LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2546, 21 August 1915, Page 13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ENEMY ALIENS. Sir, —At a meeting of the Patriotic Society held last week one of the speakers said that he had given much time and thought to the question of the present position held by Professor von Zedlitz in Victoria College. Before any further move in tlie matter, may I offer a few suggestions for consideration? The assumption at that meeting seemed to be that, because Professor von Zedlitz is a "German" he must exert a "German," i.e., an anti-British influence on his pupils. Is that tlie case? If not, tho assumption falls to the ground. An inquiry was proposed. Should such take place, it is clear that as witnesses regarding tho nature of that influence, his students' evidenco alone would be of any importance. Many of theso have, I bplieve, gone to tho front. As their verbal assurances cannot, therefore, be obtained, perhaps their action and conduct may be accepted instead. Meanwhile, what have those remaining here to say on tho sub--n as -to the actual facts. Of English parentage on the mother's side, he been brought up in England ■ as an English public school Boy, as an English (Oxford?) University man. The question now is whether, during all these past years at Victoria College and, elsewhere, he_ has, or has not, maintained the principles of English education.. Might he not, for instance, even go as far as claiming some share in the inspiration of those students now fightins in tho cause of freedom? . That "his own nation," on the ono side, has gone to war with us is quite enough for many people to saddle him with responsibility as a German, for the atrocities of which that nation has been guilty. "What about "his own nation on the other side—the English ? Could he not claim some share in the fight for freedom even here?

Have we ever realised the position of our own Royal Family in this war? Actual _members of it —near relations—aro fighting against us, as German soldiers and German subjects. Again. It is said that the whole of the objection to Professor von Zedlitz's position lies in the absence of naturalisation. Remember, in the past,, when the two nations were enjoying such mutual intercourse that_ it' really did not seem to matter. In the present there can be no .question about it. as it has been prohibited since the war began. May Ibe allowed to add an illustration, to show why it seems to me that to have refrained from taking such a step in the old days of peace mav have been felt to bo 'justifiable. In our own, family Ave possess two near relatives in tho Italian army and navy respectively—sons of an Italian offioer, therefore. Italian subjects— their mother, of course, being English. Had these two sons happened to havo been brought up in England, -and married and settled there, they most certainly would have hesitated before cut-

ting off thoir own children from. their Italian • patrimony, should such result be the consequence of naturalisation elsewhere, whilst each of these two

nations was enjoying, similarly unlimited and friendly intercourse with each other. Do not some of us forget how very little "naturalisation" stood for, to most of us, in our ordinary daily life, before this terrible war upset ail our former ideas? And is it not the case that on this point, as on others,, things are apt to lose their due propor-' tion ? Hence the tendency to, somewhat hysterical outbreaks, in word if not in deed, under the misnomer of patriotism. Further. It-is astonishing how often one hears'the argument: Would the Germans have done so and'so? Would this or that'be allowed now in Germany? etc. The entire forgetfulness shown by such an argument of the very principles for the vindication of which we have even goiio to war is simply amazing.

That individual cases have arisen in every part of the_ Empire, difficult and delicate to deal with, goes without saying—cases that cannot be classed together at all. but which must be treated as so many exceptions, each on its own merits. No action taken at Home, for example, can therefore be properly quoted as applying,to any apparently similar case hero,, as the circumstances vary so greatly. In ..conclusion, let us remember that to set aside, even in one case, the most perfect fairness —to curtail tho widest possible liberty to all concerned without the most serious and valid reasons,' is in itself actually unpatriotic. because un-English. That our patriotic society is at all events credited with holding the above principle of liberty and fairness has been exemplified more than once, I believe, of late, when Austrian or German "aliens," suffering through the absence of these principles not only among their employers,' but chiefly and especially among their fellow-workmen, have, I understand, applied to, and received aid from, tho said society; to its infinite credit.—l am, etc., •/ . L. E. BIRCH. August 15. t ,P.S. —Is it a fact that on the outbreak of tho war Professor von Zedlitz at once tendered his resignation -to the 1 University,but .that the authorities would not-accept it? Surely they, not tho Patriotic Society, are, responsible for the moral atmosphere of their lec-ture-rooms ?—L.E.B.