- Transcription
United States Senate,
COMMITTEE ON RULES.
Salisbury, N.C., August 8, 1918.
Hon. T. W. Bickett,
Raleigh, N.C.
My dear Governor:
I am very much pleased to receive your highly esteemed favor of the 6th instant, and thank you for giving me what you consider is the sentiment of our people in regard to the draft bill. Indeed I am always glad to hear from you, and will thank you to write any time and give me what you think is the sentiment of our people in regard to important legislation pending before Congress. When we can consistently do so we should carry out the will of the people as far as possible.
Before coming home I was of the opinion that we should not draft boys under twenty-one years of age. I have no objection to having our boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one to register, but do not think they should be available for foreign service until they arrive at the age of twenty-one. I agree with you that we ought to have as little friction as possible. I find our people have never been so united as they are on the question of war. What a pity it would be to unsettle this question and make them dissatisfied.
While General Crowder is a very clever gentleman he is a military martinet. I am a little disappointed that Secretary Baker has been influenced by him. He has been wanting the minimum age limit eighteen for a long time but Secretary Baker would not yield, but it seems now that he has finally done so.
I agree with you that it will not do to exempt the college boy and take the boys who are not able to attend college. It will be very unwise to make any distinction at all. What we do must fall on all alike.
I am not inclined to leave too much to the discretion of the President in these matters as he might be over-influenced by the Secretary of War and his Army Chiefs. I think we should fix the law as it should be.
When we come to consider this bill I beg to assure you that I shall be very glad to consider the suggestions you make, which are very wise and with many of which I agree.
Again thanking you, my dear Governor, for your suggestions, and with best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
