ADVICE TO ANTI-CONSCRIPTIONISTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 82, 13 March 1916, Page 4

ADVICE TO ANTI-CONSCRIPTION-ISTS.

Just before the passing of the British Compulsory Service Act the Spectator indicated how anti-conscriptionists who were eligible for service might still avoid what their consciences refused to sanction. The advice, winch may be applied in New Zealand, is as follows:—"We desire to express our strong agreement with Mr Asquith in what he said as to it being always open to the men who are now to be made the subject of Compulsion to join under the voluntary system. He pointed out that the compulsory part of the Bill could easily be rendered nugatory by the young unmarried men who have held back coming in on the voluntary system. As the Prime Minister said, there is still 'plenty of time for them to do so,' and what is more, they Avill be able to come in and attest under the group system. Compulsion, and compulsion of a perfectly clear and stern though narrow' and temporary kind, is to be introduced, but at the same time the voluntary door is to be kept open.- Therefore no man will be able tO'i;ake the line that, though he wotild have-beeni willing to serve his country voluntarily he will not do so under compulsion. Such Falstaffian consejentious objectors can <be now met wftn. tlfe perfectly'plain answer with which Abraham Lincoln met them—'Defeat compulsion by enlisting voluntarily.' " [■ I ■*;-! :