740.00111A Recruiting/218
The British Minister (Campbell) to the Assistant Secretary of State
(Acheson)
Washington, March 27,
1941.
Dear Mr. Acheson: His Majesty’s Government
is anxious to secure the services of a number of radio mechanics for
the repair and maintenance of certain radio equipment used in the
defence of Britain against night bombing.
We are considering making a recommendation to the Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs that the best way of accomplishing this purpose
would be to establish a Civilian Technical Corps. Before making a
specific proposal to London, we would be grateful if the State
Department could let us have an informal opinion as to whether the
scheme, copy of which is enclosed herewith, would in any way be
contrary to United States law.
As the matter is urgent an early answer would be very much
appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
[Enclosure]
Plan for British Civilian Technical Corps
The scheme would provide that His Majesty’s Government should
establish through appropriate legislation or executive orders a
Civilian Technical Corps. The purpose of this Corps would be to
furnish technically competent persons to service and repair
radio and other technical equipment in use by British agencies,
Departments or Services. As described more fully below, the
Corps would be entirely noncombatant and civilian. Its members
would not be enrolled in the armed forces and would perform no
combatant functions whatever.
The legislative or executive act establishing the Corps would
provide that it should be a civilian corps and state its duties
and functions as outlined above, and it would set out the rates
of pay to be given to those enrolled according to their various
classifications and would contain provisions as to food,
clothing and lodging. It would lay down the period of service
and authorize the head of the Corps to promulgate appropriate
rules and regulations for its governance. The legislative or
executive act would, moreover, state that the members of the
Corps would be subject to the civilian authorities and were not
to be tried by courts martial or subject to military law except
in such situations where such courts apply to all civilians.
Members of the Corps, however, would be required to comply with
the applicable laws of the country and community to which they
would be sent to the
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same extent as other civilian workers in the same or similar
classifications.
The method of enrolling in the Corps would be by contract, in
which the applicant would agree to serve in the Corps for a
specified legal period and to perform such functions as were
assigned to him and otherwise comply with appropriate rules and
regulations issued by the head of the Corps. Under this plan
offices would be opened in the United States for the purpose of
publicizing the Corps and its duties, pay and opportunities,
examining candidates respecting technical competence, prior
experience, health, et cetera. The final acceptance of
candidates would probably take place in Canada after being
subjected to final testing and examination. If accepted there
they would enter into the contract referred to above and after
such training, if any, as might be deemed necessary, each
candidate accepted would be assigned to appropriate units of the
Civilian Technical Corps, wherever the service of such a member
might be necessary.
It would be no part of this plan to hold out any inducements or
solicitations of any sort to persons in this country to enter
military service. The sole purpose of the offices in this
country would be to interest persons in enrollment in the
Civilian Technical Corps.
