What kind of experience did a 'conscientious objector of military service' who refused to recruit during World War I experience?
In England, conscription was introduced during World War I, but not everyone was in service, and some even applied for a '
Conscientious Objectors In Their Own Words | Imperial War Museums
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/conscientious-objectors-in-their-own-words
◆ How many people did a conscientious refusal of military service?
Prior to World War I, England had no compulsory military service, but in 1914 and 1915 after the outbreak of World War I, the lack of recruitment of military service was Conscription has been implemented since 1916. In the initial conscription system, all single men between the ages of 18 and 41 were obliged to perform military service, but they were 'the person doing the work necessary for the war' 'the only person who supports the family' 'medically unsuitable' People who are exempt from military service. And 'the person who refuses military service by conscience' was also the target of exemption from military service.
Eventually, restrictions on military service were eased, married men were also subject to conscription, and the age limit was raised to 50 years old, but the number of conscientious objectors continued to increase, and conscience during World War I It is said that the number of British people who refused military service reached 16,000. Given that a total of 6 million people were recruited, this percentage may seem low, but it is believed that more people actually had the idea to oppose the war.
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What was the belief of those who rejected conscientious military service?
People who men refuse to serve during World War I can be roughly divided into four. The most common people are 'people who believe in pacifist religion,' and quakers and men of Christian fundamentalism refuse to enlist because of one theory in the Bible, 'Thou shalt not kill.' was. The second people are 'Left political activists,' and some believe that 'World War I is an imperialist war, and the working class is being warned because of the ruling class.' , Some people refused to participate in the war.
The third person is a ' humanist, ' and some claimed that they shouldn't kill people as their beliefs, not because of religion. The humanist refusal of military service interviewed by the IMW was a former butcher, 'I know what it means to kill a pig, so I can't kill it,' he said. And the fourth was those who opposed 'the government intervening in their lives' itself.
What is the trial of conscientious objectors?
Representing a conscientious refusal of military service did not immediately result in exemption from military service, and it was usually necessary to apply to the district court for exemption from military service. However, courts often consisted of local celebrities, and they did not always listen to the claims of those who actually applied for conscientious objection and did not always evaluate their attitude in good faith. One conscientious objector was asked in court when he was asked, 'I'm 18 years old,' and the chairman said, 'I see, you're too young to have a good conscience. The application is rejected.' It seems that
I was able to appeal if my application was dismissed by the district court, but I was considered to have been conscripted if I was rejected by the Central Court of London, and I was sent to prison as 'conscripted but against the order.' .. In addition, if a person who is conscientiously refused military service is subject to the condition 'at the discretion of the court, it is excluded from the work of combatants, but must do important work for the nation' There was also.
◆ What is a “safe line” that divides among conscientious objectors?
Those who expressed conscientious refusal of military service did not uniformly refuse to participate in the war, among others, 'There is no problem if you work as a non-combatant member of a non-combat unit, such as participation as a member of the
In addition, conscientious refusals to serve in prison were assigned 'important jobs for the nation' such as agriculture, forestry, and simple manual work. Some people were in the position of ''. Philip Rudley, who was interviewed by the IMW after the war, convinced a non-combatant force that he would join the war as a non-combatant and you wouldn't kill anyone. It seems that he received it, but he answered that he had refused it.
What is the punishment for an arrested conscientious objector?
Some of those who were not granted military exemption at the court were arrested for 'not working, even though they were not on vacation', as well as for arresting their orders after joining the army. .. More than one-third of the 16,000 conscientious refusals on record were arrested at least once and imprisoned in prison. Initially, it seems that arrested conscientious objectors were considered to be 'soldiers' and sent to military prisons, but an army order in the middle of 1916 sent conscientious objectors to ordinary prisons. It was.
The standard criminal penalties received by conscientious objectors is '112 days of heavy labor in the third category', which is first put in a cell for a month with only bread and water, then crushed stones. It was a laborious manual work such as sewing a mail bag. Many conscientious delinquents were released after three months of work, but were soon arrested as deserters, rejoined in martial law, and returned to prison.
System to repeat this 'arrest → imprisoned → release → arrest' claims the right to vote granted to women Safra jet was the same as the ones that have been made against members of the. As the war progressed, the penalties for conscientious refusals became heavier, and some were forced to be taken to France with the army and shot there on the spot as 'refusing to comply with military orders.' That. On the other hand, there were some who were sentenced to 'death penalty' at the martial court but were sentenced to imprisonment without actually being executed.
What is the life of a conscientious objector in prison?
Conscientious objectors were severely restricted from interacting with the outside world, were not given newspapers, and were only allowed to visit them through the iron bars. Harold Bing, who responded to the IMW interview, said that the cell of the Winchester prison where he was imprisoned was only 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) × 13 feet (about 4 meters), and the door had a peep hole He said that he always kept an eye on him.
On the other hand, there were cases in which conscientious refugees affected prisons. Winchester prisons are now offering vegetarian meals because conscientious refusals were more vegetarian for religious reasons. Also, when conscientious refusal of military service was admitted, there were only a few books that could be borrowed from the prison library, but eventually the books I ordered from outside can be read under the condition of 'donating to the prison library after reading'. became. As a result, in prisons where many left-side activist conscientious objectors were imprisoned, the work of left-wing authors such as
In Winchester prison where Mr. Bing was imprisoned, prisoners wrote poems, essays, jokes, manga, etc. on pieces of toilet paper called ``Winchester whisper'', stealing eyes of guards and reading them by hand. It was said that it had been done.
Some conscientious objectors interviewed by the IMW have experienced or witnessed harsh treatment by guards, and in fact 73 conscientious deportees have died due to abuse by guards. I will. Also, it seems that it was 'loneliness' that afflicted the most conscientious objectors, and prisoners 'play an imaginary piano on their knees and sometimes compose' 'remember the poem from memory' He seems to have dealt with loneliness by taking a walk in the room and talking to the spider on the wall and the bolt on the door. Fener Brockway, who responded to an IMW interview, said he tapped a pipe through the room to interact with prisoners in other rooms at Morse code and to play chess with prisoners in the next room.
by Shelby L. Bell
How was the surrounding eyes on the conscientious objectors?
Even if they were not in prison, the social pressure on conscientious objectors and their families was severe. Many people in England at that time were in favor of the war, and suspicion and hatred were directed at men and their families who did not want to fight. The IMW said that expressing a conscientious refusal of military service in 1916 meant 'denial of what the whole British community would support' and was a rather difficult decision.
The conscientious refusal to arrest was said to have continued to be imprisoned for six months after the end of the war because of the idea that 'the demobilized soldiers should not interfere with finding jobs.' Also, until 1926, voting rights were stripped off, and the situation remained severe even after the end of the war.
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