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ISSUE 2 – The effect of the war on life in Scotland. Conscription and Conscience. Anti-war attitudes. Even as late as 1918 the vast majority of Scots supported the war, however there were prominent anti-war groups:
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ISSUE 2 – The effect of the war on life in Scotland Conscription and Conscience
Anti-war attitudes Even as late as 1918 the vast majority of Scots supported the war, however there were prominent anti-war groups: • The Independent Labour party (ILP) was a socialist party separate from Labour who had a strongly pacifist attitude, its pacifist newspaper “Forward” was closed down. • The Union of Democratic Control (UDC) was an anti-war organisation that opposed conscription, censorship and other DORA restrictions.
A left wing organisation, famous UDC members included the future Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. • UDC members were often threatened with arrest or violence from members of the public or accused of being traitors. • At its highpoint in 1915 the UDC had 300,000 members though this dropped to 10,000 by 1918.
Conscription & Conscience • Conscription was seen as yet another increase in the power of the state at the cost of individual freedom. • Due to a shortage of volunteers military conscription was introduced in January 1916 for unmarried men from 18-41. • Later this was extended in May 1918 to married men (can you think why?). • By 1918 men up to age 50 with military experience were conscripted.
Exemptions to Conscription Not all men were forced to join the army there were exemptions: • Physical or mental impairment • Work of national importance e.g. coal miners. • Conscience, conscientious objectors (conchies) who objected on moral/political ( e.g. a socialist/pacifist) or religious grounds( e.g. a pacifist religion such as Quakers)
Treatment of Conchies • Those wishing to avoid military service had to appear before a military tribunal to prove their case. • Tribunals needed as many men as possible for the war so found most cases unproven. • 16,000 men in the UK objected to fighting, around 7,000 conchies agreed to join the army in non-combat duties e.g. stretcher bearers, ambulance drivers. • Alternativists did non-military work of national importance e.g. farming or coal mining, a hard, dirty and dangerous job. • 1,500 Absolutists refused all military service and were sentenced to military prison and hard labour, at least 73 died in prison.
Treatment of Conchies- continued • The families of ‘conchies’ suffered too, many were ostracised, refused service in shops etc. • Some conchies were not released till August 1919 showing the depth of ill feeling towards them still. • Even when released after the war many conchies found it hard to get work.
