OUR TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2494, 22 June 1915, Page 10

OUR TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

Sir,—l cannot help thinking that a good deal of unnecessary hysterical feeling has been engendered by the action of Messrs. .Wilson and Watson respecting the retention of Professor von Zedlitz, by. tho Victoria College authorities, and, whilo I am not prepared to endorse Mr. Atkinson's subtle differentiation between a mad nation and a nation of madmen, I certainly do not hold with the infliction upon presumably ' innocent and law-abiding citizens —be they Germans or otherwise—of crude and perhaps cruel hardships under the guise of "reprisals" for the acts of an avowed enemy which were characterised, by the Prime Minister of England as "a horrible record of callous cruelty and crime." Two wrongs do not make a right, and, if Germany adopts the methods of a fiend, that is no argument why Great Britain, claiming to be a Christian nation, should follow suit. Our methods are not coincident with German methods, nor are German methods synonymous with ours, Germans will not adopt British methods; why, then, should we lower ourselves and sink our individuality by adopting German methods? Germany says "God punish England"; Great Britain says, "God forgive Germany." The loftier sentiment is surely, the latter, and therein lies our gain. In any case, from a practical point of view, what end would be sorved by treating Professor von Zedlitz as Messrs. Wilson and Watson suggest? Germany would probably be aggravated into inflicting further indignities upon British prisoners who are in her hands, and the war would be no nearer a conclusion. Messrs. Wilson and Watson certainly would have the satisfaction of having had Professor von Zedlitz's services dispensed with, but Victoria College would be the loser of a valuableand valued master, of modern languages and literature whom it wouldbe difficult at the present juncture to replace. For heaven's sake let, us act as reasonable beings, exercising a right judgment in all things, and not act as irresponsible creatures swayed by every emotion regardless of the suffering we may inflict. If, after being treated as a friend (and we have no reason to treat him otherwise), Professor von Zedlitz violates our hospitality, I should be among tha first to advocate shooting him. In years to come, when the origin of _ the war has been forgotten, it will still be remembered which side played ihe game, and, let me add, it will only be by playing the game can wo honourably "humiliate" Germany.— I am, oto., PERCIVAL R. WADDY. Wellington, June 21, 1915.