MILITARY DEFAULTERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 8

MILITARY DEFAULTERS

Sir,—lt was public property round •Mount Ivgniont during the war that there were several military shirkers hiding in the fastnesses of the mountain,' and various were the speculations of Mie public upon the subject of what would bo the penalties measured out to th/\se men when finally captured. It appears now that some <jf these shirkers have been captured and given terms of imprisonment, but for some reason or other known oniy to thoso with the inner circle, the capture, trial, and penalties have been kept quiet and hidden. . Sir, why this secrecy? Why are not the general public allowed to know what these men received 'as punishment for disobeying their country's call? Is icit the wholo country interested in the fate of those who have wilfully disobeyed her call? Enough was made fif the punishments suffered by conscientious objectors and ordinary deserters, so why any reluctance about giving to the aorld the infamy of these r-I am, etc.. EX DEBITO JUSTITIA. [The military authoritiw explain that any man arrested as a defaulter is tried bv a military court. The proceedings are open to! the Press, and the decisions of the courts, with the punishment imposed, are published in Orders. J here is no official secrecy,,but it is possible that some cases have escaped the attention of the newspapers. Inquiry could lie made concerning any specific case-1