PEACE PLEDGE UNION

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 13

PEACE PLEDGE UNION

RESOLUTION ON CONSCRIPTION At a meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Peace Pledge Union, the following resolution was passed unanimously, and copies were sent to the Prime Minister, the Acting Prime Minister - , and the Minister of Defence : “ We are grateful for repeated assurances from j'our Government and fom individual members of tho Ministry that conscription is no part of your policy. We are confident that the great majority of the people of tho Dominion are opposed to conscription, and wo would urge you to maintain your stand for freedom. Whilst we recognise that your Government does not accept our view that war in all circumstances is wrong and futile, we base the case against conscription on other principles also—principles which wo feel should be compelling to a Government representative of all the people. Conscription would bo a surrender to totalitarianism. It wopld do the gravest injustice to young men —not only to those who have a clear objection of conscience to taking part in war, but to large numbers of youths who have had no opportunity to work out clear conclusions. Conscription would be a deplorable departure from traditions of freedom and ' democracy. Conscription, as a reply to war methods adopted elsewhere, would tend to establish among ourselves the militarised national life under which human personality is being crushed in so many other countries.”

Tho following open letter was also sent to the Prime Minister and the Acting Prime Minister: “We wish to thank you cordially for the assurance given in the broadcast speeches by both of you that ‘ We British people harbour no feelings of bitterness or hatred towards the people of Germany.’ We trust that you will have tho full support of the people of the Dominion in this. Only on a friendly attitude of person to person can a true world peace bo founded. If we remember rightly, you and other leaders of your party during the last war championed tho claims of innocent alien residents to fair treatment at a time when some people were demanding and imposing harsh measures. We take your broadcast statements as an assurance that these resident guests shall during the present hostilities be allowed to enjoy the hospitalitv of our country without undue restriction. We welcome this assurance, and appeal to you to do all in your power to see that tho whole community maintains the same friendly attitude. We are especially concerned for those who have recently found refuge in this country from oppressive rule elsewhere, and would urge that everything possible be done to reassure them of our friendship and their security.”