OBJECTOR REBUKED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 10

OBJECTOR REBUKED

SOCIALIST POSTMAN WOULD RATHER M' SHOT. . Some strong remarks were recently made by Jlr. Donald Maclean, M.l>., Chairman of the House ol' Commons section of tho Tendon Appeal Tribunal, to a young Socialist postman who appealed as a conscientious objector on moral "rounds. The appellant stated that as a monrber of the Civil Service Socialist Societv he believed in the bi-otherhnod ol man. ' Socialists in the Army were not< true .Socialists.* He was willing to take the consequences of his objection, even it it meant being shot. . The Chairman: There's not the slightest fear of vonr being shot. Appellant replied that, .something had Wen -aid i" Hie House of Commons to that effect. The Chairman (who is Deputy-Chair-man <of Committee in the House;-. It is all nonsense to suggest that any conscientious objector will be ishot. Tin? sort of extravaganza reduces the conscientious objector movement to the proportions of a farce. It is a serious movement, and we wish to treat it .seriously, it is no use your coming here and thumping the table anil saying you are willing, to be shot. You know -there is not the slightest chance of your boing shot. We lilte men lo place their views seriously and moderately before as, but melodrama of that kind does not impress us at all. The Laixmr member of the Tribunal (Mr. Stokes) al:-o told appellant that it was a piflcb of presumption for him to assume that men were not Socialists, because they did not share his view with regard to military service, and to suggest that Belgian and French Socialists who weru fighting were all wrong and he was right. The. Chairman: We are unanimously ol opinion that you should render noncombatant servic? to the country in tins great struggle. Leave to appeal was refused.