21 APRIL 1928, Page 2

In the House of Commons on Tuesday, on the corn-

mittee stage of the Army and Air Force (Annual) Bill, - there was a very interesting debate on the death penalty. The War Office proposed to abolish the penalty for all offences except mutiny, treachery; cowardice, desertion, and leaving a guard without orders or leaving a sentinel's post without being regularly relieved. The Labour speakers did not challenge the infliction of the death penalty for mutiny and treachery, but they thought it was high time that the death penalties should be abolished for cowardice and desertion. The pivot of the debate became cowardice, and Sir John Simon tried to persuade the House to exempt cowardice- from the death penalty without agreeing to any other exemption proposed by the Labour Party. * * * *