A PACIFIST SECT

Evening Star, Issue 19001, 24 July 1925, Page 6

A PACIFIST SECT

CLAIM FOR EXEMPTION Belonging to a sect of “ no particular name, but apparently strong on the point of pacifism, John Itchvard Taylor brought before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., to-day three sons of Senior Cadet age for whom he sought exemption from military service, The circumstances gave the magistrate an opportunity to outline the attitude or the court towards religions objections. For the Defence Department Captain S. M. Satterthwaite opposed the applications, which wore supported by Mr R. R. Aspinall. _ “ I believe in the teachings of Christ laid down in the New Testament,” began the father, when lie was called to state the reason of the applications. The Magistrate: Wnat are they? Taylor; Love your neighbor as yourself, seek to do good, love your enemies and ——.” “ And if vour neighbor doesn’t love you,” asked tho magistrate, “ what then?” . , .

“I would do my best to love him!” replied Taylor. After asking tho ages of the hoys and ascertaining that they were respectively sixteen, fifteen, and fourteen, the magistrate said that he was not concerned so much with tiro religious beliefs of tho father as with those of tho boys. He asked the eldest lad to step into the box. “Can 1 make a statement?” said Tavlor.

“No; I want to hear the boys,” remarked tbe magistrate. “Well,” said Taylor, “I, have not spoken to tbe hoys in any way, and ”

“That’s all right,” interjected the magistrate, “ I wan’t to hear the beys.”

Asked what were Ins opinions, the eldest hoy said he believed in following bis lather’s religion. “Do yon go to any clmrcnP” ashed thj magistrate.

The bov explained that tluir church was held in private houses. He had attended fairly regularly. Ho had been at church three weeks ago. “What do you believe about military training?” was the next question from the magistrate.

It was too big an order for the hoy. He just answered: “Aw—l dtinno!” “The position is that the boys are ‘easy’ on the matter,” explained Sir Aspiuall. “The father is a member of a sect of no particular name which moots in private houses and has a dominion organiser. The father says he wishes to square his conscience, lie does not believe, in military training, but the attitude he takes up is that if the law compels lim buys lo train he is willing to obey.”

“ Jt is not a matter for the court to decide as to religious tenets, or the sufficiency of such tenets,” said the magistrate, “hut as to whether the applicant believes in them, Die applicants in this case are the hoys, ll they don’t believe in military training, and can substantiate that position, that is an end of the matter.” “The boys have not had sufficient training to form any decided opinion,” said Air Aspiuall. •‘Then the application is premature,” rejoined the magistrate. After studying the section covering cases of the kind, the magistrate stated that lie would adjourn the applications for fourteen days. _ During that time the boys could bo interviewed by the chaplain to the forces, who could ascertain whether military training was really against their '"beliefs. It was hardly proper, lie thought, that the details of religious belief should he gone into in court. If the boys satisfied the chaplain that military training was against their Indicts exemption would ho granted. If they did not satisfy the chaplain, exemption would not be granted.