GERMANS IN AUSTRALIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3365, 18 December 1919, Page 5

GERMANS IN AUSTRALIA.

...§_.—_o..j——STRONGLY ANTI-BRITISH.

' A DIFFICULT PROBLEI\I. COMPLAINTS BY SOLDIERS. SYDNEY Dec, 4. When the war broke out -there were in Australia about 35,000 ‘persons of German birth. In addition there‘ were many thousands of others born of Ger man parents, and ‘completely German in Sentiment. The majority of these Germans were scatter-ecl over the four States of Queensland, New South Wales, Vidtoria, an\__d ;.’South Austra~ lia. in prosperous I’ul'al‘settlelnents. These places were practically little bits of Germany. The people refused to mix. They maintained their language, and their institutions, refused to call themselves British or Australian, and drank the Kaiser’s health on the Ka.iser’s birthday. But they were very- good industrious settlers, and Australia, until 1914,“ was very pleased with them.

'ol’ course, with the outbreak of the war, when these people in the main proved to be complete Germans and bitterly anti British, the question of deia.l'lllg with them ‘had to be solved. The ‘most uncompromising Germans were intei-ned——but Ausitralia could not place 30,000 behind barbed wire, and the 1-em-ainder were kept more or loss under surveillance.

But. a new policy was decided on which would break down the isolation of the German settlements. The various German schools were closed up. German children must attend schools, but they‘ may not be" taught in the German language. It appears a. harsh law, but these Germans brought. it on themselves. by their treachery during the War. Thousands of children were growing up in Australia, not knowing a word of English. A more difficult problem has arisen and is gro-wing. The land held by these Germans is in ‘almost every State the very best land. Thousands of soldiers, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria, are asking ‘why they cannot. get‘ land while these antiBritish Germans, who tried to stab them ‘in lthe back during the War, should wallow in plenty. If they had even tried to be decent Australians, Say the soldiers, no one would -have’ objected to their continued occupation of‘ firSi'—c.lass estates; but should they not now be punished for their tre|achery by being deprived of at least a portion of their ‘valuable territory‘? So far, the Government has not had a word to say on the matter, because they rec‘ogni_se that they could easily do injustice. But the soldiers’ agitation is growing, and some oflicilal announcement may be expected before long.