ARMY JUSTICE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1389, 22 November 1918, Page 6

ARMY JUSTICE.

THE SOLDIER’S FAIR CHANCE. There is no fairer system of administering justice than in force in thc Army today (writes a correspondent in (ho Daily Alail). The whole trend of it is to protect tho soldier against himself. People who have studied the matter only superficially may be disinclined to agree, but let them look - into it. If a soldier is arrested for being intoxicated, one of tlie tilings most insisted upon is that his boots be taken away from him, in case, in Ids alcoholic fury, he may kick thc guard and thus severely increase his offence. Furthermore, it is laid down that he shall not bo brought before bis company officer for at least twenty-four hours after arrest. If ho were brought up next morning ho might still be under tho influence of drink and be unable to furnish his beat defence; or, in the alternative, might add insolence to his crime. Every prisoner lias his cap removed before t being marched into the orderly room. This is not, as so many think, merely a mark of degradation, nor is it done in order that tho man may be, distinguished easily from his escort. The reason is tins. Long ago before it was made tho practice, a soldier wlio was sentenced for some trivial offence 'got angry, took off Ids cap, and threw it in the face of ids commanding officer. He thus became guilty of a far graver offence and received a proportionately heavier sentence; but it was decreed that no future defaulter should have such a temptation put in ids way.

A civilian is apt to wax sarcastic over the, procedure adopted on, say, an inspection. He thinks that there is in it nothing more than Urn glorification of the officer, lie is utterly wrong The officer goes along the ranks with the platoon sergeant, and notices that one man is unshaven.

“Sergeant,’’ he says, “why hast) t this man shaved?” “Why haven’t you shaved?” asks the sergeant. Tho man tells him. You may think tho officer might, have put the question direct; but if the man had chosen to answer msolently ho would have been guilty of a very serious offence. Insolence to the sergeant would be bud enough, but to an officer ! For the same reason an- officer is strictly forbidden to have any dealings whatsoever with an intoxicated man. He never inspects billets or meals unless accompanied by a sergeant or a corporal. A court-martial is absolutely the fairest, court of justice. Everybody’s—even the prosecutor—is the prisoner’s friend. He is allowed to say nothing that will do harm to ids case. If, in ignorance, he makes a statement which may be dctiimontal to his interests, the president explains its significance fully before he will take it, down. Generally, tho prisoner has the common sense to withdraw. Arbitrary as it may bo in sonic ways, the British army’s code of justice is a wonderfully lenient and humane institution, and miscarriages of justice are practically impossible.