Letter from Enoch H. Crowder to Thomas W. Bickett, Circa October 1918

War Department
Office of the Provost Marshal General
Washington

Honorable Thomas W. Bickett,
Governor of North Carolina,
Raleigh, N. C.

My Dear Governor Bickett:

I have your letter of October 22nd and two communications, one addressed to you ant the other to the Adjutant General of your State, from Mr. Thomas L. Craig, Chairman of the Local Board for the County of Gaston. Gastonia, North Carolina, protesting against the indefinite furlough that appears to have been granted Worth C. Carpenter, a registrant of the above Local Board. You express great respect for and confidence in Mr. Craig and recommend that his complaint be thoroughly investigated with the view of seeing if the Military authorities have not been imposed upon in being persuaded to grant Mr. Carpenter an indefinite furlough.

This case was the subject of a personal call by a member of my Staff upon the official of the office of the Adjutant General of the Army who has charge of industrial furloughs and assurance has been given that this case will be investigated quite thoroughly, and that if the investigation disclosed that the furlough should not have been granted, it will be immediately revoked.

The final action taken in this matter will be reported to this office and the substance of this report will be communicated to you with as little delay as possible. It is hoped that in the meantime the case will not have so detrimental an effect upon the administration of the draft in Gaston County as is feared by Mr. Craig.

E. H. CROWDER,
Provost Marshal General

By

C. A. Hope
Captain U. S. A.
Chief, Administrative Division.

CAH-afr

Received A. G. O. N. G. Nov. 1 1918.