THE CASE OF PROFESSOR VON ZEDLITZ

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2509, 12 October 1915, Page 7

THE CASE OF PROFESSOR VON ZEDLITZ

(To the Editor.)

/Sir—lf jour correspondent "Very Like » Whalo" had substituted Hun or Teuton for whale 'he ivould have aptly described himself,-.and'your other correspondent "D." Have we ever heard of a Briton, whether of Saxon, Teuton, Hun, or any other origin, dashed with a sufficiency of the Celt, crowing over a. defeated foe? Never! Your correspondents, no doubt conscious of their meanness, hide their real names! I am not desirous at present of carrying on the controversy. In times to come it will be recognised that an opportunity was afforded Parliament to rise ' superior td passion and blind hate and do justice, and it lost it. I. wish, however, to emphasise a few statements which have already been made. '

First, no fact was known to the Premier when he made his first 'threat in the House which was not known for eight months before. He knew from the first the whole correspondence which passed between'the Minister of Internal Affairs and Professor von Zedlitz, including the letter quoted in the House. It was.'the Minister's duty to inform the Prime Minister and the other Ministers dealing with the mr.tter, and he did it. If the information conveyed in the letter was a sufficient warranty for-the Bill, why-'did he allow threefourths of tho session to pass and' only introduce it as ■ the result of spiteful and anonymous correspondence and clamour which he thought was popular? If he did not know of the letter, which I deny, what grounds were there for his threat to tho Victoria Council, and why did he make a statement which implied, as circumstances-have since demonstrated, that a Bill would only, bo introduced if Professor von Zedlitz's resignation was not accepted? Now, as to the letter about whioh there has been so much fuss. _It lias a twofold significance. First, it shows that the professor at the time when war between Germany and one, two, or three other countries had been, or was about to bo, declared, was disturbed by the thought .that his duty might he with Germany, and whether !he ought to offer his eervices as a. non-combatant. He discussed the matter, but dismissed the idea. Reflection showed that if he returned to Germany and was accepted he would have to do What he was told 1 , and it also brought out that he was not a German subject, and owed! Germany no duty. After .the invasion of Belgium and England's intervention, ho had no further doubts as to his duty. In reply to a letter from the Minister, whioh he described as semi-official, the professor wrote what only a hyper-candid man devoid of all scheming would write. He described) his original doubts, and gave the undertaking required, explaining that he had ceased to be a German subjeot. Hiß subsequent letters , have been of the same open and ingenuous character. The Ministry accepted his undertaking. The correspondence was always known to the Prime Minister. To show the true nature of the man, he made a. statement of his passing doubt when the question of his internment was being considered and when no other witness of its existence could have disclosed it. We lawyers, wiho know that doubts are not punishable. The Aliens Commission accepted the correspondence, including this letter, as satisfactory. So. did the. Victoria Council, including the Attorney-General, and the correspondence was sent to the council. What has caused the change? The facts are the same. A correspondent extols Mr. Hunter because he will not in friendship the hand of my German clasp.. 1 will give him a more • commendable example. Some evenings ago I saw an intelligent, bright-looking youth in Whaki, who yesterday went off to fight, taking a German into a placo of refreshment, and' treat him to coffce, etc. I afterwards chaflingly said to him, "You're off to fight the Germans, after feeding one here." Ho replied, "He's a decent fellow. Ho was in tho public service, and the .d Ministry gave him the run. We'ro not fighting chaps like that. Wo'ro fighting Uio Kaiser and his crowd. I'm 6ony for that chap." I aelc which example will bout stand the test of time. Your correspondents ought to know ihat tho members of tho deputation have keon human. sympathies, and they have had 1,0 make, and are making, sacrifieeo, and are receiving blows, but thoy undergo this for the purpose of establishing great principles, and they are in tliin alien teachers contest equally anxioiw to keep justice and humanity among ourselves. They know that what are acts of unfairness and cruelty when performed by Germans do. not liccomo virtues when perpetrated, by Now 'Amilanders, and tlley are as ready to Mifl'w in order to keep a high standard in Now Zealand a,s to overthrow unrighteousness in Europe.am, etc., T. W. HISLOP.