CONCERNING HERR VON ZEDLITZ AND THE COLLEGE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 7

CONCERNING HERR VON ZEDLITZ AND THE COLLEGE COUNCIL.

•Sir,—After a period of comatosit.y this case has been revived by the issue of a Teporfc from the Victoria College Council. The report is a remarkable piece of "flam," and so perverse to the truth, the whole truth, and nothin« but the truth, ttiat it is riot surgris" injj those responsible for its draft should have refused to put their names to it. ,

The claim of the Council in Paragraph 1. that tfod pamphlet is "a clear and permanent record of the'.whole-trans-action" is confuted by statements in Paragraphs 2 and 3 on the same page. We aio row fold (Paragraph 2) that von Zedlitz was "at the age of sever: taken, by his mother to England." He was born in Germany of German father and English mother. He resided with his mother in England and returned to Germany "during his schooling," which terminated at fourteen. If schooled in Germany, how long did von Zedlitz reside in England with his mother before he was fourteen? Yet, at seven, he was taken to England, "residing there with lier!" Thin is not the only make-believe in this coimec-

tion. "Since then," writes tho Council, . . "his domicil" (I . was taught to spell domicile with an "e") has "been entirely British." Tho positiveness of this statement is watered down with this phrase: "Except for occasional visits to his native land." Readers aro left to imagino the duration of theso "occasional visits" to Germany, and their object is .not even hinted at. These "occasional* visits" were foi tho purposo of retaining his "national character and sympathies," as wo will discover later. . Whether Herr von Zed,' litz was a German or not was keenly debated in tho newspapers. The professor declared in Ins letter, published in tlio Press: "I am not a German subject; 1 owe no allegiance to Germany." —September 2, 1910. The Hon. T. W. Hislop contended (October 9, 1915): "Because lie (von Zedlitz) remained with us lie lost his German citizenship." But nearly twelve months before (December 2, 1914) a Minister of tho Crown wrote to von Zedlitz himself: "I am aware that you are of German birth and race, and that you havo retained_ your' national character and sympathies, which "are at this time as widely different as possible from the sympathies and aspirations of England and of New Zealand." And von Zedlitz next day (December 3, 1914) confosses: "When war was declared I conceived it my duty to go to Germany and volunteer for some non-combatant work." , Yet the professor says in the same letter: "I have done nothing objeotionable from ''lie point of view of a patriotic Briton!" Would any patrlotic Briton conceive it his duty to volunteer for Germany, c\, :i .as a stretcherbearer? Only a German who had, as St H. D. Bet 1 pi-rased it, reiained his national character and sympathies, would conceive of such an idea, and only a German would go to tlie German Consul, as Herr von Zedlitz did, to discuss the matter of leaving New Zealand for that .purpGae. But Herr von Zedlitz, nine Inionths afterwards, says: "I am not a German; I owe no allegiance to Germany." Now, the Victoria University Council that gave this:,gentleman £700, in justification of itself, says in two places: "ProfeS-sor von Zedlitz is not a British subject." "Professor von Zedlitz mav be considered a German subject." (Vide paragraph .2.) Yet this precious report states that-: "Except for occasional visits, his domicile (e) . -. . . has been entirely British." ' Under the old law of Germany, "occasional visits" even at over ten years' intervals revived nationality and national rights; and under the new law of 1913 Herr von Zedlitz ,or any other German, may swear allegiance to King Georgo and become naturalised, and provided that he does so, and so declares to a German consul that he is swearing allegiance aiid besoming naturalised fdr tho purposes of his business or profession, his German nationality is not lost at all, and the swearing and, tho "scrap of paper" count for nothing". Such is the German law, such is German subterfuge, that a Gernftn may becoino naturalised and live permanently in any foreign country, and never cease to be a German. The Victoria Collego Council is aware of the nature of the 1913 law concerning German nationality, becauso it refers to it; and knowing that, and knowing'that Voir Zedlitz had "retained his national* character and sympathies," they attempt to justify his retention as one of the , moulders of the youthful minds""of our Dominion. Professor von Zedlitz has displayed most of the attributes of the scientific and "kultured" subjects of Germany. He obtained the favour of the College Council by his diligent service. He secured their confidence by his devotion to Victoria College. Without these ho could not influence the minds and- actions of studeuts, professors, and college, councillors in -a way favourable to himself. It was German influence that has done many notable things among those oonnected with Victoria College, but perhaps-the public"is most familiar with the strenuous effort, happily defeated by the Chancellor, to engraft German methods of student examinations upon the Victoria College. It is a German practice to leave the "passing" of students to German professors. It is true Von Zedlitz offered to resign; he preferred Somes Island to being differently treated from "other Now Zealanders of German origin." He gave his assurance in writing that he would "not communicate with any of my nation," but he presumed he could "speak to students who are German about their work," and "to my chil-dren's-nursery governess, who is a German." Tho more this matter is looked into .in the light, of this College Council pamphlet, the more the council has. to be condemned for retaining this German's services,, and oven now. countenancing his interference in tho work of tho college. It is quite common talk that the persons appointed to do Vol Zedlitz's -work were his nominees, and aro regarded as occupying the place for tha professor till the*, war is ov>;r. Such is the influence of Professor von- Zedlitz over tho minds and actions of th* Victoria College Council. If I am ready to'admit "the loyalty of- Von Zedlitz during the war," aa he claims 1 should be in his letter to the council of November - 3, 1915, I would not be justified, in admitting that, tho variation in . ten months, from December, 1914, to October, 1910, of the professor's statements concerning himself aro entirely duo to his loyaltv and patriotism fo* Great Britain. And no ouo else. On December 3, 1914, tho professor wrote: "When'war was declared, I conceived it my duty to go to Germany and, volunteer for somenoneoinbiitaiii work. The German Consul hc'fo showed mo the material inwossii!,,- y ¥ dein & that -" 0n October 4, IJl.Vtho prclcssor wrote: "When Germany declared war upon France and Russia, I had the gravest doubts of what l ought to do, and for a moment conceived it as my duty (in entire opposition to my interests or inclination) to go to Germany. When a few days later Great. Britain entered into the war 1 clearly realised that tho baro claims of birthplace and paternal ancestry could not possibly create foi- me a duty to ; in. any way that might conflict with the interests of tho country of my I adoption, to which I am bound by every tie of habit, assocation, and j gratitude. That was in the first days of August, 1'914." I When the war broko out Herr von Zedlitz told us he wanted to get back to Germany. Then he had no thought of "gravest doubts." It was his plain duty to go back to Germany. Four months after the war was declared Herr von Zedlitz wrote that his birthplace and paternal claims impelled him at the beginning of the war to go to Germany,_ but fourteen months afterwards "birthplace and paternal ancestry were nothing to be considered against the interests of my adopted country!" Four months after the war broke out the professor had not realii r!i ". as a P ower behind the College Council; fourteen months afterwards he did. Hence the change. Before leaving this phaso of the matter might 1 ask your readers to note the difference, too, in the professor's references to tho war itself:— December 3, 1914 ; "When war was declared f conceived it niv dutv to <>o to Germany." October 4, 1914: "When Germany _ declared war upon France and Russia, I had the gravest doubts ol what I ought-to do," etc. "When a few days later Great Britain entered the war, [ clearly realised," etc. The first statement is simple, and tliereloro natural, and quite iii kerpin" with the. promptings of a patriotic German. J'ho second statement is suggested by considerations, and is palpablv erroneous. Germany did not declare war ' upon France and Russia simultaneously, nor did Great Britain enter the war "a few'days" after Germanv de- 1 nlared war upon Prutir*. "'The Tini«&' ! History of the Wiv" (pp. 31-33), Bayai' j

' 'On tho samo day on whicli tho British time-limit expired, Germany had declared war upon Franco and Belgium." Great' Britain enteral tho war against Germany not a low days lator than the declaration by- Germany of war against Franco, but that very day, so that tlio professor cannot chronologically find any oxcuso for attempting to vary his reasons for first finding it his plain duty to assist Germany, then having some grave doubts nbonl it, and finally protesting that his duty to liis Fatherland could not induce him to fight, for it under tho circumstances. Is not this altogether too thin? This remark applies with equal force to the Collcgo Council, and this pamphlet; and it is not therefore matter of surprise that 'tho mombors of the College Council arc so proud of their production that they do not fyit their i:amcn to it. Moreover, if the cost .of producing this pamphlet is provided by tho College Council funds, then_ tho members individually and collectively lay themselves open to being charged with mis-spending these funds. The wrongness of the whole business is neither justified nor condoned by the publication of twenty-five excuses and numerous letters of alleged explanation. -1 am, etc., J. D. SIfeVWRIGHT.