ARMY DEATH PENALTY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 5

ARMY DEATH PENALTY

CANADIAN GENERAL'S PROTEST.

General Sir Arthur Currie, Commander of the Canadian Coxpa in the war, commenting on the statement of Sir Laming Worthington-Evans in the British House of Commons that twenty-five Canadians were executed during the waiter military offences, as compared with live .how Zealamlers and no Australians, said recently (states Reuters Montreal correspondent) :— "It seems difficult to explain why such a question should have been asked or answered in the British House of Commons without reierence to Canada on a matter concerning Canada, alone. The answer given by the Secretary of State makes a most unfair comparison between Canadians and Australians. The Governments of the Dominions never gave up authority over their^pwn troops, but so far as discipline was concerned this authority was delegated more or less completely to tbt Commander in Chief of the British -Armies in France. Australia delegated authority on this point, less completely than did Canada, and a court-martial of ar. Australian soldier could not take place without one or more Australian officers being on the court. It is generally known, that no death sentences on Australian soldiers were ever to be approved. I don't wish to make any reflections on the conduct of Austral inn's, but the fact that none were executed while tu-enty-nvo Canadians wei'e proves notliin" whatever. If 1h ( . f ac f s o f the C ., RC as reported in th o p ross „,.„ ( . onv ,. t> , j „,,„. sider the British Government bus committed another stupid blunder and struck a dansercma blow af Imperial friendship..'-