CONSCIENTIOUS

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15671, 17 August 1916, Page 9

CONSCIENTIOUS

OBJECTORS.

THIRTY-FOXJR DEATH SENTENCES.

MR ASQUITH'S NEW POLICY.

(FROM oril OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, June 30. , I The House of Commons was startled to hear that no fewer than 34 con-, scientious objectors had been sentenced to death by courts-martial in France, but in each enso the sentenco had been commuted to penal servitude by the Commander-in-Chiof. Tho sub'eat was j not debated owing to the Prime Minis- i I ter promising a statement at >an early , date. Mr Asquith mad©, his, announcej ment yesterday, and in vidwj of tho > importance of the subject his statement is given in full: — I "Tho procedure to bo adopted bythe War Office in the case of. soldiers j under Army Order' 10" of May 25th, 191G, sentfenced to imprisonment for 'refusing to obey orders is as follows .— Tho first step is to sift out eases V . whore there is' prima facio evidence to v show that the offence was the Result of a "conscientious objection- to\ military j service. v For this purpose the courtmartial proceedings on con9cicntious ■ objectors' must bo referred to tue scru- i tiny of the War Office. With regard •to the-cases of thoso who havo been ' before a tribunal, the records will be consulted, If tho data therein are not 1 sufficient' for them, investigation will. ' be made, answers to categorical questions will bo required, and those who '; have knowledge of the man's, antecedents ' such as ministers of religion, may be consulted. ! "With regard to those who have not ' been 'before a tribunal, the first Btep will be to require them to answer the categorical questions which the tribunal might have put. After the inform . mation is supplied investigation will bo made into these answers. For the purpose of such investigation, and in all cases-whero a prima facie case is os ~ r tablished, tho Army Council will depend on tho advico of the Central App6al Tribunal or a committee of that tribunal who have consented to lend their 1 assistance for the purpose. That, I need hardly point out, is a purely civil body, and" the Government aro. very grateful for their consent to add this to their present duties. If the information is refused, and in all case? where tho plea is not entertained the prisoner will remain under military control, but the sentence will at omx? bo fommuted, and ho will bo sent to a ' detention barrack to undergo sentence. THE GENUINE CASE. "Men wno hold genuine conscientious objections wnl be released from trns .civil prisons on their under taking to perfoiin work of national' importance under civil control. Ti»cy will be transferied pro iorma to Section W of tne Army lteserve, and wil»_ cease to bo subject to military discipline or tho Army Act so long as tney continue to carry out satisiactorily tne'duties im- " posed upon them. 'iho Home »Se".retary has' appointed a Committee consisting of tho Parliamentary UnderSecretary to the Homo Office, Mr Brace, M.P., Sir Thomas Elliott, . K.C.8., and Sir Matthew Nathan, who aro now engaged in determining to what kind of work these men Ehould be put and under what conditions* "I may add to that statement two general propositiors which will. I hope, meet with universal consent. Tne first is that all men whose objections to active military service are founded on. honest conviction ought to be and will '■ be able to avail themselves of the ex- ' emption that Parliament has. proI vided; and, in the second place, it is necessary that men who put forward objections of this kind as a pretext and as a cloak to cover their ind:ffcrence to the national call and who nre, therefore, euilty of tho double offence of cowardice and hypocrisy—--(loud' : cheers) —should be treated as they ' ought to be treated, with the utmost rigour." (Cheers.^ I Drbafo did 'not arise on this anI but to the Prime Minister —speaki"!* as I Secretary of State for War —promised j that no soldier, believed be an objector. will be sent to Frp*»"e—undertaking that repeats Lord Kitch- , ener's promise.