February 20th, 1918.

Mr. C. H. Turner,
Chairman Local Exemption Board,
Henderson, N.C.

My dear Mr. Turner:-

Your letter of Feb. 13th which had been referred to the Adjutant General has just been handed to me upon your request by Mr. McCargo of the Adjutant General’s office. I regret very much to have to advise that it is impossible for me to take any action in regard to this case. I have no authority whatever to order Mr. Callaway’s release from the Marines, nor would it be proper for me to ask that he be released. You can readily see, I am sure, that the Governor cannot interfere in individual cases. Hundreds, yea I dare say, thousands of letters have come to me from individuals and friends of individuals desiring relief from military service. If I acted in one case I would have to act in all. The result would be that the Governor of North Carolina would spend all his time, day and night, writing letters in behalf of these individuals, which letters would and should have very little, if any weight, with the military authorities who are whipping our forces into shape, and getting them ready for the grand march on Berlin.

Very truly yours,

[unsigned]