“Alien Enemies” That Are Not Enemies.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, 25 December 1914, Page 3

“Alien Enemies” That Are Not Enemies.

an view i - more Rigorous measures whi.' i are now being taken against “a!- a enemies” in this counts- -, one important consideration ai i -s to which the authorities, it ma t be hoped, will give due weight. Amongst the objects which we ail have at heart in pursuing this tremendous struggle t > a successful end is the liberation of many subject races from the bondage in which they have b«en held by the two Germanic Powers. For the present, however, numbers of those subject races now residing in the British Isles are technically “ alien enemies,” but is ii just, is it politic, that they should be treated with the same severity as those who are in fact, as well as in name, Germans and Vustrians ? Very little news reaches the outside world with regard to what has been happening during the past 12 weeks in Prussian and in Austrian Poland, or in that part of Russian Poland into which the German Armies have advanced, but such news as filters through, either through private channels or in the Press, tends to show that at least the ssrae horrors have been enacted there as in Belgium, the same “frightful ” methods systematically adopted to terrorize a hostile population. In the execution of the measures now being taken against alien enemies in this country we have a real opportunity of giving the Poles an earnest of. our determination to further, when the time comes, by all the means in our power, the generous power, the generous policy foreshadowed towards them in Ihe proclamation issued by the Grand. Dukein the Tsar’s name. There are. I am told, some 15,000 Poles in the British Islands. Many of them are doubtless Russian subjects who as such are “hors de cause.” But large numbers must bo German or Austrian subjects. Some system might surely be devised b'- which, with the help possibly of one or two trustworthy Polish gentlemen now in England, the authorities might safely discriminate between those. whom it is desirable to intern and those who might be allowed to remain at liberty, even under more o r less stringent guarantees s [ said before, this is ess: !ly a, matter of justice. Bu also equally a. matter of po’ Furl am convinced that sir . practical manifestation of B i good will would gradually knomv all-over Poland, -ill gyjur Itr