Letter from D. D. Brady to President Harry S. Truman

en Plymouth Congregational Church Rev. D.D. Brady, Pastor 1601 Chapin Jackson, Michigan P.P.F. October 25, 1945 President Harry F. Truman The White House 200 Mersage Washington, D.C. My Dear President Truman: can B I wish to write you urging that all possible help and back- ing be given to THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND REHABILITATION ADMINIS- TRATION. In spite of all that churches and other agencies are ing the only hope for millions of refugees in Europe this winter lies in UNNRA. Again I wish to state my opinion and that of many of my Church people about your plea that all American youth be given one year of military training. I am strongly against any forced military train- ing for our youth. You state: "The atomic bomb is of little value without an adequate army, air and naval force, for that kind of force is necess- ary to protect our shores, to overcome any attack. etc." And so we are informed that our government has given up hope of offering never to use the Atomic Bomb and suggesting that no other nation do so. And it seems we are now starting to use our advance knowledge of it to maintain ourselves as a threat to the whole world. And because of this policy you plead the necessity of training every youth in the viscious ideodogy of total war as the only salvation of our country and of the human race. We must dare as much for this new World Government as we have dared for war. Any less courage and unselfishness means inevitable war and the destruction of all real civilization. Many of my people and I are against peace-time forced mili- tary training because it will build up a vast military machine which will have the power to dicaase to our government and take us into war. There is danger it will be used against the working people of our country and thus destroy real democracy and suppess their rights. It will not improve their educational status as well as can our civilian schools, colleges, Boy Scout programs, Church youth groups, etc. It will not do as well as they with their self improvement and development of their skills for civilian life, nor raise their physical standarde, nor lower the illiteracy rate. Do you no longer have faith in the common school to lower the illiteracy rate? Can this not be done by better wages and more secure employment so local communities especially in the South can furnish better schools, teachers and stop illiteracy? A national ed- ucation department could help to equalize for the whole country. Moreover I believe that civilian life can do a better job of developing ideals of responsible American citizenship and to im- prove the moral and spiritual welfare of our nation's youth. I feel that your October 23rd recommendation to Congress shows a tragic and terrible loss of faith in American democracy and true freedom. Lastly, if the congress should enact the legislation you ask for, may I plead exemption for all Conscientious Objectors. Some 15,000 are now in our prisons and more of these noble, heroic, consc- ientious youth will take prison rather than peace-time conscrio tion. Yours very truly,