CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 195, 13 May 1919, Page 4

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY. Replying to a correspondent who wrote to him regarding the treatment of conscientious objectors to military service, Sir James Allen has sent a letter, from which the following is an extract:— "I can. only say that it seems inevitable that there must be a difference of opinion about the conscientious objectors. It appears to me that you look for justice on one side only; but I cannot conceive how a conclusion can be come to as to what is just without reviewing the wholo position. "We.have had to fight for our liberty, and I think you, will agree' with mellow that we have seen something of the Peace terms and the Covenant of the League of Nations—that we • may ' hope the war has not been in vain. The sacrifices have been immense, but if we can secure peace for the future it will be some reward. You can scarcely contend that so favourable a peace could have been secured until we had won in the fight. Having gone so far, you must also concede that we could not win without the men to fight for us. There 6eems to be only ,one just conclusion that one can arrive at—that is,- if a nation has to fight for its freedom and liberty, every one of its citizens should be prepared to take his part in the fight. You know that if pur citizens objected to combatant service, wo offered them opportunities to take noncombalant work with the Amy. If they refused that thev havo refused to do their citizen duty. , "So far as the British Constitution is concerned, it could not be in existence but for the fact that wo have won tliis fight."