NO EXEMPTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15715, 7 September 1911, Page 6

NO EXEMPTIONS.

The Prime Minister said again in tho House of Representatives yesterday, that there would be no exemptions under tho Defence Act except for grave physical defects. The standard of bodily fitness in the Territorial force must bo kept Ligh, since tho men would bo required to undertake arduous labour in tho fiold if ever their services were required by their country, but the regulations governing the senior cadets would bo so arranged “ os to exclude only those who are quite unfit to undergo tlio training required or to be improved physically by it.” Sir Joseph Ward added that tho Commandant was a sensible officer, who wished to avoid friction as far as possible. The young men mentioned by Mr G. W. Russell, who are so loudly announcing their intention to defy tlio law, will not bo able to draw* much satisfaction from tho Prim© Minister’s statement. General Godley is not rushing into the courts every time tlio requirements of the universal service system aro disregarded, because lio knows that very many of the refractory youths will realise, when they have grown tired of posing as martyrs, that there is nothing particularly grand or brave or even manly about an attempt to shirk their sharo of a national responsibility. Tho genuine conscientious objector, who believes sincerely that lio would bo doing wrong if lie prepared to resist foreign aggression by force of arms, "ill remain, and tho authorities will havo to devise somo means of dealing with liis case in a sympathetic spirit. But most of the noise is being made by young men who merely are affronted by the suggestion that they should submit to discipline and training, and who may reasonably be expected to come to their senses after they have had time' for reflection.