CANTEEN SHUT TO OBJECTORS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1941, Page 10

CANTEEN SHUT TO OBJECTORS

VILLAGE DISPUTE WITH VICAR LONDON, November 26. The village of Walston, North Cumberland, is the scene of a controversy which the vicar, the Rev. R. H. Hawkins, says will “cut right across the whole life of the village and of the church.” The dispute follows the arrival in the village of a number of conscientious objectors, who are billeted in the village hall. Before this soldiers had been billeted there. A canteen was opened for the soldiers in an adjoining building owned by Mrs. Frances Jackson of the Manor House, Dalston.

After the arrival of the conscientious objectors, Mrs. Jackson closed the canteen.

“I refused to serve them,” she said. “I told the vicar so and he was very angry with me and said I was no Christian. Many lads have gone from the village to the war, and f could never look them in the face again if we ran the canteen for the C.O.s. “The conscientious objectors came to the village in ’buses, but the soldiers whom they succeeded had to walk to Carlisle. I also think it is a travesty to put C.O.s. in a hall built to celebrate our victory in the last war.”

A public meeting was held in the village last night to consider the position. There were cries of dissent when the Vicar contended that the attitude adopted by a section in the village against conscientious objectors was akin to Hitlerism. He announced his intention of starting another canteen for the objectors, but stated that they are men for whom he, personally, had no use. fitted to judge the effectiveness of the training and the calibre of these men who are now embarking on their career in the R.A.F.