Peaceful Citizen

Stuart MacMackin '36, former Norwich, N. Y., lawyer who is now resident director of the camp for conscientious objectors set up at Petersham, Mass., by the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, has this to say about his charges: "These men are learning the things that will have to be done when hostilities are over and Europe has to be reconstructed. You know, that is what we did before Simple things, to be sure, but highly essential when it comes to repairing the ravages of war in some desolated village and restoring people to their homes."

MacMackin, a Quaker himself, had 26 men under him when the camp, a counterpart of others that are being opened in various parts of the country, was first established early last summer. With a capacity of 40 men, the buildings in the Petersham camp had originally been hastily thrown together by the department of agriculture after the 1938 hurricane to provide quarters for reclamation workers. The first job of these sincere advocates of non-violence—Quakers, Methodists, Baptists, and others—will be to make the place liveable. That done, they will engage primarily in forestry work in the area under the direction of the state conservation commission and the national forest service. While working out their year of selective service in the seclusion of the Massachusetts pine woods, the men pay $35 a month for their room and board.

Resident director MacMackin expects to be married shortly and to bring his bride to live with him at the camp.