Letter to General Enoch H. Crowder - August 28, 1918
Transcript
Troy [New York] [August] 28 1918 Gen. Crowder Dear Sir Do you think it a just act to take young lads 18 yrs of age when so many able bodied men are dodging the draft of course I dont blame you as your are in Washington and do not know how they are getting around it they are hundreds in this section you should be in the trenches but are kept at home by the draft board I will prove it to you in this letter and if you find that I have uttered one falsehood then you are at liberty to drop the matter I have worked in all the big founderies now
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[page 3] Bridgeport plant of the Co. this plant is called the Bridgeport Malleable Iron Co. This fellow was put in this job to dodge the draft as he is nothing but a Business College Man and dont know any thing about Malleable Iron, the their Chief Clerks was put in Class 1-H and sent to Camp Devens as a private he was tranfered to the Quartermasters Corps as a clerk and from the Quartermasters Corps sent to the officers training Camp in Florida and received a commission as Second Lieut. Then a month ago the Supt. son named Ed Lenote was sent to Camp Dix as a private and put in the machine gun
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squad his father went down to Camp two days later he was put into a slacker
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[page 5] Special Service these men are drawing from 90 to 110 a month working in the steel mills in Waterveliet and in the Baggage room and express office at the depot if these men can work hard 10 hrs every night I dont see why they arent in the Army all Limited men and Special Service men should be called and so should all married men you are in the draft and have no children why one young fellow next door to me go married not long ago and put in Limited Service they took him out of Limited Service and put him in class 2 this young fellow runs a grocery store his young wife tends to the store while he drives the wagon in the afternoon from 2 to 4 he goes home
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[page 6] and goes to sleep now why should this fellow be put into class 2 Why man I could name you a hundred but investigate what I have told you and see for yourself how the draft is being dodged I am dear Sir A Loyal American
Details
| Title | Letter to General Enoch H. Crowder - August 28, 1918 |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Source | Unknown. Letter to General Enoch H. Crowder. 28 August 1918. Crowder, Enoch H. (1859-1932), Papers, 1884-1942. C1046. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | This letter, signed by a Loyal American to General Enoch H. Crowder informed him of young men dodging the draft. 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; Draft; Draft--Law and legislation; World War, 1914-1918--Public opinion; Camp Devens (Mass.); Camp Dix (N.J.) |
| 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 | August 28, 1918 |
| Language | English |