Informal Memorandum for Senator McKellar - April 17, 1917
Transcript
April 17, 1917. Informal Memorandum for Senator McKellar. I have addressed myself to the task you assigned me, but I fear with rather indifferent results. I have not been able to incorporate the proviso in the form you submitted it. It would make the issue of treatment of colored citizens so explicit that I would fear its effect upon the bill as a whole. It seems to me that some measure of relief, and perhaps adequate relief, can be obtained from the provision of the exemption section which authorizes the President to exclude or discharge from the selective draft
Transcript
Senate draft before me and am not able to refer to line and page, so I will quote the language of the amended portion of section 2, underscoring the new matter introduced so that you may locate the provision in the Senate print without difficulty. Commencing at the second sentence of section 2 I would have the initial clause read as follows:
Details
| Title | Informal Memorandum for Senator McKellar - April 17, 1917 |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Source | Unknown. Informal Memorandum for Senator McKellar. 17 April 1917. Crowder, Enoch H. (1859-1932), Papers, 1884-1942. C1046. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | Letter to Senator McKellar dated April 17, 1917. The author addressed the wording of section two of what would become the Selective Service Act. In this section, persons engaged in industries necessary to the maintenance of the military establishment were addressed. It was the concern of the author that African Americans would be excluded from selective service, especially in southern states, because they were the main producers of cotton. The author recommended rewording section two so more African Americans would be able to serve their country. This letter is part of a collection compiled by Enoch Herbert Crowder, the Edinburg, Grundy County, Missouri native who served as Judge Advocate General. Crowder devised the Selective Service Act in 1917 which drafted America's forces during World War I. |
| Subject LCSH | Crowder, E. H. (Enoch Herbert), 1859-1932; United States. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.-- World War, 1914-1918; Draft; World War, 1914-1918--African Americans |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Selective Service Act of 1917 |
| Site Accession Number | C1046 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | April 17, 1917 |
| Language | English |