Ronald Hotson

On May 20, 1918, local board refused to name as a C.O.; sent to Co. 4 at Ft. Slocum (Long Island); was bullied there, uniform forced upon him, and beaten badly enough to be taken to the hospital; on at least one occasion was taken to Guardhouse to protect him; after three days was transferred to Cramp's Shipyards in Philadelphia (PA) where COs were treated brutally and often starved; refused to wear uniform there; after intervention by Quakers was moved to immigration station in Gloucester City (NJ); in June 1918 was moved to Camp Dix to await court-martial; later found "sincere" by Board of Inquiry and allowed to go to France with the Friends Reconstruction Unit (after the war ended); reason for stance = Socialist, Swedenborgian; was 23 years old in Spring of 1918.