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        (1) The "absolutist" conscientious objector (to use a term widely used for that particular group in the last war) is a sort that will refuse―regardless of the penalty―to engage in any form of war work, the individual's conscience being the last resort in determining exactly what constitutes war work. Any plan which requires them to do something which may, in their consciences, be part of the war effort, can only mean unnecessary work for Federal courts and U.S. Attorneys, fill prisons unnecessarily, and in general keep much work which may otherwise be useful from ever getting done; in short, it is a good way to "lower the general morale.

        (2) A notable proportion of "absolutist" objectors will, as a matter of principle, resist any form of forced labor. The only way to dispose of this difficulty must be to permit some form voluntary choice "work of national importance."

        (3) As there is no uniformity as to what various conscientious objectors will consider war work―there being, in war time, very few types of occupation that somebody could not consider as work, it follows that it is impossible to devise any single type of work for all objectors and force them all to do it.

        (4) The "national importance" of Civilian Public Service camp work is extremely doubtful, though we concede that there are some types of objectors for whom it is suitable. It is, however, totally unsuited for many of those forced into it; and there appears to have been already instances in which actual war work was assigned to absolutist objectors, who therefore had no alternative but to refuse and take a chance as to the penalty.

        (5) The absolutist objector will be suspicious of any government work, or of work financed and controlled by the government, as such will be open to the charge of being part of the war effort. And attempts to make objectors pay for their own punishment in camps makes the law simply punitive in its operation, even if not in original intent. The pamphlet of the N.S.B.R.O issued to objectors who are prospective camp material lists the charge of $35 per month as a requirement; those unable to pay must borrow, if they can, from one of the sects, or become dependent on somebody to supply funds for them. (In the N.S.B.R.O questionarie, one of the questions is who will be responsible for payments)

        (6) Urban objectors, especially, are unsuited for camp life and for camp work. If threes must be chopped, there is not much sense in having it done by a collection of clerks, waiters, and journalists.

        (7) The setting up of urban self-supporting projects on a strictly volunteer basis, to be recognised as "work of national importance," is an absolutely necessary minimum for getting rid of the above objections to present executive policy with regard to conscientious objectors who do not accept non-combatant military service. They must be volunteer, because so many objectors will refuse any other kind of work; and they must be self-supporting, or intended to be so, to avoid punishing a man's sincere religious convictions by depriving him of earning power, as well as to avoid the two extremes of government control or financing on the one hand, and charging objector for their own punishment, on the other.

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