Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. THE SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1955, 22 March 1919, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. THE SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE.

CERTAIN members of Hie Wanganui Education Board are ,-altering (rum a -evere I'orm of (,lermanilis whieh is bordering on ranalieism, a di.-ease whieb, if allowed to go unebeeked, will outdo Ibe al rocil ieperpelrated by tbe Turk’s on I lie Arliieniaiis. Every one agree- that Germany mu-t be punished lor her crimes, and we doubt md that the punishment will he based upon justice ratlmr than vengeance. It is safe to assume that the Allies will see to that pari of the business independent of the views of certain members of (be Eduenlioii Board who are behaving like shrieking Dervishes. True patriotism does not eoiisi-1 in kicking a victim to death after reducing him to a slate of lielple-snea-, but rather to make it impossible for him to do wrong in the future, and by example and precept to indicate a higher plane of civilisation. If certain fanatics had their way everything German, animate and inanimate, would he east into the pit of destruction. This spirit of intolerance belongs to the dark ages and is unworthy of the Anglo-Saxon ideal. •* *• ’ * + WE see the spirit uf vengeance raising its ugly head in onr midst, and those who manifest it should he removed from our public life, particularly from educational administration. We got an indication of the spirit of intolerance in reference to the purclia-e of a second-hand piano of German manufacture for our local school, while those prominent in Hie outcry had. in their own homes the goods they were condemning for the school! « # £- 'i AT last meeting of the Board the finest ion of the appointment of junior teacher, both of whose parent- were horn in Germany, came up. To complete the appointment, it was necessary

llial I Ik; rather should sign the usual bond, but it was stated that that was impossible. Mr Joblin explained that lie knew the candidate, and offered to sign the bond himself. This was agreed to by the Board, (fti a division, Messrs Mclntyre, I’ilkington, Bruee, Frceth and, Joblin voting for the motion, and Messrs Fraser and Fred, i'irani against, (be latter stating that be opposed (lie appointment bn the ground that the candidate was a Herman, and there was not even proof that the parents were naturalised. In a letter to (he press, Mr Freelb says Mr I’irani knew, on the authority of Mr Joblin, that two brothers of (Ue applicant had been accepted by (he Xew Zealand (.lovernment to tight under the British Hag, and had seen service in France, and he knew also that a sister of the applicant had been in the Board’s service for three or four years and was about then, is another example of (be spirit-or intolerance which must be scotched, and we congratulate those members who are determined to end this sort of thing, at least so far as the Wanganui Fduealion Board is concerned.