Jonas Smucker Hartzler

“ As to noncombatant service: all branches of service have one purpose; viz., to make the whole system a strong er organization of terrorism, destruction, and death. While I would not have been directly killing any one, I would have been doing a man's part in helping another do the act, and lending encouragement to the same. To support a thing and refuse to do the thing supported is either ignorance or cowardice. To refuse to go to the trenches and still give individual assistance to another doing so, is either an improper knowledge of the issues at stake or downright fear to face the bullets. ”

“ First, that while some of the officers were very cruel and acted in very bad faith, they were not all so, as some officers gave respectful consideration to those who because of religious convictions could have no part in the military machine.
Second, that the officers in a great many cases bad no regard for truth; that no matter how great the deception, they had no convictions against using it if it served their purpose of "putting the young man across." ”

“ Mock court-martial trials were not all held by prisoners. Even soldiers who were not prisoners and officers were sometimes guilty. In one camp in the central west several young men were placed with other C. O.'s who had been in camp longer or were segregated from the other soldiers. One of their number was sick and in the hospital when the trans fer was made. ”

“ I arrived at Camp Greenleaf, Ga., September 8, 1918. The night previous was spent on the train and was a new experience to me. Wickedness was rampant and the expres sions were vile indeed, the worst that I ever heard. Once in camp we were placed in tents. I soon explained my position to several of the officers, stating that I could not drill nor even work under the military establishment. One of them said, "Man you will be proud of yourself." ”

“ One remarkable feature of these letters is that there is not one word of resentment in them, but there are calls for prayer to God for help, not only for the suffering boys, but also for their officers and persecutors.
Many of the young men suffered at the hands of noncommissioned officers who tried to compel them to accept service of some kind under the military establishment. ”

“ It was the Company that we were in charge of today I certainly do thank God that it is over. I believe that I would sooner face the firing squad than go through much more of the same kind of treatment. But through it all my conviction is not changed, and I intend to stand for what I believe to be right. Pray for us that we may hold out faithful to the end.
Sincerely,
* * * Dear Brother :
I went to Camp Cody, N. Mex., Nov. 7, 1917. The sergeant asked me to go on guard duty. I refused, so he took me to the first lieutenant. ”

“ May God protect these young men and keep them hum ble, so that they may be useful as well and may His grace be extended to those who failed to stand the test. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." ”

“ Eighth, that hard as some of these things were to bear, they led many of the young men to higher standards of spiritual life, at least for the time being and how sad it would be if that spirituality should be lowered by pride in their accomplishments. ”

“ The aims of the army are coercion, terrorism, carnal force; the ideals of Christianity are love, meekness, gentleness, obedience to the will of God, etc. When these ideals are maintained to the best of ou-r ability, by God's grace He will provide care and protection in ways not imagined by man. ”

“ I was asked to don the uniform, and on refusing they put it on me and sent my clothes home. I was asked again to drill but refused. Two men pulled me out of my tent and held me in the ranks trying to make me keep step. They tramped my toes and kicked me. This treatment was kept up for about two weeks, but finding it of no avail they let me go. Scoldings and cursings were frequent. I was asked to help carry out several men on stretchers who were sick with influenza. ”

“ Some were placed into the stockades where the other prisoners heaped all kinds of abuse upon them. These prisoners held mock trials, passed sentences, and proceeded to carry them out. They usually consisted of some inconsistent work, or that the party take a bath of alternate hot and cold water, and in some cases where compliance was not immediate the party was dragged under the shower and the water turned on without removing the clothing. ”