The experience of Albert and Ethel Wall as CO’s was seemingly relatively
pleasant – especially given that the two were a very much in love newly-wed
couple who both, coincidentally shared a great love for the out-doors.
While different members of his
extended family, including his future brothers-in-law would have slightly
different takes on the position of CO status in the war – for Albert, the
matter was simply that he could not participate in the fighting. While he would later state that he supported
the war’s objectives, the Mennonite people did not accomplish their objectives
through war and did not serve in the military as nonresistance was part of
their traditional spiritual witness and understanding. Others would indicate the sheer folly of
attempting to kill an innocent soldier one day and then attempting to lead him
to Christ the next. War mixed with
neither the Anabaptist principle of nonresistance or with the Evangelical aim
of leading others to Christ.
Later, Ethel would confirm that
neither was Bert very preachy about his pacifist stance – and that both he and
she were enthusiastic to do what was required of them by the government. “Grandpa,” as she calls him when speaking of
him to her grandchildren, “just said that this is what he had to do – and
understood that.” Neither did Ethel,
raised of Baptist stock, find anything overly unusual with the traditional
pacifism of the Mennonites – it was part of their faith.
Fortunately, Bert was able to
take his new bride with him, more-or-less.
While Bert stayed at the CCC campground, Ethel lived nearby supporting
herself by finding a job locally and would be there when Bert could get
away. As such, Ethel spent much of the
war living in Downey, Idaho where she supported herself as a chambermaid for
the Oxford Hotel.
Nor did Ethel find the task
of supporting herself to be unreasonable.
As a child, she had learned to work hard on the family’s Montana ranch.
As for the Oxford Hotel – “It really wasn’t that bad – I didn’t have
to do much with the smelly things – I would just hurry up and bundle all the
used sheets and things together and could then work with the fresh smelling
things – making the bed, laying out towels – part of my job was to make the
room look nice and to smell fresh.”
“There always seemed to be someone coming
or going that would need a room,” she remembers further, “and sometimes the hotel would be empty – and then I could take time
to myself – read a book, sew, do some crochet…” (Ethel Wall, private
conversations).
Asked if chores were worse at
the hotel or when raising four kids, she replies with a chuckle – “Now THAT is
a good question.”
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