Jail for the True and Brave.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 53, 15 March 1912, Page 8

Jail for the True and Brave.

As tho outcome* of the remit <lastiirdly revival in the prosecution of hoys wlio are Cunipulsorj' Military Traiiiiiis at least half-a-dozen courageous Luis are in jail under liardhibor sentences. 0 the times! 0 the men! Wo moan t<. bay that nothing can justify the imprisonment- of lads whoso guide, counsellor and friend is Conscience, and whose disobedience springs from their very ethical altitude. "We mean to oi\y, as v<? have said before. that a laiv which drags to the degradation of prison tho high-spirited son.? of the nation wlio refuse to bow the knee to Baal i'or the reason tint they prefer xo stand erect for the Right — we mean to say that such a law is foredoomed to failure because of its inherent wickedness and rottenness. To us it remains inexplicable how men and women uphold a law which itself is a greater sin than tho breaking of it. We can only conclude charitably that our manhood and womanhood have not yet seized the nature and implication of the consmiptive law of this country. Let it he noted that conscription may even bo ;t good thing, and yet bad for the young. Many things proper and correct for men and women are not proper and correct for boys and girls. And in regard to our child conscription (the only child conscription in the world) it cauuot be good that we enforce it at the point of the bayonet and by tho use of tho baton. To brand a boy criminal and tear him with the prison taint —handcuffing him and herding with the outcast «nd ocuTuptod in the shabbiest and evilest of our institutions—because, lie will not accept a law in which ho has had no say, yet which law proposes to punish him ly denying him tho franchise thatj if exercised, might mend or end the law, is not alone an. outrage upon el omen tan , f airplay, but alleled throughout the English-speak-ing world. Apart entirely from it 3 conscription, our conscript law is positively lawless in its defiance of accepted morale in jurisprudence, and wo cannot too often repeat that to judge a boy of 14 old enough to understand what tho loss of a vote will mean and at tlio same time deny that ho is old enough to use a vote is absolutely unfair and l)\<-- :ic- ■ cowards and bullies. Tho boys of New Zealand have been told by their sapient eldors' that if they do not obey the law while in their teens thoy will no per get a \n.>to in their own country nor be given government employment in their own country —and wo sa.y it ia absurd and brutal. We know of no other law in any land which for iJie disobedience oi 14 penalises at 21, 31, 41, maybe to 101. So many !>jys <->re defying this law that wo are getln: c ', anxious about Iho future —we aro wondering if this conscript law may n<rt bo a plot u> place tlio fuLui'': <',O''t-r:iJi!''!ii- ol the. cont;try exclusively inks ilio hiuids of v r,cK !; autocracy ..s ;.. i-.w,u\l for their "übv.tlionce." liuu'ercr, *.Jio serious situH.in.'i i.> Uiat boys and youths admittedly uo'i- < rinunal in tlio real sense su-3 being made criminals. It will not bo iiu> fault of the authorities if certain a;iui oDiit-cripti)ODists aro nob despeni. !*■•!/ driven to crime and worse. Not Zealand lias msdo worthy !:>■■;- ---i-ory, but :it prr-sonl is nva.ki.no; d:-:-fcxoce-uil lrsk-ry. A rlcinocravi'j people iiiui l\ii;,ii lo'.v when it c<ivuio;ic;; the piii. :,M,is v- lioys fi>r V.l.<);•'.■ ofr i'i;<-r .. [!., y. ;,' • ■;■• nvi] Vil) :,;i:. > ; n::ii I ii 0f; , .-::-'.: !!..-■,• V. i.; S :-ii fim ;I ,!nlu |.-,r,'l .-)t Li- :-::. >■.<■•'■>;. l<> M.l'! , -.-.- <l !f . |i(-.lUiii )■ ■>. !,Io t'-l (.h:- <i.'.:'y i,:-.-::.. ;..:.y i-u'M.'.vy k'.hiiM {'iw :iiid j;ive. <>:. :-..•• cour.L i>l a binunod Gabiu.et roluisiii^j

from on study ii boy of 17 who had served weeks for his ''disobodience," and who bad been sentenced by «■ Christian magistrate to further weeks in jail for the same offence! We tiecLire to this press that if it really wants a light and has an ounce, of pluck it will come at the men. We declare to this press that if conscription is the necessary and Ciodliko thing it claims, it will apply it to the men. Start your compulsory military training, 0 noble- jingoes, «tuong tho men. and let us, an you be honorable and unafraid, have a battle of n;eii. Meanwhile the boys have pitted fhe.ir good sense and just cause against militaristic madness —and the jail yawns for them. A country making infamous history, and yet glorious! These "disobedient " sons at once the truest and bravest of us all and tho saving salt of grandest democracy! Fortunate country whose boys dare to go to jail rather than be false to instinct and conviction! Insane country that crucifies its boldest sons upon a cross of riHesl