CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 41, 17 August 1916, Page 2

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

THIRTY-FOUR DEATH SENTENCES

(FBOM OUR OWN COWtESPONDE.NT.)

LONDON, 30tb June. The House of Commons was -startled to hear that no fewer than thirty-four conscientious objectors had been sentenced to death by courts-martial in Prance, but in each case the sentence had beeu commuted to penal servitude by the Commander-in-Chief. The subject was not debated owing to the Prime Minister promising a statement at an early date. Mr. Asquith made his announcement yesterday, and in view of the importance of the subject his statement is given in full: — "The procedure to be adopted by the War Office in the case of soldiers under Army Order 10 of 25th May, 1916, sentenced to imprisonment for refusing to obey orders is as follows :—

"The first step is to sift out cases where there is prima facie evidence to show that the offence was the result of a conscientious objection to military service. For this purpose the courtmartial proceedings on conscientious objectors must be referred to the scrutiny of the War Office. With regard to the cases of those who have been before a tribunal, the records will be consulted. If- the data therein are not sufficient for them investigation will be made, answers to categorical questions will be 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 step will be to require them to answer the categorical questions which the tribunal might have put. After the information is supplied investigation will be made into these answers. For the purpose of such investigation, and in nil cases where a prima facie case is established, tha Army Council will depend _on the advice of the General Appeal Tribunal, or a committee of that tribunal which has consented to lend its assistance for the purpose. That, I need hardly point out, is a purely civil body, and the Government is very grateful for its consent to add this to its present duties. If the information is refused, and in all cases where the plea is uot entertained, the prisoner will remain under military control, but the sentence will at once be commuted, and he will be sent to a detention barrack to undergo sentence.

THE GENUINE CASE,

"Men who hold genuine conscientious objections will be released from the civil prisons on their undertaking to perform work of national importance under civil control. They will be transferred pro forma to Section W of the Army Reserve, and will cease to be subject to military' discipline or the Army Act so long as they continue to carry out satisfactorily the duties imposed \ipon them. The Home Secretary has appointed aCommittee consisting of the Parliamentary Under-Secretury to the Home Office, Mr. Brace, M.P.. Sir Thomas Elliott, X.C.8.. and Sir Matthew Nathan, who are now engaged in determining to what kiud of work these men should, be put and under what conditions.

"I may add to that statement two general propositions which will, I hope, meet with universal consent. The first is that all men whose objections to active military service are founded q.u' honest conviction ought to be and will be able to avail themselves of the exemption that Parliament has provided ; ajid, 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 indifference to the national call, and who are,, therefore, guilty of the double offence of cowardice and hypocrisy— (loud cheers) —should be treated, as they ought to be treated, with tho utmost rigour." (Cheers.) Debate did not arise on this announcement, bnt to Mr. Whitehquse, the Prime Minister, speaking as Acting-Secretary of State for War, promised that no soldier, believed to be an objector, will be sent to France, an undertaking that repeats Lord Kitichener's promise.