You are directed not to sign any paper prepared by any attorney-at-law, nor to consider any paper prepared by any attorney-at-law or any other person in connection with any registrant or selected man, unless such paper shall contain a statement that the attorney or other person is receiving no charge whatever for service performed in behalf of said registrant or selected man.

The American Bar Association has passed a resolution unanimously that it is the sense of the Association that no attorney should make any charge for services rendered a registrant or selected man, and has taken steps to have such services rendered in all worthy cases by reputable attorneys without money and without price.

The North Carolina State Council of National Defense has taken similar action and is prepared to have all needful services rendered a registrant or selected man without cost to the man himself or to any members of his family. An attorney is a sworn officer of the law, and his first duty is to the Government, and that duty requires him to advise a registrant or selected man that he is not entitled to exemption, if such be the law, and it is also his patriotic duty to prepare any paper setting forth exact facts in any particular case for a registrant or selected man and submit these facts, not in the capacity of a paid attorney, but as a patriotic citizen, to exemption boards. In every county in the State attorneys will be called upon by the American Bar Association, and by the State Council of National Defense, to render legal services, and they will be glad to do it. The Attorneys of North Carolina are intensely patriotic and the ninety and nine of them will cheerfully perform these services and regard it as a patriotic privilege to do so.

I have notified the Adjutant General of the State not to consider affidavits prepared by attorneys or any other person unless these affidavits shall contain a statement that the attorney or other person preparing the same has done so without receiving or expecting to receive any compensation of any kind.

You will please give this communication the widest publicity possible in your county.