From The Tribunal November 7 1918 This is a further update in a series of extracts from the No Conscription Fellowship’s journal, published in the UK between March 1916 and November 1918 by W.J. CHAMBERLAIN As I write, Birmingham is in the midst of its “Big Guns Week.” The good patriots of “Brum” are “feeding the … Read more
From The Tribunal December 6th 1917 From our Parliamentary Correspondent. The problem of the conscientious objector still continues to exercise the minds of the House of Lords. On November 28th. Lord Charnwood moved that all conscientious objectors should be deported as a danger to the State and that teacher conscientious objectors should be debarred from … Read more
The following poem is taken from a booklet entitled “Three Ballads (an intermezzo in War-time” by a distinguished man of letters The case of Lieutenant Tattoon, M.C.Is worthy of some remark. He thought (and one should not think, you see)That the War which was to make people freeWas now being fought in the dark. For at … Read more
In the House of Commons on Tuesday, 13th November, Mr. E. Davies asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the feeling which exists in the country owing to the fact that mean who claimed exemption as conscientious objectors, but failed to satisfy the various standards of the tribunals in … Read more
Extracts from B. J. Boothroyd’s court-martial statement. “I have refused to acknowledge military authority because I do do not regard myself as a soldier. That the law says I am a soldier does not concern me; the law was passed for the immoral purpose of forcing men to commit murder and to expedite murder, and … Read more
The Pope’s second Note to the belligerent Powers suggest, as one of the Terms of Peace, universal abolition of conscription by international agreement, a suggestion which was subsequently emphasised and amplified by Cardinal Gasparri. From what has been said by Count Czernin, and somewhat less explicitly in the German reply to the Pope, there is … Read more
Extract from Walter H. Ayles’ Statement at His Third Court-Martial. “I am directed to look at the alleged atrocities committed by Germany and to the remarkable – and may I add, suspicious – absence of atrocities by their opponents, either in available newspapers or Government documents… It is a notorious, historic fact that every country … Read more
From The Tribunal September 27th 1917 There was an interesting case at the Northhants County Appeals Tribunal last week, when a man who had relinquished a commission in the Army appealed as a conscientious objector. The case was that of Joseph W. Sault (33), married, now acting as chief clerk at Woodford Halse for the … Read more
From The Tribunal 25th October 1917 BY THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THEM Who PUT them in Prison?“We” say the Court Martial“Our judgement is partialOur job will be gone,And we shan’t carry onIf we listen to conscienceAnd that sort of nonsense.Away with their tale!Just clap them in jail,-At the horrors we hear of the stoutest will quail!” Who’ll STARVE them, in prison?“Oh, we!” say the … Read more
From The Tribunal October 18 1917 …It may be of some interest in connection with Bennet Wallis’s case to mention that another comrade who is now at Wakefield has received similar treatment from the Home Office Committee. This man had had several teeth extracted, and was waiting for the gums to heal before having a … Read more