General Lewis B. Hershey and Conscientious Objection during World War II

Conclusion

Conclusion´ ´ ´ ´ A s an examination of General Lewis Blaine Hershey’s record and the CPS experience during World War II makes clear, Hershey’s personal belief in a duty of service for all eligible males, plus a tolerance for religious liberty, shaped alternative service during that conflict and beyond. Alternative service thus became the central precedent for conscientious objection to emerge from World War II, lasting until the end of the draft in 1973. Furthermore, through Hershey’s efforts, the American military’s citizen soldier tradition became further defined as the duty of all eligible Americans extended even to those who conscientiously objected. Hershey’s efforts in creating, administering, and justifying alternative service were the engine driving the CPS experience during World War II. By expressing his desire for a cooperative body with which to negotiate , Hershey was instrumental in the creation of NSBRO. As the final authority on what constituted “work of national importance” Hershey ultimately decided what the CPS assignees would actually do. His approval or denial shaped the character of alternative service and provided its tangible projects, as he authorized programs for farm labor, forestry work, and the Guinea Pig Units, but he rejected some urban social work and other programs suggested by the Peace Churches.1 Through shrewd political negotiation during the war and at the end of CPS, he kept alternative service under Selective Service control. His desire to avoid negative publicity meant that many camps were located in remote locations; moreover, he sought to limit press coverage so as not to attract unwanted attention. Though CPS was a cooperative endeavor, the efforts and desires of Lewis Hershey permeated everything. 161 162 Lewis B. Hershey and Conscientious Objection While some reacted negatively to Selective Service control, many others recognized just how important Hershey was to the peace witness of the Historic Peace Churches. Some members of the Historic Peace Churches later recounted how Hershey’s directorship was of vital importance in protecting the CO during World War II. Given the inconsistent treatment of conscientious objectors throughout American history, the precedent set by Hershey and the protections he enacted were no small feat. There was no standardized policy during the colonial era, and the alternatives available during the Civil War violated many of the COs’ beliefs concerning participation in war. The most glaring example of what could go wrong in providing for conscience in wartime occurred during World War I, when the federal government placed COs into military camps and imprisoned them when they refused to cooperate. The World War II experience of Lewis Hershey in matters of conscientious objection and alternative service provides a fascinating insight into one of the great paradoxes of modern military history. Here was a man who rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel prior to the outbreak of World War II, which was no small feat in the interwar period. He was a military professional when that career path was only beginning to be accepted in American society. As one might expect of a career military professional, Hershey possessed a strongly held conviction that it was the foremost duty of all eligible men to serve their nation in times of national emergency . During World War II, he oversaw a massive bureaucracy dedicated to providing men for the military while maximizing industrial and agricultural production. Fundamentally, the role of the Selective Service was to administer the manpower of the society so the state could advance its national and international interests. Yet, in the face of that mission, Hershey was the most ardent champion of the rights of conscientious objectors within the federal government. While championing service, he also protected conscience. That duality in Hershey’s character regarding service and the CO helps to explain further who Hershey really was. Using broad brushstrokes to describe him usually results in an inaccurate portrayal. He viewed himself as both soldier and civilian, hence his frequent public appearances in civilian clothing. He was a classic bureaucrat, fully aware of his place in the federal government, yet he wielded significant power, and he was able to use his considerable influence to bend certain projects, mandates, or legislation to his desires. He did not merely assume the role of a bureaucrat and administer CPS with no say in its direction. He had a vision for alternative service and sought to make that a reality. He was a complex man full of seeming contradictions, yet his reasoning made those [3.17.5.68] Project MUSE (2024-04-26...