose his head. Moreover (with your kind forbearance) I wish to say that if the Stars mean anything to us, all the Astrologers declare that it is plainly depicted in the hieroglyphics of the heavens, that this war, this unspeakably awful war will end before the close of another six months. Then what about all this enormous expense, war-preparation, this upstirring of the latent strain of 2nd Century piratical barbarism in so-called civilized men? And will not the newspapers still howl up war! (A newspaper editor was heard to say – “I Hope there will be war; it would be the making of this paper.” Oh, littleness infinite) I do trust that with your forceful influence in Congress, you will hold your position, your noble, humane, reasonable and just attitude, and win against drafting. I am Very Sincerely Yours, Mrs. A.P. Barton CJB/BK.