LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2462, 15 May 1915, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ALIEN ENEMIES. Sir,— Your leading article in tliis morning's issuo of your paper says.that France has already passed an Act which permits her to rescind naturalisation, certificates, and that Australia contemplates legislation of a somewhat similar character. Why should not y°, w Zealand follow suit, or even go one better, and pass an Act definitely rescinding naturalisation of all aliens wi" l ivhose country we may be at war. Iho Hon. Mr. Allen's contention, that until wo have proof of some treacherous action ou their part wo should not regard naturalised Germans as enemies, does not meet with the approval of mail}' Englishmen at present. Who would have believed twelve months ago, that Germans are such utter blackguards as they have proved themselves to to sine© the outbreak of the present war- *" 0 have no reason to suppose that those Germans who reside amongst us differ from their compatriots in. Europe; they became naturalised for t'heir own purposes, and judging by analogy, we have every reason to think that they would regard their oaths of allegiance as "mere scraps of paper" and that _ if opportunity offered would prove active enemies. Until our law is sjt-ered, we must, of course, give naturalised Germans the protection due to British subjects, but beyond this we should not go. We should deny them our friendship. Patriotism should go before sentimont, and persons of German birth, whether naturalised or not, should be excluded from all clubs both social and sporting; we should decline to trade with them, and to be seen walking in the streets with a German should be regarded as a disgrace.—l am, eto , ' RICHARD CARTER. May 14, 1915.