- Transcription
CHARLES A. ARMSTRONG
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW
TROY, N.C.
November 23, 1917.
Hon. T. W. Bickett,
Governor of North Carolina,
Raleigh, N.C.
My Dear Governor:-
As a member of the American Bar Association I have received certain documents relating to the new classification system of registrants to be shortly put in operation. I am inclined to think that the procedure outlined for the classification is rather cumbersome and unwieldy, but, of course, we must do the best we can with it.
I do not think there is any necessity for either a Legal or a Medical Advisory Board, especially the Board of seven medical experts. I don’t know, but I fail to see how seven medical experts are ever going to agree. The provision that a registrant who is not satisfied with the examination of the local physician can appeal to the board of experts will cause a great deal of useless trouble. My observation here, as Government Representative present at a great many of the physical examinations, is that about three-fourths-at least-of the men examined were not satisfied with the physical examination, but were sure that they had a “misery” somewhere and that the physician had failed to locate it.
I think that every county attorney, or city attorney as the case may be, should be a member of the local board and sit with the board-without pay-and render any necessary advice and assistance required.
In regard to the Questionnaires: After the notices have been sent out to the registrants the local board should advertise certain days on which registrants from designated townships desiring assistance and advice in filling out their Questionnaires shall appear at the office of the board or at the court-house, at which time and place legal and clerical assistance will be rendered free of charge.
At said time and place the local board, including county or city attorney, shall preside with sufficient clerical help to do the work expeditiously. The local board should have authority to hire the clerical help. Volunteer clerical help would not be satisfactory; they feel at liberty to come and go at their pleasure. Of course, there would be no objection to the boards availing themselves of capable volunteer help in addition to the hired help. The county or city attorney should have authority to call to his assistance, for his relief or otherwise, any and all members of the legal profession in his county. This orderly, business method would, in my opinion, result in getting the classification completed within the time prescribed.
I read with interest and approval your letter in yesterday’s News & Observer on the Christmas box matter. A couple of weeks ago a lady member of the Red Cross came to me for a contribution for that purpose. Of course, I gave my mite, but I protested strongly against what I told her was, in my opinion, a useless extravagance; that expenditures of that kind ought not to be made so long as there was a hungry woman or child in Europe, and that I was quite sure that the majority of our soldier boys would gladly give the worth of their Christmas boxes for the relief of the suffering women and children. She was quite shocked.
I herewith tender my services in any place and capacity you may desire to place me, without compensation.
With assurance of my highest respect and kindest regards, and begging your pardon for inflicting upon you this long letter, I remain,
Very sincerely yours,
CAA/F
