Reflection from John Cotton

The following is taken from a questionnaire sent to CPS men by Paul A. Wilhelm and compiled in 1990. This excerpt is John Cotton's response to the section asking the men to list major events from their CPS experience:

"After the war was over and some assignees were receiving discharges from other CPS camps, my discharge was late in coming. I told the administrator that after a certain date I would start fasting but continue to do all the work assigned to me. When, about 18 days later when my discharge came, he wrote on it a dishonorable discharge for my being a "leader in the strike of May 7 and 8, 1946"...The NSBRO took full responsibility for the strike...and stated it was a misunderstanding by officials in Washington and no reprisals would be forthcoming. Since I did not participate in the strike I felt it a great injustice...Fortunately this discharge has not affected my employment as I had expected."

--Taken from Wilhelm, Paul A. Civilian Public Servants: A Report on 210 World War II Conscientious Objectors. Washington, D.C.: National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors, 1990.