14,000 Conchies

Of the millions of men who have been processed by Selective Service machinery throughout the nation only 6,277 by last week had been finally classified as conscientious objectors (4-E). Most were in labor camps working on soil conservation, reclamation and reforestation projects formerly in the CCC domain. Housed in 59 camps from coast to coast, C.O.s are under Army jurisdiction, do all their own work, pay their own upkeep or are supported by funds from churches and sympathizers.

Classed as objectors willing to accept noncombatant duties (1-A-O)--ambulance drivers, stretcher-bearers, etc.--were 6,577 others. (Most famous 1-A-O: Cinemactor Lew Ayres.) In prison for draft-law violations were between 1,000 and 1,300 avowed conscientious objectors, half of them members of Jehovah's Witnesses, whose claims did not get draft-board recognition.

Though the total of these three groups, about 14,000, seemed minute compared to the millions of draft registrants, actually their number far exceeded the conscientious objectors of World War I. Then 3,989 C.O.s were confined in camps; 1,300 of them accepted noncombatant service.

World War II's U.S. total is far below that of Britain, which has 50,000 conchies. One probable reason for this seemingly inverse showing between a nation long at battle and a nation new to the war: many U.S. conchies had other reasons for deferment (e.g., dependents, occupation, mental, moral or physical disability) so are not listed as 4-E.

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