REVOLUTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2326, 8 September 1921, Page 4

REVOLUTION.

INVESTIGATION WANTED

TENDENCY MUST BE

CHECKED,

Concerning the conviction of Miss Weitzel for circulating seditious literature, the Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) made the following statement f ‘l regard the case as serious when a young teacher, holding a B.A. degree and enjoying the benefits of a training college bursary, is found guilty by a Magistrate of wilfully distributing revolutionary literature encouraging violence. It is surely time for pretty drastic action. There are other disturbing factors. About 10 or 15 young women, who were students of the Training College or the Victoria College, attended the Court, and, it is asserted, by their interest and attitude showed sympathy with Miss Weitzel. Several leading Communists were also present at the Court. After Miss Weitzel was fined £lO, a collection was taken up outside the Court by the Communist sympathisers in order to pay the fine.

“The Department is seriously concerned with what appears to be evidence of the dissemination of revolutionary influence among students. Miss Weitzel was one of the leading agents for dealing with literature from the Communist Hall. In her statement to the Court she said that she had frequently discussed with her confreres matters of sociological interest. She did this, so she stated, as a student of economics and mental and moral philosophy. This is all very well, but the distrL bufion of revolutionary literature is hardly a necessary part of a course in sociology. How far had these influences reached at the University and at the Training College? This should be a subject for investigation.

“The matter cannot rest where it is. I have asked the Director of Education to communicate with the Educati m Board and the University College Council and request a full and careful inquiry into the serious issues raised by this Police Court case. The Education Board will conduct an inquiry next week at the Training College, at which cither I or the Director will be present. It is no use this country spending thousands of pounds in training young teachers who will mould the mind and character of the coming generation if we are going to get this sort of tiling for our money. Our teachers must be loyal citizens. If some of them want to lie revolutionaries they must seek another job.”