CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15182, 29 March 1917, Page 8

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

NOT WELCOMED IN SUSSEX. SHOPKEEPERS WTTO DO NOT WANT THEIR TRADE. Into an ironmonger's shop in High Street, Lewes, Sussex, there walked today, writes a correspondent of a London paper, a tall, well-set-up figure in khaki. On his shoulders were the letters “N.C.C.” —which showed him to be a member of that eccentric sect, the conscientious objectors. He asked for a razor. The shopkeeper glanced at the polished letters on the visitor’s shoulder. “I don’t want your trade, and I want yonr money,” he said. “There’s the door.” “But you show razors in the window,” purred the would-be customer. “I have a right to buy one. ' “Whether you’ve a right or not, you’re not going to get one. I sell razors to men—not to conscientious objectors.” This conversation gives a fair indication of the feeling which exists in I/ewes as a result of the billeting there of tO'l individuals whose consciences will not allow them to defend themselves again-t Germany. A tobacconist in Station Road has taken the same stand against serving the objectors. Other shops are falling into line, and in a short time the “hurt-inc-nots” will either have to induce somebody to buy comforts for them or go without. GENERAL OSTRACISM. To all intents and purposes they are ostracised. The assizes are in progress this week, and every day conscientious objectors with hours to spare try to obtain admi»dou to the public gallery. But there is never any room for them. The town, however, is not content with merely showing its dislike of the conscience men; it is indignant at their presence, and wants to get rid of them. Lewes has been a model patriotic town. Before the Derby scheme came into operation 1200 of its entire population of 11,500 had joined the Army, and since then the l umber has been brought up to 2000. Many have been killed or wounded. And now it is asked to have conscientious objectors sleeping in tlie beds of men who have gone to fight. One half of Lewes will not tolerate it under any circumstances. The other half is liearing it because it fears that it has to do so. One man has already got into trouble because, coming home late at night to find that two of the objectors had been billeted in his house, he flung their kit-bags into the road, and when the men came home told them that they would have to spend the night in the street so far as he was concerned. SLOW BILLETING. It took the police from 4 o’clock in the afternoon until midnight to do the billeting. Ordinarily the t*k would have been finished in an hour. "What! Conscientious objectors here, when I have three sons fighting in Prance!” shouted one woman on whom the police called. “I’d sooner be dead!” The same kind of thing happened for hours on end, and for a long time the number to "be billeted was hardly reduced at all. Those who had been allotted billets kept on returning in threes and fours to say that they had been turned out of the houses. A party, of three men came back four times. All classes of the community are represented in the men whosd introduction has caused so much resentment. There is a judge’s son and there are two West of England policemen. Many of them are plentifully supplied with money. They have been in several military camps, but were removed from, each owing to the open disfavour shown towards them by soldiers. Now Lewes leans that it will be rid of them ,in about a fortnight, and is doing its best to speed the parting ,guest "by making him understand his unpopularity. .