OFFICIAL BUSINESS
WAR DEPARTMENT
Local Board Person County
ROXBORO, N.C.

Feby. 13, 1918-

Governor T. W. Bickett,
Raleigh, N.C.

Dear Sir:

We certainly are confused and puzzled in regard to the recent ruling of the Government and yourself as to the induction of married men who have married since May 18th, 1917.

The Government says that we must put these men in Class 1, unless they can prove beyond doubt that they did not marry to evade the draft, and you say that the Government intends to fill the first quota from unmarried men. The only way we can avoid sending these men who were married since May 18th is to skip their numbers, but if we take them in the order in which they come some will certainly go, unless we put them in a lower class. The question as to whether a man married to avoid the draft is one that cannot be determined. If you defer the classification of one man who has married since May 18th in our opinion you will have to defer the classification of nine-tenths of the remainder in order to treat all alike and give justice to both.

We are very much gratified to know that not a single man has been discharged at Camp on account of dependence from Person County, and that on the last draft the District Board did not reverse us in but one instance.

We have been very much gratified with the reports that we have heard from Camp Jackson, and particularly from a First Lieutenant, who is now at Camp Jackson, that the men from Person County rank well above the average of those who were sent from North Carolina.

Before taking any steps looking to changing the classification of any of our men we would like to have a more definite expression from you as to what course we should pursue.

Yours very truly,

LOCAL BOARD FOR PERSON COUNTY-
By J. A. Long, Clerk.

L/F