Page:Mennonite Handbook of Information 1925.djvu/101

 During the heaviest drafting of the War, the latter part of 1918, young members of the Church, in considerable numbers, were taken into the various training camps scattered over the country.

Through the efforts of Bro. Aaron Loucks and other brethren who were appointed by the General Conference, our boys in camp fared much better than they otherwise might have done. The failure of the under officers in the training camps to get the proper interpretation of orders issued from the War Department at Washington as to the treatment of noncombatants from a church whose creed forbids its members to engage in war in any form was responsible for much of the sufferings of noncombatants in camp. The visits of Bro. Loucks and his coworkers seldom failed to rectify these errors. The fears of parents concerning the welfare of their sons in camp were greatly alleviated by these visits which also brought relief to those in camp, and often an understanding was reached whereby the officers in camp were able to co-operate more sympathetically with the War Department in the regulations governing the treatment of religious objectors.

While in camp, officers were directed by the War Department to keep noncombatants in separate barracks, where they were not required to wear the uniform, or against their conscience do that which led them to aid or abet war. In maintaining these principles they were frequently brought under severe test, and as far as possible were made to appear very small and despicable in the eyes of the regular soldier. Persistent efforts were made from time to time to induce brethren to render service that gave