A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

d in peacetime (forestry service) and during World War I Restricted Medical Corps [Sanitaetsdienst) has also been described. The imposition of com- pulsory government service on all citizens by the Imperial Decree of 1870 was no doubt the primary cause of emigration to America. The desire to preserve the principle of nonresistance without compromise also prompted many Mennonite Brethren to leave and to establish congregations in the new world. Since the problems and experiences of the brotherhood in the United States and Canada differed somewhat, the story of Mennonite Brethren involvement in government service in these countries will be treated separately. Government Service in the United States The First World War After more than forty years (1874-1917) of peace and tranquillity the Mennonite Brethren churches were suddenly faced with a situation from which they had endeavored to escape. When a conscription act became law on May 18, 1917, it contained a paragraph exempting members of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) from military service, but added that "no person shall be exempted from service in any capacity which the 348 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH President shall declare noncombatant." 20 The churches now were confronted with the problem of noncombatant service. The committee that was sent to Washington in June, 1917, included representatives of the Mennonite Brethren and Krimmer Mennonite Brethren, as well as from the Western District Conference (GC Mennonites). Their request for complete exemption from any state service did not result in any commitment on the part of the government. According to Gingerich, a considerable number of the men drafted from all branches of the church entered either full military service or noncombatant service. The noncombatants had little difficulty with the military authorities. On the other hand the larger group, who could not conscientiously engage in noncombatant service, were in many instances subjected to almost unbelievable mistreatment and even torture. 21 Only toward the end of the war did a satisfactory policy with regard to alternative service become operative. An estimate of the number of Mennonites drafted during World War I places the figure at 2,000. The following summary by Hershberger provides an overall view of Mennonite involvement in government service during that time: The various Mennonite groups demonstrated varying degrees of loyalty to the principles of nonresistance; but the large majority of Mennonites refused service of any kind under the military. They were genuine nonresistants. A substantial minority accepted non-combatant service, while a few accepted combatant service. Limited records of the Mennonite majority who declined all service under the military indicate that approximately 10 percent were court-martialed and sent to prison, chiefly at Leavenworth; 60 pe