Conscription 'Repeal League

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 November 1916, Page 3

Conscription 'Repeal League

Piiiy'i'DE.NT CAUGHT IX FIRST J3AJ,LOT. Mr P. Soott Ramsay, oi' Ohristehurch whose name figures among the men selected in tlu first cous.iiption ballot, is pro- cl'jiit of i: urbanization called the Conscription liepeal League. Mi- Ramsay intends to passively resist the Military Service Act, and to a Star reporter he stated his reasons which are the reasons ac.uating the league in th position it is takl.'ng up. In the first place, the league considered that 'New Zealand would be better occupied in producing foodstuffs for Brtiain than in exporting conscripts, and l it resents the differentiation made by the Imperial and l>few Zealand Governments between proposal to conscribe life and proposals to commandeer property. It also draws attention to the fact that Ireland has been exempted fiom conscription because of the attitude of the Irish people. To the fact that Canada has not impressed conscription because it would take a bigger "army to prevent men crossing the border line to the United States to avcid bding conscmbecl than any army Canada could hope to send abroad. The league also believes Mint Xew Zealand, as a nation, does not approve of conscription, and cites the result of the Australia referendum in supporting this theory. It also argues that only forty out of eighty members of the House of Representatives had suFficent confidence in the proconscription attitude of their constituents to vote for the Military Service Bill. Furthermore, the league alleges that preparations were made in Australia before the referendum l to import cheap labour to fill the gap caused by the deportation of Australian manhood, and the league regards with apprehension the adoption of similar provisions in this country. Mr (Ramsajy istatedi that the league's principles were neither antimilitarist nor Socialistic, and the organization had! received promises of support ifrom unexpected quarters and from many influential people. The members were pledged to resist conscription passi'vely. They had no confidence in the Appeal Boards as the possible groundls of exemption excluded such political reasons as actuate tile members of the league. Pending iresult of deliberations of various industrial organizations, the members have no definite scheme of resistance. They will "want and see what happens."—Star. •nßßMnuanK