THE DEATH PENALTY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17237, 17 April 1930, Page 7

THE DEATH PENALTY

ABOLITION IN ARMY LORDS AMEND MEASURE INTERESTING SITUATION (British Official Wireless.) Roe. in a.m. RUGBY, April 10. The House of Lords, by 45 votes to 12, passi'd an amendment to the Army and Air Force Annual Bill deleting the clause which abolishes the death penalty for cowardice in the face of the enemy, and desertion. An amendment, which was moved by Viscount Fitzalan, was supported by Field-Marshal Viscount J'lumer, who said that as a .senior officer of the army he wholeheartedly supported it. The retention of the death penalty was necessary for the preservation of discipline on active service. Success or failure of an operation depended for the most part on the morale of the troops. He did not believe penal servitude, which the bill provided instead of the death penalty, was an adequate substitute.

Field-Marshal Viscount Allcnby also supported the amendment. He said the alteration in the existing Jaw would tend to suggest to the minds of young soldiers that these offences were regarded as being less great than tliev were.

Lord Thomson, Secretary for Air, said the Government could not reconsider its decision in this matter. He had himself with reluctance gone against the advice of the. Air Council in his approval of the abolition of the death penalty for cowardice and allied offences. The difference between the men who sacked Badajoz and the men of to-day was such that you could not apply the same rules to them. The ordinary private soldier to-day was 10 times as civilised and sensitive a human being as those soldiers were.' The House of Lords could not disregard the result of the i'vee voting in favor of abolition given in the House of Commons. If their lordships sent the bill back to the House of Commons he could assure them it would come back to them with the peccant sections reinstated. The committee stage of the bill was completed, and the bill passed the remaining stages. It has now to return to the House of Commons for consideration of the amendment of the Lords. The House of Lords was to have adjourned to-night for the Easter recess, but will now meet again on Thursday to receive the bill back from the House of Commons.