Memorandum on a Plan for

GENERAL PROJECTS FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

These Projects Being of a Volunteer, Urban and Self-Supporting Character

by W. J. Sidis and Julius Kaplan

I. What This is Not

        (1) This is not a new plan for "detached" projects under the Civilian Public Service Camps system

        (2) This is not a project solely for the preparation of a national series of metropolitan transit and street reference, or guide, books.

        The guide books project (which has been given some publicity in connection with the plan) happens to be merely the first project new in progress under the General Projects plan. The plan calls for a chain of various types of projects―to be devised.

        (3) This is not a proposal of any sect or organization, other than the volunteer members now participating in the General Projects.

        The only qualification for membership is that the volunteer to be a conscientious objector to war.

II. Why need for General Projects?

        (1) It has been found that the Civilian Public Service Camps, within the Selective Service System and under the direction of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, do not meet the needs of all conscientious objectors

        (2) Detached projects under the Civilian Public Service Camps system retain certain of the institutional features of the camps to which various conscientious objectors are opposed in principle, in the first instance.

        (3) The Civilian Public Service Camps are now the only application, under executive policy, of the Act of Congress requiring that conscientious objectors be "assigned to work of national importance."

        General Projects offers itself as another possibility―additional and supplementary―not exclusive―for applying the law.

III. Some Specific Points about the Plan

        (1) General Projects does not intend to confine itself to any particular field.

        It is a form of organization which should, when properly going, be able to adapt itself to any part of the civilian economy. Conscientious objectors are the portion of the nation's population who can be used only for civilian economy, and who should be able to take over necessary parts of it as abandoned by others who are less interested in maintaining such activities

        (2) Similarly, it is not a wartime project. With the end of war it should be possible to continue all work, and expand its scope, as a membership corporation open to all which will do requisite work.

        The so-called "Geprodis System" of guide books, having been contributed by its inventor to help General Projects get started, is the first project being worked on as a means of initial financing without either governmental or employee financing.

IV. Proposed New Draft Classification

        (1) To establish a new Selective Service classification (tentatively, to be called 2-C) to consist of conscientious objectors employed in volunteer projects of national importance.

        (2) Such projects to obtain certification by some unit of the U.S. Employment Service being work of national importance; and government supervision of the work to be confined to such certification of each new project undertaken by the organization operating them. Any office of the U.S. Employment Service within 15 miles of any point where such project is to operate to be empowered to grant such certification―and the office of the U.S.E.S covering that district, if there be none within 15 miles.

        (3) Such certification as work of national importance to be given only organizations already obtaining similar certification, on an agreement on lines outlined elsewhere herein. The minimum requirements are: (a) The organization must, for the duration of the war or of the Selective Service Act, undertake to employ only conscientious objectors to war volunteering for such work; (b) No financing to be expected from either the government of the objectors employed; (c) The work must be of such nature that it can be expected to be continued after the war; (d) The organization must agree to adopt some form of democratic constitution or charter giving the objectors working therein the entire management.

        (4) The selective Service system will retain jurisdiction over deciding who is a conscientious objector for purposes of draft deferment. The project itself, however, will decide such question for purposes of employment in such projects

        (5) The projects being strictly volunteer, they will accept no one sent to them by order of any Selective Service Boards. They may accept parolees, however, or transfers from Civilian Public Service Camps, in cases where they are convinced that the person in question is a genuine volunteer.

        (6) The projects retain full control of qualifications of employment in their work, subject merely to restriction indicated above. In cases where anyone working in such a project is up for hearing on his status as conscientious objector for draft purposes, the project employing the registrant shall be entitled to be heard on the sincerity of his conscientious objections, in the same manner as employers are considered parties to the question of essential employment at present in considering classification for 2-A, 2-B, or 3-B.

V. Proposed Contract of General Projects

        (1) General Projects undertakes to make its projects work of national importance; its projects will be urban, calculated to be self-supporting, and on a strictly volunteer basis.

        (2) General Projects will not ask for financing from the government or from its own employees (members).

        (3) General Projects will retain complete control over the choice and selection of its volunteers, agreeing that, for the duration of the present war or of the Selection Service Act, it will only employ persons (of whatever age or physical qualifications) who have conscientious scruples to war work in general.

        (4) General Projects undertakes, within 90 days of the time this contract goes into effect, to set up a constitution or charter placing complete control of its organization and policies in the hands of its own workers.

        (5) General Projects will handle projects intended to continue after the coming of peace; and it undertakes, as soon as the Selective Service Act shall have ceased to operate and the war is ended, to open its ranks to applicants for employment regardless of beliefs.

        (6) This contract will take effect upon the recognition, by the United States War Manpower Commission, of some form of arrangements whereby conscientious objectors to war are engaged in volunteer projects of national importance can be treated as having been already "assigned to work of national importance" within the meaning of the Selective Service Act of 1940, and upon the recognition of General Projects as such a volunteer project for conscientious objectors to war

        (7) General Projects will organize as a membership association, not for profit, and will distribute no dividends. Surplus acquired, over normal expenses and compensation for labor performed, will be used for the further development of projects of national importance.

VI. Some Considerations of Principle

        (1) Many conscientious objectors will refuse, regardless of 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 result in walkouts, refusals and other similar actions which will but mean unnecessary work for Federal courts and United States attorneys, fill prisons unnecessarily, and in general keep much work which may otherwise be useful from even getting done. In short, it is a good way to "lower the general morale."

        (2) A notable proportion of conscientious 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 of voluntary choice in "work of national importance."

        (3) In government work as in private industry, during wartime, objectors to war are not welcome, and cannot usually escape running into incompatible situations because of their beliefs.

For further information regarding
participation in and promotion of
the plan, write to:

William James Sidis
15 Shailer Street, Brookline, Mass.

or