Socialist Objectors
A second conscientious objector group was the socialists. Socialist objectors refused to fight because they desired to liberate mankind from capitalism.
Socialists held the ideas that the war makes the working class poorer and the big corporations richer. One socialist objector said “there is no reason why workers should be used to kill others in hope of solving the big industry problems.
Paddy Webb was another historical figure who refused to fight and was an Irish republican and socialist and demanded that conscription have an immediate repeal. The first strike over conscription took place on the 16th of November with miners at the Blackball on the West Coast. Webb praised the miners struggle as a fight for democratic freedom, Webb was persuaded to volunteer for service with newspapers calling him a coward.
Socialists took over council in Runanga and didn’t comply with the act resulting in few youths drilled there nor did they comply with compulsory military training in other mining towns. Anti-conscription leagues were formed for community wide protest. A new group was formed in Christchurch by the railway workers called the Passive Resisters Union (PRU). Many youth plainly refused to drill 3187 youths were prosecuted as a result in 1912, with 1924 convicted and 120 imprisoned alongside common criminals. This caused many protests from middle class anti-militarist civil liberations. Many youths didn’t participate in compulsory military training because they were teenage rebels with little political motivation. They had no desire to participate and could been seen as ‘lazy’.
Socialists held the ideas that the war makes the working class poorer and the big corporations richer. One socialist objector said “there is no reason why workers should be used to kill others in hope of solving the big industry problems.
Paddy Webb was another historical figure who refused to fight and was an Irish republican and socialist and demanded that conscription have an immediate repeal. The first strike over conscription took place on the 16th of November with miners at the Blackball on the West Coast. Webb praised the miners struggle as a fight for democratic freedom, Webb was persuaded to volunteer for service with newspapers calling him a coward.
Socialists took over council in Runanga and didn’t comply with the act resulting in few youths drilled there nor did they comply with compulsory military training in other mining towns. Anti-conscription leagues were formed for community wide protest. A new group was formed in Christchurch by the railway workers called the Passive Resisters Union (PRU). Many youth plainly refused to drill 3187 youths were prosecuted as a result in 1912, with 1924 convicted and 120 imprisoned alongside common criminals. This caused many protests from middle class anti-militarist civil liberations. Many youths didn’t participate in compulsory military training because they were teenage rebels with little political motivation. They had no desire to participate and could been seen as ‘lazy’.
Moral Objection
Moral objectors saw war as morally wrong and had a strong ethical objection to war.
Some men refused to take part in war because they were scared of war others refused because they didn’t want to break down under fire, some just didn’t like rules and were free spirited beings and some were geographically isolated. Moral objectors were a group which was basically apolitical they didn’t want to get caught up in other people’s problems. A national register in 1915 said some 819 men classified themselves as religious conscientious objectors and 260 as political. Many appeals by objectors failed and nearly all were imprisoned. Some fled to the hills and some went overseas.
Moral objectors saw war as morally wrong and had a strong ethical objection to war
Some men refused to take part in war because they were scared of war others refused because they didn’t want to break down under fire, some just didn’t like rules and were free spirited beings and some were geographically isolated. Moral objectors were a group which was basically apolitical they didn’t want to get caught up in other people’s problems. A national register in 1915 said some 819 men classified themselves as religious conscientious objectors and 260 as political. Many appeals by objectors failed and nearly all were imprisoned. Some fled to the hills and some went overseas.
Moral objectors saw war as morally wrong and had a strong ethical objection to war
Learn More at NZ History online http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/first-world-war/conscientious-objection