PACIFIST STUDENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 12

PACIFIST STUDENTS

KNOX COLLEGE GROUP STRONG VIEWS HELD NO OPPOSITION TO INVASION Tlio resolution suddenly presented to the Knox Church annual meeting in Dunedin last week was prepared by a pacifist group in Knox College, a group with strong convictions that under no circumstances would it take up arms in war, states the Dunedin Star. This group contends that it can claim 20 per cent of the students of the University of Otago among its adherents on general principles, including those who, while opposed to war, would be willing to engage in non-combatant services. Mr. D. P. Kennedy, the president of the Knox College Club, is a member of the pacifist movement, but when interviewed he said that, while he held strong opinions on the subject, he wished to make it clear that the movement was not officially identified with any college, university or church organisation. Non-Combatant Service He was asked if the computation of students who were pacifists at 20 per cent was fairly accurate, and replied that he considered it was. To say that one student in five would subscribe to the pacifist attitude appeared to be a fair estimate. Mr. Kennedy added that, of course, much depended upon tfye particular definition of the word pacifist. There were quite a number of pacifists who were perfectly willing to take up purely non-combat-ant services, such as medical work. If one included such people, the 20 per cent estimate would be fairly correct. "I myself would refuse to participate in any war but, would give medical service to any country. That would be my plain duty," he said. "Passive Resistance" "If this country were invaded tomorrow, what would the attitude of your movement be?" "We would assume a policy of passive resistance." "You would offer no opposition to armed forces?" "No." "Is this movement flourishing?" "There is a very strong movement in Knox College, especially among the theological students, and the members of that movement would not fight under any circumstances. And as parsons they would encourage others not to fight. Quite a number would not act even as padres. Of course, apart from the opposition on religious grounds, there are others who object on economic, humanitarian, or other grounds." A Minority Movement "Is this movement organised?" "Yes, we hold meetings and formulate plans for propaganda work. The representation to the annual meeting of Knox Church was not a spontaneous utterance. It was a prepared resolution. We also hope to be able to make use of the church papers to further our views." "This movement is a minority one?" "Yes; but some day it will be a majority one. It may be a long time, but will come." The congregation of Knox Church was taken by surprise at the annual meeting last Wednesday night, when it found itself faced with a resolution promising support to those of its members who became conscientious bbjectors to any future war in which iSew Zealand may become involved. The resolution was carried with only two dissentient voices. •'FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE" STATEMENT BY MINISTER The Rev. D. C. Herron, minister of Knox Church, when asked if he would care to comment on the action of the students, said he did not wish to add anything to what he had said when the resolution was carried. "I should like to make it clear, however," he said, "that I took the motion to mean that the Church would never bo a party to hounding people who for conscience sake are not prepared to take part' in warfare. As I interpreted it, the motion did not commit the congregation to a pacifist or, indeed, to any other attitude toward war. "It was purely a question of freedom of conscience. The Reformed Church has always maintained that every man was entitled to the freedom of his conscience, and tho Presbyterian Church will never be a party to hounding a man who adopted a certain attitude at tho dictates of his conscience "