MILITARY AND PULPIT CRITICISM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 2

MILITARY AND PULPIT CRITICISM

MAGISTRATE ' CHARGED WITH PREJUDICING RECRUITING.

A chargo of preaching sermons containing phrases likely to prejudice recruiting in Bridlington (England) Primitive Methodist Chapel was brougut against Thomas Fcnby recently. Tho defendant is a town councillor, county councillor, Magistrate, and a member of the local Tribunal.

Lieutenant M'Cully, legal advisor to thra Northern command, complained of defendant's statement that "one of the greatest crimes in the history of the country was inaugurated when compulsory military service was introduced into England," references to "tho hard-, ships of military service and rule," "tho brutality and indecency of the medical boards in that and other districts." and the (statement, "leaving out altogether the question of international settlement, it was high time the war was stopped." Colonel M'Lean, Deputy-Director of Recruiting at York, agreed that it was truo anything the defendant said could not interfere with {he calling up of the conscript class under the Military Service Acts, _ but statements which created a feeling of disaffection very considerably interfered with Tribunal work oven in tho caso of conscripts. A Magistrate: Do you mean they prejudice the Tribunals? Witness: No; but I can assure you a large amount of'injury "has been done to recruiting through loose, illogical, and very often scandalous statements made throughout the country. „ For the.defence it was contended that nothing in the sermon went beyond fair criticism. It had not yet been suggested that criticism was forbidden, and every day thcro wero criticisms of existing facts that were true ' Ho was appalled by tho suggestion of the prosecution _ that a mail was not allowed to criticise an existing fact. Mr. Fonby, in giving evidence, said what he intended to convey in his sermon was that tho churches had not dono all they might in the interests of mon in the Army. He had absolutely no intention of saying anything to prejudice recruiting. Lieutenant M'Cully: When you say: "It is high time tho war was stopped'," do voir think that is a matter for the churches?-."What I said was that from tho humanitarian point of viow, as distinct ■ from tho ' international question, I think it is high time tho war stopped, and I believe that is everybody's view."

Tho Bench decided that tlio statements- were not' likely to prejudico recruiting, and dismissed tlio charge Seven' other 'summonses against tho defendant' ivero thereupon withdrawn by tho military.