Documentation and Correspondence

DOCUMENTATION AND CORRESPONDENCE The two letters which appear below are in response to Thomas Kennedy's article "Fighting about Peace" in the spring 1980 issue of Quaker History. Both Horace Alexander and Fenner Brockway, who were participants in the activities of the organizations referred to in Thomas Kennedy's article, beUeve that there are various aspects of the events detailed which should be added to what has been said in order that a balanced picture be presented. Following these letters is Thomas Kennedy's reply. A letter from Horace Alexander on conscientious objectors in Britain during World War One In Quaker History, Vol. 69, No. 1, you published an article by Thomas C. Kennedy under the title, "Fighting about Peace: Die No-Conscription Fellowship and the British Friends Service Committee, 1915-1919." The title suggests that these two bodies of conscientious objectors spent their time and energy fighting one another; and there are several passages in the article itself that rather suggest the same thing. Perhaps you will let me have a little space to show why I think this is a very serious misrepresentation of what happened. I have been in correspondence with Thomas Kennedy, and he assures me that he had no such intention; but I think the article as a whole, and especially the unfortunate title, must give that impression. So it seems only fair to attempt a brief explanation. I believe I am almost the only British Friend still living who had a close connection with some of the events here recorded. Let me first say diat Thomas Kennedy's article drove me to get John William Graham's book, "Conscription and Conscience" off the shelf. I had read it in 1922, when it was published. J. W. Graham was my father-inlaw , so I had a copy straight from him, and I had heard a good deal about it whilst he was writing it. I suppose I had not read the book for nearly sixty years. I must say that it is very well worth reading today. I would most strongly commend it to those who are concerned to fight against militarism in any part of the world in the 1980s. It is seering reading. It was written with the active approval of both committees, and several from both committees read the manuscript. *Horace Alexander was formerly Director of Studies, Woodbrook, Seely Oak Colleges, Birmingham, England, and has done much work in India. He was a member of the British Friends Service Committee set up in 1915. **Fenner Brockway, now Lord Fenner Brockway, was a founder of the NoConscription Fellowship in Britain at the time of World War One. 47 48Quaker History There can be no doubt that it is the authoritative account of the attempt by thousands of dedicated men to resist the militarisation of Britain. J. W. Graham does not gloss over the friction that arose when most of the committee of the NCF wanted to take political action to try to improve conditions for the C.O.s who were in prison, or to expedite their release (they were being continually sent back to begin a new sentence for the same offence—the refusal to obey military discipline) whilst most members of the FSC committee thought such action would prevent concentration on activities for peace. It appears that, since Graham's book was published, a number of personal letters from those involved on both sides have been published, showing how strongly they felt, and how critical they were of each other. But what weight should be attached to such strong expressions in letters? Not much, I should say. When feelings are tense, it is a good plan to blow off a bit in a letter. It is quite likely that, if confronted many years later by such a letter, the writer might say: "Of course, I was just blowing off. I had forgotten that I ever wrote such a letter. We had our moments of tension; but the committees worked well together nearly all the time." And it is a fact that a Joint Advisory Committee was set up in July 1915, and, in Graham's words, "had an active career till...