Three members of the Franz family all had to complete draft registration cards over May-June in 1917.
The first was Albert Edward Franz (1889-1940), He
was drafted on May 24, 1917, at the age of 27. At the time he was a well-known
Bible Student, featuring in the Photodrama work in Chicago and regularly
writing for the St Paul Enterprise newspaper (later called the New Era
Enterprise).
In answer to question 12 on the card, Do you claim
exemption from the draft (specify grounds)? Albert wrote: “Yes, A Christian and
member of the International Bible Students Association, also physical.”
The older of the two was Herman Franz (1891-1977).
He was 25. He also claimed exemption. His answer: “Yes, Student member of the
International Bible Students Association.”
On the same day, a third brother was drafted,
Frederic Franz (1893-1992). He was 23. He too claimed exemption. “Yes, Member
of International Bible Students Association.” He gave his present occupation as
“Ordained Minister and Stenographer.” He would spend most of his life in Bethel
and became vice-president of the Watch Tower Society from 1945-1977 and
president from 1977 to his death in 1992.
A fourth brother, Alvin Franz (1901-1978) appears to
have just missed the draft because of his age.
The draft cards for WW2 did not provide a section
for someone to claim exemption. However, the WW2 card for Fred Franz is of
interest. It gives his occupation as “Administer of the Gospel under the
direction of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.” His contact was Grant
Suiter, his residence was 124 Columbia Heights and his workplace was 117 Adams
Street, Brooklyn.
2 comments:
My colleague Jay Beaman has located several hundred draft cards completed by Bible Students of draft age and I’ve spent so long looking at US WWI draft cards of IBSA COs that it is in danger of becoming an obsessive compulsive behaviour. Anyhow, what I can add to Jerome’s interesting article is this:
(1) Albert Edward Franz - the date when those of draft age needed to complete registration at their local registration centre was 5 June 1917. The fact that AE Franz completed his registration early suggests that he knew he would not be in town on the required date. Those who called Bible Students ‘draft dodgers’ were in error. The Watch Tower instructed Bible Students to report for the draft and claim suitable deferments and exemptions allowed for by Congress.
(2) Herman Franz and Frederic Franz - to the best of my knowledge, neither Albert, Hermann or Frederic were called up. Why was this? Ministers were allowed full exemption from the draft and members of ‘organized sects’ were to be exempted from combatant duties. My guess is that the area the Franz brothers registered in had a tolerant draft board and interpreted the legislation in respect to the IBSA in a lenient manner. Sadly other boards, for whatever reason, proved harsh in their application of the legislation, considering the IBSA not to be an “organised sect” allowed for within the Selective Services Act.
I could relay experiences of IBSA men who registered for the draft and encountered both harsh draft boards and insistent army work camps that would make one’s hair stand on end. But it should also be remembered that others, no doubt, experienced reasonable draft boards and even, in some instances, tolerant army camp generals.
Does anyone have information on the later theocratic careers of Albert, Herman, and Alvin? And their parents too, for that matter. The life course of Frederick Franz is of course well known.
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