A GERMAN PROFESSOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2490, 17 June 1915, Page 6

A GERMAN PROFESSOR

AT VICTORIA COLLEGE HIS SERVICES RETAINED COMMITTEE'S REPORT. "In respect to the interests of I Victoria University College, the | committee is of opinion that Professor von Zedlitz should bo retained in his position." This was a recommendation submitted to the Victoria College Council last night by the Finance and General Purposes Committee of that body. The position of the professor had beon questioned at the meeting last month, and the matter was then rel'orrcd to the committee for inquiry and report. The lull text of tho report submitted last night is as under: — Not a Naturalised Subject. "The Finance and General Purposes Committee has at three meetings considered the position of Professor' von Zedlitz, and a sub-committee has interviewed tho Minister of Internal Affairs on the position, and tho committee reports as follows: — "(1) Wo quote for the consideration of the council from tho proclamation of August 19, 1914, as follows:—'Whereas it is desirablo to extend to certain subjects of the German Emperor and of the Emperor of Austria now peaceably resident in the Dominion of New Zealand the protection of the laws of tho said Dominion, now, therefore, the Government does hereby proclaim and declare that ail such subjects are, and at all times since the commencement of the present state of War have been, within the,peace and protection of His Majesty in the samo manner as if they were the subjects of His Majesty, and that they may sue' and plead accordingly in all Courts of Justice within the said Dominion in respect of all contracts, rights, injuries, and other causes or matters whatsoever, saving also the prerogative right of His Majesty iu time of war to do with such persons as aforesaid and with aU othor of His .Majesty's enemies in all respects versity College are affected.

"(-) The Government has, since this matter was referred to .your committee, appointed a Koyal Commission to deal with the question of aliens within tho Dominion. This appointment disposes of any necessity on the part of the committee to consider the broader question involved, leaving it to consider only how far the interests of Victoria University College are affected. "(3) Professor von Zedlitz is not a naturalised British subject, and cannot becorao one at tho present time. The Government will not naturalise any alien of German or Austrian origin until the end of the war. On the other hand, it is not certain that he is a German subject. His mother was an Englishwoman. "(4) George William von Zedlitz was born in Germany and left that country when 14 years old. He was at school for two years in Switzerland, and subsequently for three years at Wellington College, an English public school. He was for four years at Trinity College,- Oxford University, and subsequently for seven years was master at Lorettoj one of the foremost public schools in Scotland. "(5) The written parole of Trofessor von Zedlitz has been accepted by the Government. He is bound by his parole to do nothing by word or deed detrimental to Britain; in no way to assist the enemy; to hold no communication with the enemy directly or indirectly.

"(6) The committee has no evidence to show that the professor has not lion-, ourably observed his parole; and from his past conduct has every reason to believe that ho will continue rigidly to observe his obligations under that- parole. "(7) The appended letters from the professors and from present and past students in modern languages, which have been sent to your committee spontaneously, show that the professor has the support and confidence of the majority of his colleagues and students. It is worthy of observation that while the total number of students at Victoria University College has fallen as compared with last .year, the number of students taking modern languages has increased. "(8) The committee reports: (a) That a Royal Commission has been appointed to deal with the relation of aliens in respect to the public safety; (b) that iji respect to the interests of Victoria University College the committee is of opinion that Professor von Zedlitz should be retained in his position. (Sgd.) Clement Watson, Chairman." Two Letters. The council also received two letters, one from a majority of members of the Professorial Board and the other from 50 past and present students. The first letter ran as under:—"Noticing that the tjuestion of Professor von Zedlitz's position has been brought before the council for consideration, we wish to take the opportunity to make the following representationWe havo not the slightest reason to suppose that Professor von Zedlitz has at any time by word or act failed in the strictly honourable observance of his parole, and we have confidence that he will not do so. AVe are suro that his services to the college, have been whole-hearted and of the greatest value, and are of opinion that the loss of tfiose services would be very seriously felt by the students, and would not bo without effect on the college." The second letter asked that the council iu considering the retention or otherwise of the services of Professor von Zedlitz should take into account— (1) The advancement of the interests of Victoria University College, due to Professor von Zedlitz's long period of loyal service (2) The fact that Professor von Zedlitz has never,, in our hearing, given utterance to any opinion or teaching which would in any way be likely to weaken the loyalty and affection of students for Groat Britain and the British Empire. (3) The prejudicial effect on the interests of students of modern languages of the withdrawal of Professor von Zedlitz's services as a teacher. "In malring theso representations," said the letter, "we do not in any way wish to intrude upon the council's consideration of this matter. but merely to testify, as we, members of his classes are particularly able to do, to the honourable way' in which the professor has conducted these classes since the outbreak of war, and to record our unbounded confidence in his continuing so to do." The Hon. A. L. Herdman moved that the report be adopted. Mr. W. Ferguson seconded the motion. Removal Urged. | Mr. C. Wilson, who had raised the question at the previous meeting, regretted that he could not honestly support the resolution moved. To give his reasons it would bo necessary tor him to rofer to portions of Iho report. In the first place, the proclamation quoted was, to his mind, entirely governed and overridden by the "Gazette" notice of Decomber 12. He also quoted a letter from the Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs stating that in December, 1914, instructions had been issued that all non-naturalised aliens in the Government service were to be at once rcniovod from office. In regard to paragraph 2 of the report, it might be said that the College was not a Government institution, but he pointed out that it could not exist without Government assistance. and it wajs to all intents and...

purposes a State system of education, and the processor was to his mind a State servant. Mr. Wilson did not think tho appointment of an Advisorv Board-not a ltoyal Commission, as stated in the report—disposed of the councils responsibility i„ the matter "/Iff ,1° dl . 3 ? us s it. "Professor ion Zedlitz, said tho repou't, "is not a naturalised British subject." I hat was definite , . . « and not becomo ono at the present time" ... that was indefinite. It was not certain that ho conld not have become ono before. It was not certain that ho was a German subject, but it was certain that ho was not a naturalised British subject, and Jlr. Wilson did no't rViir? tlie position ho did u hat was tho value of a-Gcrman'e parole after the experience we had had ol the German Government and the German people's contempt for "scraps of paper"? He suggested tho possibility of arrangements behind all the time hy which the persons concerned might still remain loyal and perhaps very useful sen ants of tho German Emperor. Ho could not sco tliat it was necessary for Professor von Zedlitz's services to be retained during tho war. What would bo the effect upon tho public; J. he public 6aw the gentleman receiving £700 a yoar in a position of honour and I dignity, and saw him held in this position and would think it a grave anomaly and injustice. He held that the report breathed a, particular care for the interests of I'rofessor von Zedlitz, but not for the people of this country, whoße cons and relatives were being shot down by the Germans. Mr. Wilson mentioned that he had received telegrams from one end of the Dominion to the other applauding him for raising the Question. Ho now moved as an amendment: "That having read the report of the Finance Committee with regard to the position of the Professor of Modem Languages, this council is of opinion that it is desirable that Professor von Zedlitz should bo asked to resign liis appointment forthwith, the question of his reappointment to be left over until tho conclusion of peace with Germany." Mr, C. Watson seconded the amendment, although as chairman of the Finance Committee he had signed the report. It had to bo recognised that tho war was a very serious one for the Empire, and would mean dismemberment ir we lost. He believed Professor von Zedlitz would honour his parole. But that was not enough. Could the professor sympathise with us in our aspirations and our desiro to carry tho war to a succesful issue? He submitted not, and he thought that, without and breach of good faith, the professor could be suspended during the war on terms which phe council thought just. No Magic in Naturalisation. Mr. C. B. Morison said that since the war there bad been a tendency on the part of some people to lose a sense of proportion. He thought the council deprecate anything- approaching hysteria, and ought to approach this subject in the beat interests of the people. He knew Professor von Zedlitz, and, knowing the cultured English gentleman that he was, knowing the loyal work he had done for the college, knowing how scrupulously honourable he had been during the war, he (Mr. Morison) felt that the Professor was justified in- receiving all the protection that the English flag could give him until ho was convicted of wrongdoing. There was no_ magic in naturalisation, said Mr. Morison, and, in the abscnce of evidence, lie proposed to act according to English tradition. He believed the services of alien professors at English colleges had not been dispensed with; He supported the motion.

Question of Decency and Justice. Mr. A. R. Atkinson said he 'would have preferred that the matter should Slave been taken in committee, but now that it had been discussed in public ho felt that he, as a publio man, could not refrain from taking part in the discussion. He congratulated Mr. Wilson on tho chastened tone oi his remarks as compared with his speech ,of. a month ago. He (Mr. Atkinson) 1 hoped that the council, no matter what its financial position was, should ever consider itself the creature of the Government and do exactly as the Government did on this or any other, matter. He believed that German subjects in out midst should be treated with decency and justice and the ordinary laws of hospitality. The whole basis of Mr. Wilson's argument that evening had been that the professor was not naturalised, but he (Mr. Atkinson) agreed with Mr. Morison that there was no magic in naturalisation. Was there ever a more miserable shuffle than * the argument of Mr. Wilson that there was no right to retain the professor on his parole when the contempt of the German nation for written. agreements was notorious? He submitted not. It was true that Germany was a criminal nation, but one had _ to distinguish between a criminal nation and a nation of criminals. It seemed that Germany had a form of national madness, but there was such a thing as national madness on the other side, and it seemed nothing less than national madness to imagine that thero were not thousands and millions of decent Germans. Mr. Atkinson could not see what harm to the Empire, the country, or the college could follow the. retention lof the professor's services. The council's duty to the publio included the duty not to see "red" or to let the feelings run riot as they had done on a recent occasion in Wangamii. He congratulated tho committee on its report. On the Ground of Fair Play.

The Hon. A. L. Herdman Tvas satisfied that they were not bound by any duty to the Empire to cast Professor von Zodlitz out of office. The British Government had recognised that principle because of the proclamation published after {Tie outbreak of war. The principle was not a new one, as it had been obsorved in both Russia and Japan during the Japanese-Russian war. The last instance in which extreme measures had been used was in the time of Napoleon, but public opinion in regard to the treatment of enemy subjects had advanced since that time. Because other nations behaved like blackguards that was no reason we.should do like-' wise, or retaliate in the breaking ,of agreements. And becauso fair play had not characterised tho behaviour of the Germans that was no reason why we should not oxercise fair play -to a gentleman who had showed himself competent to carry out his duties, and had earned the confidence of his colleagues and the students. As a matter of public duty and fair plav ho would support the motion. Mr. Wilson, in reply, submitted that if the traditions of fair play were to govern this case tlioy should have governed every othor case also. His impression was that favouritism had been shown to Professor von Zecllitz bocause of his social position, and if that impression was wrong he was glad to hear it. ■ But ho could not see that a good case had been made out in defence of the college, which was keeping in its employ an unnaturalised German. He was not out foe any cheap popularity, but was honest in his intention, The amendment was lost by 8 votes to 2: Ayes Tho Hon. A, L. Herdman, tho Rev. W. A. Evans, Dr. Hector, and Messrs. C. B. Morison,-W. H. Morton, T. R. Fleming, W. Ferguson, and A. R. Atkinson. Noes—Messrs. C. Watson and C. Wilson. Tho motion for the adoption of the report was then carried without furthor dissent being recorded.

The room in wbicli the Kaisor transacts his business in Potsdam lias boen nick-nanied in Germany "The Spider'B 3Veb."- ,