The Washington herald., 1919-04-13

While all that is best In English
life-in politics. the church. literature
or labor-has been 1petitioning the
government, now that the armistice
10 in being. to release the 1.o0o con-
scientious objectors in prison for
their refusal to partake in war. or in
this war. the reply Of the govern
ment is to continue its cat-and-mouAe
court-martials and re-sentence to two
years hard labor scores of men who
have already served a period exceed
ing the maximum legally permissible
for ordinary criminals.
In a number Of instances men have
been court-mArtialied for the third.
fourth and even fifth time. and in
defiance Of the salutary legal maxim
that man cannot be tried twice for
the same offense.
Sequel to War.
Seven hundred of these contsmp-
tuously called "Conchies' are now
undergoing the maximum penalty.
despite tho fact q considerable pro-
portion have been pronounced gen.
uine by local, appeal and central
tribunals.
Many have been broken in health
or reason, some released at the point
of death after protracted hunger
strikes. not a few done to death.
Here, surely. is q grimly Gilberttan
sequel to the war against militarism.
But apart from this sinister fore-
shadowing of a super-Prussian fu-
ture II raises afresh. and in what
Bacon would call an "ostensive"
form, the question whether a gov
ernmentai pledge is sacred obli-
cation or whether it may be treated
like "a scrap OF paper"
For when the conscriptiop act was
passed. the House of Commons un-
deniably provided IT with con-
science clause and. as the petitioners
have recalled. Mr.. Walter Long de-
clared in 1916:
Nobody in the government we nts
the horror of men who. for con-
science sake. are unwilling to serve,
being thrown into gaol for a long
time"
Undermines Prestige.
In illegally imprisoning and over
furnishing. and in thus outragins the
conscience OF her most distinguished
citizens. England is undermining her
prestige at home and abroad. and
will not escape the nemesis of this
blUndering brutality.
1T Is OF the utmost moment" says
Burke. mot TO make mistakes in the
use OF strong measures: firnness is
then only a virtue when II accom-
panies the most perfect wisdom"
1t will. OF course, be urged that the
genuine conscientious objector has
been respected, and that We cannot
allow towards and shirkers, whose
real objection is not to killing but to
being killed. to take cover under a
conscience clause.
One answer to this is, why not
What profit is it to an army to be
debilitated by towards and shirkers?
The delicate task OF discrimination
has been hopelessly bungled, and
some of the finest souls in England
are now in MARTYRS cells, bullied and
tortured by gaolers and soldiers.
Cowardice Removed.
Ard yet it would have been so sim
pie to set up a proper tribunal 10
which all doubtful cases could have
been rcferred-a tribunal consisting
preferably of novelists accustomed to
the study of human nature.
moral courage is rarer than physi-
cal-and a panel of novelists sitting
few hours a day could easily have
disposed OF them all.
But even under the crude amateur
a scientific test cropped
up Of itself. However preferable
prison life at its worst might be to
the perils OF the trenches, still more
grateful to the coward and shirker
would be the life of alternative serV-
ice" in peace and well-beins.
When. therefore, extremists were
discovered who refused even indus
trial war service, who elected to en-
dure two years hard labor for con-
science sake. their bona fdes was
surely manifest.
These were unmistakable anti-mlh-
tarists. saints without fear or re-
proach who could have no commerce
whatever with the unclean thing. In
the case Of these absolutists, there
fore, it is beyond question that culpa-
bility rests not on them but on the
government.
But it is the post-armistice cases
that constitute the reductio ad alb