LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often more read, and therefore more effective, than those which fill treble the space.] THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—Will you allow me to thank you for your very fair notice of our Appeal unto Caesar, and for your wise and statesmanlike advice that "the Government should at once appoint a small Commission of Gaol Delivery, who should consider individually all cases of conscientious objectors now in prison," and who would, if they found that an injustice had been done, recommend that sincere objectors should receive the Ring's pardon P This would be quite the -most sensible way to deal with, indeed, a difficult problem. Such a Commission should of course be com- posed of men with unprejudiced and open minds on the question (if such there be), and with clear heads, whose only desire is to discover whether the prisoner's action lead been prompted by deep religious and moral conviction, and with a previous history which justified such an assumption. Moreover, your "Gaol Delivery Commission " must be composed of men who desire faith- fully to carry out the intentions of Parliament, when it passed the Conscription Acts, and it should be presided over by a Judge famed for a high reputation for fairness, acumen, and moderation.
As to the shirkers who plead conscience and avoid danger, whom you so justly reprobate, no obloquy is great enough for men who, degrading conscience, claim falsely religious beliefs, and avoid serving their country in need. They truly blaspheme the spirit. But we contend that amongst the prisoners who are suffering long terms of a disgraceful sentence, rather than accept the soft jobs that were freely offered by the Tribunals, not many such renegades would be found. They, indeed, have refused the pinch of salt which would have entitled them to exemption. Your corre- spondent "who ie trying to clear his mind of cant" is singu- larly unsuccessful. The principal point of his letter appears to be, that the errors of Parliament have been amended by the common-sense of the Tribunals; forgetful apparently of the fact, that the Tribunals have, practically in all cases of the absolutists in prison, accepted the plea of conscientious objection, but under some misapprehension of their powers have not granted the neces- sary relief. It is astonishing how much ignorance, prejudice, and muddle-headedneas in those who should know better this contro- versy brings to light —Appreciating your fairness prompted by common-sense, common justice, and common humanity, I am,
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