Conscientious Objections (1995)

From the May 1995 issue of the Socialist Standard 

 

Not everybody supported the War. Now portrayed as a fight against the Absolute Evil of Nazism it was in fact a conflict between rival imperialist powers over markets, trade routes, raw materials and colonies. It was opposed by pacifists of various sorts, but also by members of the Socialist Party on the grounds that war was not in the interest of the working class, would not solve any of their problems but was itself a problem caused by capitalism. We publish below a statement by an SPGB member before the conscientious objectors tribunal.

I registered on March 9th as a conscientious objector, and now furnish my statement giving my reasons for my objection to war.

According to my dictionary the word "conscience" means:- mental sense of right and wrong. As a sane being I must claim to have this sense. The word ‘object' meaning: - to feel dislike or reluctance to something. Therefore I find that I have the right to term myself "a conscientious objector", despite the fact that I do not base my objections on religious grounds.

In my earlier days I was conscious of an absolute horror of war. It seemed to me to be quite contrary to common human decency. and I regarded it as murder on a par with the slaughter of one's fellow countryman. It appeared to me that in war man destroyed the life of men with whom he had no quarrel and consequently war was an absurdity from the common people's point of view. Convinced as I am now of the gross indecency, absurdity and barbarous nature of war I have resolved to have no part with it. I realise that the common people (the working class) by similarity of their class position, by poverty and their common suffering have a mutual interest. I realise that in war the British working class, suffering as they do from the evils of the present economic system, must maim and slaughter fellow sufferers, the so-called “enemy", with whom they have no quarrel, gaining nothing in victory and losing nothing in defeat of sufficient importance to justify the shedding of their blood.

It is my firm conviction that this war will not bring peace, just as previous wars, designed to bring peace and security to the “conqueror" (so the common people were told) have not brought peace, only quiet ensured by force.

I believe war to be the greatest example of human folly. I abhor barbarity but I am convinced that we cannot banish barbarism by being barbarous; wrecking the homes and lives of our fellow men. slaughtering, burning and gassing their women and children is no way to solve any of our mutual problems.

Humanity has I believe a choice; to continue along the present road of capitalism and war suffering the disastrous consequences or seek the only alternative which is Socialism. In seeking this alternative I cannot support or sanction war. I contend that NO SOCIALIST WHO ACCEPTS INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISM CAN POSSIBLY GO TO WAR any more than can a person who accepts the Sermon on the Mount as the law of life. A Socialist or a Christian must acknowledge that all wars are civil wars and consequently a crime against humanity itself.

H.C. 1940

Blogger's Note:

My educated guess is that H.C. was Harold Cottis.