OUR INTERNMENT CAMPS AND SOCALLED ALIENS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 254, 22 July 1919, Page 6

OUR INTERNMENT CAMPS AND SOCALLED ALIENS

Sir,—What of the internees- in our prison camps? One would have thought our Government, If for 110 other reason, would, as an act of grace and chivalry worthy of our best traditions as a nation, have been in a position to announce, definitely and finally, to the unfortunates in those camps what our 'future attitude towards them is to bo. Surely it is time they were apprised of their fate in this connection. I understand that all the "undesirables" 'have been already deported. Whether that be so or not there is reason to believe that a considerable number of men of German parentage, who have been for many years naturalised British subjects, and who have been denaturalised, are still in those internment camps, although no definite charges of any kind whatever have been preferred against them. Surely every dictato of justice, morality, and religion demands that even all aliens should be given an opportunity of establishing their innocence. Now is the time. Surely we are not justified in keeping even any enemy subject any longer interned merely on suspicion. I see the question of the possibility of the Council of Victoria University College reinstating ex-Professor von Zedlitz is raised in your columns this morning. _ Even this is n question that to my mind calls for serious and conscientious investigation. I do not—and I am certain that very few, if any, of my fellow citizens in the Dominionknow what the full and real caso against the ex-professor is. True, it is that (a; I understand) he is of German-English parentage, that he has lived and been educated -from early boyhood in England, that ho has lived in New Zealand for some fifteen years, and married the daughter of a highly respected citizen of this Dominion, and granddaughter of one of our pioneer statesmen; while the only count against him (that I can discover) is that he has never been naturalised. Now, if that is all, 6urely the case calls for earnest consideration. If it can be shown on full and open investigation that the ex-professor Jias been in aay way. disloyal to our King or Empire, ot guilty of any compromising speech or action, let na have done with him. But if it can be established that there is no case against him, then, unless the age of chivalry and Christian charity is gone, we should think of his British wife nnd family, rather than of him personally, before we finally determine not' to avail ourselves of his services in the future. Two of Airs, von Zedlitz's brothers, I understand, have given their lives for their country and for humanity, and are we going to treat her and hers as undesirable aliens?—T mn. etc.. LOYAL BRITON.