PACIFIST'S REPLY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 152, 29 June 1945, Page 6

PACIFIST'S REPLY

"COULD LOVE COMMANDANT"

A statement that he could "love the commandant of the Belsen atrocity camp, with God's help, because the commandant was a human being like anyone else," was made, in reply to a question, by David Robert Lomas, when applying for release from detention camp, before the No. 1 Revision Authority, Mr. A. H. Johnstone, K.C., in St. Andrew's Hall this morning. He based his convictions that war was wrong on Christ's teachings, he said. He added that he believed God protected His own, and that if, for example, he wanted to save New Zealand from the Japanese, he would arrange it by His Almighty Power. The "spiritual cross which true Christians carried constantly all their lives" was referred to byapplicant, who said that soldiers had to bear a physical cross for a few years only. , _ , .. "I don't know that the effects of a bullet wound are so soon over, said Mr. Greenberg, Crown representative, and director of detention added that he did not think it would conflict with his conscience if he served in the E.P.b., m order to help people, even if tne E P.S. was, in an emergency, directed by military authorities. Lomas said he had held his beliefs for 12 years and was a niembei of the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies. . Evidence .as to applicant s sincerity was given by two witnesses, one of whom, Harry Lewis Nixon, a farmer, said it was in human nature to resist aggression and he himseit had often .felt he would like to be in the Air Force. However, he knew this was a wrong attitude ano had to be suppressed. Asked whether it would be possible for a man to cloak fear of going to war by professing beliefs such as the Christian Assemblies held witness admitted it would oe possible, as there was no way ot telling what was in a person s mmd.

Former Teacher's Case Another applicant, Ernest Arthur Crane, was a former teacher on tne staff of Wesley College. He said he joined the Christian Pacifist Society in 1937 and was a member of tne Methodist Church. Mr. Greenberg: What would happen to our men in the forces if their needs were not attended to by the chaplains, the Red Cross medical corns and Y.M.C.A.? Does that not Slengelyou at all? Would you leave them to rot over there.' Applicant: The Army makes sure they are looked after. If I helped in any of those capacities I should be sanctioning war. , Mr Greenberg: But are you not concerned about them? Would you not even allow them spiritual nurture? Can you stand by and do nothing for them? Applicant: I cannot cross that line and take the military oath. Crane further declared that he would not take a pledge for Britain or obey the State if it involved him in action which was contrary to his be Mr fS ' Greenberg asked applicant whether, if a man did not want to go to war, it would be worth the membership fee of 2/6 to join the Christian Pacifist Society and secure the sanctuary of prison and detention camp. .- Applicant: It is not so easy to endure social ostracism and separation from one's loved ones. An appeal for release by Clarence Roy Barnett, farmer, was also heard. He said that prior to his forming conscientious objections to war he had applied for overseas service, as he did not then think that war was wrong. He was not accepted immediately, and he did not appeal the first time he was called up. When he took a second medical examination, however, his views had changed, with the result that, on his appeal being dismissed, he became a defaulter. , In all cases decision was reserved.