Letter from General Enoch H. Crowder's to the Office of the Adjutant General of Maryland - July 15, 1918
Transcript
State of [Maryland] Office of the Adjutant General, Annapolis, 15th July, 1918. To All those connected with the administration of the Selective Service Law in the State of Maryland. Gentlemen:- It was my privilege to secure a copy of the letter of Provost Marshal General Crowder to Senator Chamberlain, Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee in the U.S. Senate, in which General Crowder declined the well deserved promotion to Lieutenant General proposed in the Army Appropriation Bill then before Congress. This letter so materially expressed the sentiment that I have so frequently heard from General Crowder in my personal contact with him that I feel you will all derive keen satisfaction from the magnanimous spirit with which General Crowder has so generously accorded to you so much credit in the magnificent results attained under his direction. This recognition of your work I know will be cherished by you and go far toward compensating you for the arduous work you have so patriotically performed, and I therefore take the liberty, without the knowledge of General Crowder, of giving you the letter, which is as follows:-
Transcript
To All those connected with the administration of the Selective Service Law in the State of Maryland. [page 2] next to be stated. Forty-eight States and three Territorial Headquarters and nearly six thousand Local and District Boards, with an aggregate membership of nearly eighteen thousand citizens, assisted by legal and medical advisory boards in every jurisdiction, have cooperated with the National Headquarters efficiently and honorably, and many without compensation, in the superb teamwork which has produced the gratifying results attained under the Selective Service law. These results embrace the registration of more than ten and one-half million of citizens, and their classification for military service, and the entrainment of the nearly 1,600,00 men now serving with the colors. By August 1 of this year this latter number will be approximately 2,000,000 and by the close of the year, if expected requisitions are received, the aggregate will approximate 3,000,000. Of the members of these boards it may be truly said that, when the Selective Service System, which they administer ceases to function efficiently to produce the military and to conserve the industrial man-power, we shall be in a fair way to lose this war. I have long entertained the view that something ought to be done to recognize publicly and emphatically the enormous sacrifices these citizens have made in bestowing the continuous and exhausting services that have been indispensable in carrying the administrative burden of the Selective Service System. The difficulty has been in devising a suitable reward, nation-wide in its application, and acceptable generally to those who have so participated. At the risk of being regarded as ungrateful to the proposers of this provision, I cannot bring myself to be satisfied that my own conscientiously performed share in discharging that duty should become the subject of recognition, so long as the far greater share of these other builders of the National Army remains without public and distinguished acknowledgement in the records of Congress. These men, my fellow workers, their toils, their sacrifices and their achievements, are next to my heart. On this subject I frankly confess to a deep sentiment- I hope it will not be reckoned as sentimentality- a sentiment which would not receive unalloyed satisfaction from the bestowal of any honor, however, generous, that is personal to myself only. In placing before you, at this time, these sincere convictions, I trust that I have adequately expressed the motive that prompted this letter. Cordially and gratefully yours, (Signed) E. H. Crowder, Provost Marshal General.
Details
| Title | Letter from General Enoch H. Crowder's to the Office of the Adjutant General of Maryland - July 15, 1918 |
| Creator | Warfield, Henry M. |
| Source | Warfield, Henry M. Letter from General Enoch H. Crowder's to the Office of the Adjutant General of Maryland. 15 July 1918. Crowder, Enoch H. (1859-1932), Papers, 1884-1942. C1046. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | Henry M. Warfield wrote to the office of the Adjutant General of the state of Maryland and enclosed a copy of the letter General Crowder wrote refusing his promotion to Lieutenant General. This document 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; Promotions, Military; United States. Army--Promotions. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Selective Service Act of 1917; Selective Draft Act |
| 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 | July 15, 1918 |
| Language | English |