CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 245, 10 July 1919, Page 5

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

DEMAND FOE RELEASE. Yet another demand was made for tho release of the conscientious cbjeclors'to military service who t-.ro pow in {rison serving sentences as the result of courtmartial proceedings by a Labour deputation which waited on Ministers yesterday.

Tlio ease for the conscientious objectors was pleaded by Air. Nash, of New Plymouth, and Mrs. Beck. Mr. Nash declared that he might himself have been a conscientious objector if his time had come, but it had not come, as he had three children. Ho had replied "No" to all the questions on the National Register. Ho said that tlieso objectors could not bo called cowards, because they had come through a very trying ordeal for conscience sake. He considered that there should be no difference in the treatment of those who were religiousobjectors, thoso who were Irish objectors, and thoso who objected for social reasons. In view of tho fact that the war was over these men might well be released now. Mrs. Beck pleaded in like manner for the release of tho men, making most of the point that some of them had been punished more than' once, and she argued that .they had suffered these successions of sentences for the 6ame offences. Sir James Allen said that when the Bill had first been beforo the House he made an attempt to have somo discretionary power left to, tlio Minister to deal with objectors, but Parliament had been absolutely determined _ (hat he should have no power at all in the matter. Tho law tied the hands of the Minister of Defence, and he wished to say after some years of experience that he was not suro that members of Parliament had not been right in tying tho Lands of tho Minister. He had met these conscientious objectors—ho used tho term '"'conscientious," but somo of them were merely defiant objectors, lie could not go into a disquisition as to how conscience was created, but ..'hen he looked at the casualty lists, and saw that 17,01)0 men had given their lives for tho freedom of this country,'ho could rot i.ndcrstnnd a man having a conscience which guided him, whatever he thought about the saving of his own soul; to refuse to fight alongside of the 17,1100 men who had sacrificed their lives for this touniry and the freedom of Hie individuals in it. Mr. Holland: Tho penplo here did not get the freedom.

Sir 'James Allen thought that somo influence might have been brought to bear on these men if iliey had been well advised to make them change their opinions. Their consciences might have been enlightened. As to what tho Government would do about these objectors, the question had been considered I y tho Government several times tlready, but not yet decided. Tho matter would bo up for consideration again at an early date.