PRIVATE P. C. WEBB.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1802, 16 March 1918, Page 2

PRIVATE P. C. WEBB.

Grcymouth, March 14. Private P. C. Webb, M.P., wiredthe Labour Unions on the West Coast to .take no industrial action ■ f on account of his military affairs. H.c will battle his trouble as a>matter of principle on his own. COURT-MARTIAL PROCEEDING. Wellington, March 15. At the Court-martial of Fte. P. C. Webb, when the charge was read over, Webb pleaded guilty. The Judge-Advocate pointed out that the plea of guilty meant that the Court would pass sentence, and he advised Webb to plead not guilty. Webb said that he was guilty of disobeying the order, but he hoped to show good reason for doing so. The Court accepted this as a plea of not guilty. An adjournment was granted pending the arrival of a shorthand expert.

ACCUSED ADDRESSES COURT

Webb'opened his address by thanking the military authorities for their treatment of him, and expressing his appreciation of the assistance and advice given him by Colonel Macdonald. The charge brought against him, he said, was a seri-> ous one. It was quite clear that ‘ili the case had been brought befoi’e a general court-martial he would have been liable to a sentence of death, lie proceeded to say that he had been compelled by principle to refuse (o obey orders. Tie had repeatedly protested against men in civil life, whether they were political, religious or conscientious objectors, being tried by court-mar-tial. Me questioned the judicial capacity of military officers. If a man was to be tried he should not be brought before men whose political or military judgment was against the stand lie took up. The law should/rellect the collective judgment: .of the people, and he wished to question The validity of the law under which he was charged. The conscription law had been passed about twelve months after the last genei’al election. He did not admit that he had committed any breach of the moral law of the country. The conscription laws had been passed without a mandate* of the people, and he hud been denied the right to criticise the Government. He had asked the Government to consult the people by means of a referendum as in Australia, where the people had rejected conscription,

Webb went on to state that the soldiers avlio had helped to elect him to Parliament in 1914 had left him to represent them and their dependents. They had asked him W look after their interests. He had stated his Avillingness to obey the will of his constituency. He Avas willing to go to the front if his constituents said so, but no request of the kind had come. He had registered his protest against the evil things done' during the Avar. Major Talbot: By Avhom? By the Germans 1 Mr Webb: By some people Avho are equally as bad as the Germans Avhen they pile up Avar profits Avhile people Avho pay these Avar profits are being exploited. He had not appealed against military service. His constituency had appealed for him. The Military Service Board had re-* jected the appeal. Webb related how he had resigned his seat and been re-elected. The Military Service Board had refused a re-hearing, also extension of leaA T q to, enable him to attend the forthcoming session of Parliament. Parliament hud not exempted its own members, buPit had given power to Ministers to declare certain industries essential. Ministers had secured exemption for policemen, hut not for the men Avho made the luavs. ARGUES WITH THE PRESIDENT. Accused became itmilved in an argument with the President regarding the ’ Avar, the yellow peril, and the employment of women in the place of men uoav in Ihe army. He spoke of recent diplomacy, and was dealing with the theory of Government Avhen the President stated that the Court was already in possession of sufficient information to enable it to judge of his attitude. In his concluding remarks, Webb questioned the soundness of the military law because of its lack of support throughout the country. He realised that he had no expectation of consideration and would suffer the penalty of his disobedience. The Avrongs done him and others would he remembered on the day of political judgment when the people dealt Avith the Government at tho polls. The President interrupted with a statement regarding the Government and the Avar. He said if the Empire did not Avin the Avar there Avould he an end of the freedom of labour, members of Parliament and everybody else. Webb made a few further remarks, and Major Talbot then asked him to conclude, Webb repeated that he had served his own conscience, and Avould he prepared to accept the judgment of the people. Colonel Macdonald said the prosecution had established its case by showing that the order given was a! lawful one, that it had been properly given, and that accused had refused to obey it. The accused had admitted his defiance of the law's plainly, and the ease could he left to the decision of the Court. The Court was cleared while the Court considered its decision, aud sentence will he promulgated later,,