Fighting Conscription.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 23, 11 August 1911, Page 13

Fighting Conscription.

On his release from gaol last AA'eek (let out an hour before the hour intimated, evidently to avoid a demonstration), William ' Cornish' Was; heartily welcomed by anti-conscriptidnists, and jeered by some ' coiiseriptionists. The Socialist Party Hall, Wellington, Avas croAvded last Friday night, Avhen the branch of the Federation _of Labour held its fortnightly meeting. Messrs. P. C. Webb (president F.L.) and R. Semple (organiser) AA'ere in attendance. Mr. J. Roberts presided, and speeches of AAolcome to Cornish Avere made by the chairman and Messrs. Freeman, Semple, Webb, and Bedford. The proceedings Av;ere most enthusiastic, and Cornish Avas' cheered to the echo. '...'" Mr. R.."* Semple, organiser for the Federation of Labour, congratulated Cornish on defying an immoral IaAV. The GoA'ernnient could not make a man a criminal unless the people said he Avas a criminal. The only, Avay to defeat this immoral law Avas to defy it. He Avas pleased that that spirit AA'as in Cornish. If the people of NeAV Zealand Avere going to stand this sort of thing, then the sooner they grew legs on their chests and learned to craAvl the better. They AA'ere going to send along the biggest deputation that had eA'er entered Parliament. They Avould not ask for Avhat they wanted ; , they Avould demand it. He advised the boys to break this immoral law. If candidates at the election AA'ould support this measure then the electors, must strike the pencil through their names. He then presented Cornish ...with a handsome gold medal, Avhich bears the following inscription : —"Presented to W. Cornish, 'junr.,. by the Runanga Anti-Conscription League. 26/7/'ll." -. Iff acknoAvledging the gift, Win. Cornish said that he Avished to give the lie to the.Capitalist press of NeAV. Zealand Avhich had stated that he had acted under his father's instructions. He had asked for his father's advice, and had been told to please, himself. "I pleased myself," he. continued, "and the punishment 1 got AA'as brought on by myself." . He gave a brief description of the , "institution on the Terrace." If they Avanted him to go to gaol they could come and take him, but he AA'ould never join the soldiers. "For being in gaol I got a shilling," he concluded, holding up the coin, amidst laughter. ii it it On Saturday night last the Wellington Socialists tendered Wm. Cornish a Avelcome "social," : over Avhich Comrade Medeime presided. The speech of the evening AA'as made by Mr. E. J. HoAvard, aa'lio had travelled from Christchurch bearing in_ his custody a medal from the /Dominion Executive of the N.Z.S.P. The bronze medal Avas in the shape of the Victoria Cross, and bore the folloAving inscription: —"N.Z.S.P., anti-militarism (red flag design), No. 1, W. Cornish, imprisoned ~15/7/'ll, for Courage." Mr. HoAvard pointed out that the real Victoria Cross Avas given for valour ; every boy Avho Avent to gaol against military training Avould be' given a medal similar to this bravo comrade's. The recipient modestly replied, and Avas giA-en a great reception. Frank Freeman, secretary Wellington party, AA'as the only other speaker. * * *, - A Press Association message from Auckland reads: —There is much concern in sports and athletic circles at the possibility of serious interference with' both summer and winter games, by compulsory military training/ on account of half-holiday and whole-day parades being fixed for statutory halfholidays. The effect will be to debar all ,young men eligible for military training from participating in _ the sport Avith which they are identified, and to increase the difficulties of clubs and proA-e detrimental to all sport especially summer pastimes. Mr. Archibald Forbes tells a story of a French and German soldier Avho Avere dying of their Avourids in the same hospital after the battle of Sedan. "What have AA'e killed each other for?" asked one. "Who khoAVS?" gasped the other, Avith . his parting breath. And lioav often might the same question be asked and anSAvered in the history of international struggles? The one necessary thing that will cause the cessation of Avar is for the people at Avhose expense Avars' are AA'aged to get sense enough to realise the folly of it v all and the poAver to act upon that knoAvledge. The Labour forces, as Mr. Ramsay MacDonald suggests, have that poAver if they only realised it and used. it.— "Wanganui Herald." Special "Doavu Ayith Conscription" number next week. . '..lVire Vive orders.

Campaign Chat

NELSON, Monday, July 1. /' The. youth avlio, by his parents*; orders, refused to register for military: serA r ice because of conscientious' scruples, has paid the fine, and is leaving New Zealand, by the.' Ton gap; riro to a.A*oid compliance with the Defence Act. His father is a Christadelphiau. **# . • BERLIN, 31st July. In Avelcoming visiting French trade unionists, the .Socialists held a demon-, stration, and pledged themselves to do all in their poAver to prevent the Morocco crisis' from cA r entuating in hostilities. The Socialist neAvspaper "VorAvaerts," in commenting on the situation, declares that German AA'orkmen Avill shoAv that the international solidarity of labour is not an empty phrase. * •' • * # Mr. G. Smith, Patea, Avrites :— The folloAving is a correct copy of the reply giA'en by the member for this trict on our drawing his attention to. young Cornish and asking what he is. going to do about it: — ' Kakarangi, July 20th, 1911. Mr. G. Smith. Dear sir, —Yours of July 18 to hand, and I note contents. I had not noted, the case quoted by you; in some cases a fine of from £1 to £2 has been the penalty. . I will look the matter up, and giA r e it my attention.- —I remain, yours truly, G. V. Pearce. i * * # Further. subscriptions to our anticonscription fund are a.s folloAv: —S. G. Jones, 2s; W. Grace, ss; W. Cload, 2s 6d; J. E. Duncan, 6d; F. A. Bauche Is; H. McDermott. Is. * * " * Dear Comrade, —I am informed. by his mother that her 'son, Harry Sutton, has left NeAV Zealand because he objects to being registered like a dog, and manufactured into a murderer! Mr. and Mrs. Sutton are old members' of the party (in England), and also noAV members of the Socialist party in Wellington.—Yours truly, W. Cornish. • • » The folloAving resolution Avas parsed at the last meeting of the Brooklyn Baptist Young Men's Bible Class :-4"Tiiat this meeting of the Brooklyn i Baptist Young Men's Bible Class ex-; presses its sympathy with William/ Cornish, a one-time member of the' class, in his stand against compulsorymilitary training, Avhich in the opinion of this class is entirely unnecessary and absolutely opposed to the teachings of Scripture." "No Tyranny" hits haerd in "Otago Daily Times": —"The Englishman, and, to an even greater extent, the colonial, have looked Avibh pity _ and contempt on all Continental citizens, in that,- willy nilly, they are forced to relinquish the - finest years of their liA'es for the- soul-killing routine and spirit-crushing dominance of militarism. But noAV this cursed thing has been forced on the 'free' citizens of 'God's Oavii Country,'■ and by one posing as its highest citizen. The fruit noAV ripening, and of all the instances of it noAV appearing the Pharisaic lecturing of the Christchurch magistrate,, reported in your issue of the 19th inst., is the most remarkable. 'It is true this gentleman has to administer "the IaAV as he finds it,'but that a magistrate should be so lacking in propriety as first to. to cajole, then to indulge in cheap sneers, then to threaten; and finally, Avhen unsuccessful, to make offensi\'e and insulting reference to the Rationalists of New Zealand, among whom is the Chief Justice himself, disgusts one." * * * Fred Cooke Avries as follows: "With reference to the statement published in your issue of the 28th ult., to the effect that T. E. Taylor (since deceased) could have stopped my incarceration by saying the AA'ord, I Avish to say to all my friends that T. E. Taylor sent a cheque along to the police station in payment of the fine inflicted on mc, and also a gentleman to try and persuade mc to alloAV the fine to be paid ; and when I came out of gaol I Avent along to Mr. Taylor and asked him to go to Lyttelton gaol to assist a sick prisoner, which he did. He also promised to bring the matter of prison reform and gaol life before the House of Parliament next session. At time of Avriting the_ Christchurch boys prosecuted for failing to register under the Defence Act haA'e not beeii imprisoned." ' 5 * . * * Special. . "Dqwn..wit!r Conscription''j number next week. Wire late order*;

If you are opposed to. compulsory military training, /kindly forward your name, and'address for purpose of organisation to the secretary of,, the Anti-Conscriptioii League of your town./ Ask for' a petition, and get it filled. , Distribute some literature. HJlviiight''writes' from Runan'ga :— AtVthe /close- of a mass meeting .held for the purpose of entering our most emphatic protest against compulsory military training, ! also against /'the treatment nieted out to the young.men of Njew Zealand.,,. ah Anti-Con scription League, was formed, when over/sixty mothers, fathers,, sons, and daughters pledged themselA'es to Avork in an, indefatigable .manlier for the abolition of suph. ; an imnioral laAA r . The AntiConscription League subsequently met, when there was a good attendance of both, sexes, full of enthusiasm and-de-terniiination.. ;J. Pattinson AA~as elected chairman,, and H. Knight secretary. A committee ,Avas , also ./.appointed as folloAA-s..; —Miss Hyndman, Mrs. Allan, Messrs. J. Dalziell, R. Knight,. J. . Devine, T. C. Gollins, /and A. Ne-ilsqn: The folloAA'ing resolutions Avere ,passed :'—- . . — ..-,'.- i Moved by R. Semple and seconded by, J, . Devine:—"That this league write' to Central Executive, Wellington, recommending that petitions be drawn up and: sent all over New Zealand, . and. that Aiiti-Conseription Leagues be formed AvhereA*er possible, mass meetings held, and enthusiasm aroused; also . that .Anti-Conscription. Leagues, Socialist .parties, unions; or any other body or organisation be asked to use petitions, and. when, petitions are signed (say inside, three months)," such: leagues, Socialist .parties, unions, or any other body .send delegates to a conference in Wellington, armed with the signatures of the people from Auckland to the /Bluff, then stump the House of .Parliament, demanding that this IaAV be immediately removed,. and ■ show Joseph;, Ward and all his colleagues that the people of .Noav Zealand are not going to sell their freedom in order that one .man might be made a baronet and some others knighted." :» It Avas also decided that Aye enter into a scheme of actiA r e propaganda all over the Coast against this retrograde measure. It.,was further decided to make' W. Cornish, junr., a presentation of a gold medal'upon his'coming out of gaol, on the front to have clasped hands, and! inscribed on the back tlie following:— "Presented to W. Cornish, junr.-y by Runanga • League. 26/7/'ll.". We make this presentation- because he is the first to defy the authorities to train him to be- a murderer. .* * * At the Shearers' Conference held, last AA'eek -it"was resolved: "That the conference protests against Clause 2 of the boy scout law, stating that all scouts must be loyal to their employers at all times." W. Cornish Avrites: I see by the "Post" of July 31 that the youth Thompson, of Nelson, has paid the fine for not registering, and has left New Zealand! What a damnedable shame! L consider this youth ought to be made No. 2 on the Roll of Honour. My son Avas imprisoned; Thompson is exiled. . =P * V THE DITIZEN ARMY. In vieAV'of the possibility that Jaures' recently issued book entitled "L'Armee Nouvelle" may be used to further the designs of the adA T ocates of the citizen army in this country, it is just as Avell that matters should be placed in their true light. The scheme of army reform outlined by Jaures in "L'Armee Nouvelle" is designed to remould the French army on popular lines, and- to transform it from an army*-of defiance solely into one of defence. Hence the scheme AA'ould obAaously be an-improve-ment on the present military system in France, and to that extent would-mean a step*fonvard just as AA'ould the transformation of the Germany army into a democratic citizen force, in accordance with Bebel's ideas. : But Avhat applies to France and Germany does not apply to England. What.would be a step forAvard for them Avould be a step backAvard for us. France and Germany are burdened with conscript armies and a dominating military tradition, and from these Great Britain so far is free. Hence.a citizen army for countries long labouring under the curse of the military system would mean a dilution of the virus of militarism, whereas in England it AA'ould.mean just the reverse. — •■ ' 'Xabo r, Leader.'' ■ '■-■•■