THE OBJECTORS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 216, 31 May 1918, Page 7

THE OBJECTORS

CONSCIENTIOUS AND OTHERWISE

TREATMENT IN NEW ZEALAND

UNFOUNDED CHARGES OF CRUEL!

The question of tho punishment indicted upon "conscientious objectors" is raised by a correspondent, who states that Bhe has heard nlniming statements made at a meeting of tho National Council of Women. "I attended a meeting (open to the public) of the National Council of Women." she writes. "Certain resolutions were brought forward by a lady to the effect Hint as conscientious objectors were being subjected to No. 1 fiold punishment, something should be done by tho women present to prevent the infliction of such awful barbarism on anyone,'objector or not. Tho tiarrowins details 1 heard 'for the first lime, i They are equal in fiendishness to any of the reported German atrocities. Tho lady was famished with what appeared to be sufficient proof of the uutbenticlry of what she reported. As a resolution was passed that the part of tho proceedings ■ occupied with tho discussion should not be reported there seems to be little hope of one being able to obtain further information concerning this matter." The correspondent asks if tho statemenis she heard made are trno. There is definite ground for believing that attempts are being made to create false .impressions on tho subject menlioned by the correspondent. The-truth is (hat not more than two or three NewZealand "conscientious objectors" have c-i-cr.como within range of No. 1 field punishment, and a New Zealander who i;as conscientious objections to helping light the Germans does- not reach tho field of war under the present arrangements. Field punishment No. 1 mcajis that the offender is SvA te a g\m-whw>l for r tjeriod determined by the military court indicting the penalty. Admittedly it is a severe punishment, though it does not compare with the tortures that Ger-

mans liavo inflicted ou civilians (for merely nominal offences. But it is inflicted only for grave military misdemeanours in the face of tho enemy. Thu alternative, in such circumstances, is death, since thero can bo no httlf-mensuies about tho enforcement of discipline in the held. Bui this piuiioliroont cannot tall upon a reservist who announces his conscientious objections when he is called up, since such men are not sent to the froht. Tho man who does hot become an objector until he has reached (ho firing-line is classed as a coward or a shirker, and treated accordingly. The normal treatment for a conscientious objector in New Zealand is a short lenn of detention-'followed bv a longer term of imprisonment. The' men who undergo these punishments are treated with • gL*eat consideration—far moro consideration than many New Zealanders think they deserve. They are well fed, housed comfortably, and exposed to no violence. Efforts are made to induce them to undertake military or non-combatant .service, and they naturally are not popuJar with tho soldiers who have to. deal with them. But they are not exposed to physical suffering of any kind. The methods adopted by tho New Zcaland military authorities in the treatment of conscientious 1 objectors are almost identical with .those adopted by the military people in the "home of democracy," Hie United States of America. Thero were about 200 conscientious objectors among the 600,000 men called to tho colours with the first American draft. Ihoir treatment is described by a sympathetic writer as follows:- - 'A conscientious objector gets bis notice to ffiport at camp on a certain (late. Perhaps he complies with the order. Perhaps ho has determined not to comply voluntarily with any military command, in which case he sends word that he refuses to report for' service, but can bo found at a certain address. A military policeman is sent to that address, anil the 'objector .quietly proceeds to camp ju his custody. Arrived in camp, the objector will bo ordered to put- on tho uniform. Ho may refuse or comply. In a nv event he will presently be. ordered out for drill. Probably ho refuses to obey that order. Ho informs the officer that he is a CO. The officer will probably laugh and tell him to fall in with the rest. If tho objector is firm ini his refusal the officer will report him to a superior. If the objector happens to belong to 6omo well-known group liko the Quakers, his claim will probably be immediately recognised. He will then be asked to accept alternative service, in the hospital or commissary department, for example. If he declines to do this he will be placed in a separate company with men of liko mind, and kept, there until tho President's .ruling on noncombatant service is made."-

In the case of the New Zealand conscientious objector tho preliminary term of rdetontion is followed usually bv . a term of imprisonment. But the military prisoners are kept separate from the ordinary inmates of the gaols. They are given wholcsomo employment and thev aro not subject to any military punishment's. The degreo of hardship thev are called Upon to faso is very small 'indeed compared with the sufferings of tho soldiers who aro fighting for the Empire in France.