SOCIALIST APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 9

SOCIALIST APPEALS

Unwilling To Perform Military Service WILL FACE CONSEQUENCES Saying he was a socialist opposed to the capitalist system, Francis Edward Linney, storeman,, Petone, appealed for exemption from military service overseas before the Wellington Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday, on the grounds of conscientious objection. He did not appear but his statement was read and his appeal dismissed for lack of prosecution. In a letter to the board he said he would not abide by its decision. His statement read: “My objection to serving in the armed forces is on following grounds: (1) While not belonging to any church I realize that war and the methods of war are contrary to Christian teaching. I therefore believe it is wrong to take life under any circumstances; (2) I feel that all the killing, wounding, maiming and suffering inevitably involved in warfare is a crime against my fellowmen: (3) because war inevitably brings the heaviest burden upon the working classes, to which I belong, I feel that it would be a denial of my social and political views to participate in war; (4) as a socialist who is opposed to the capitalist system I must be consistent and refuse to participate in a war that is the natural result of such a system. “I would be quite willing to do work of a non-military nature and accept military rates of pay or undertake to do dairy-farm work of which 1 have had some experience.

“I shall not be there for the hearing of my appeal on Friday,” appellant wrote, “because I do not think that any man, or men, has the right to judge any other man’s conscience. “Should the verdict of the Appeal Board go against me, I definitely will not abide by their decision and will face the consequences whatever they may be.” Linney also wrote:

“There is no clause on this form (appeal form) dealing with political objection. T will be quite willing to train for overseas service with the forces hut I will not take any oaths or sign any papers that will force me to go overseas till 1 am convinced that this war is being fought for democracy, and the other democracies. Russia and the United States of America, are in it too.”