October 30th, 1917.

Provost Marshal General,
Washington, D.C.

My dear General Crowder:-

Replying to yours of October 19th, I beg to say that on the 26th day of this month I was in Wilkes county for the purpose of making a Liberty Loan speech at the County Fair. While there I carefully investigated the character and standing of the physicians who are serving the local board, and find that they rank at the very top; indeed, these physicians are far above the average in the State. The Chairman of the Board assured me that it would be impossible to secure the services of more intelligent or more patriotic men. He said that the rejects, as reported to him, were largely cases of incipient tuberculosis which could not be detected except by keeping the patient under observation for some time, and that a number of the rejects were classified as Morons, and it took the chairman, who is a most intelligent lawyer, some days to find out what a moron is. I think that the result of the criticism will be most salutary however, and that the members of this board will be more careful in the future. I do not believe that the service could be improved by making a change in the physicians.

Very truly yours,

[unsigned]