New Zealand

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 192, 22 January 1915, Page 5

New Zealand

AN ACADEMICAL DISCUSSION. FRENCH IAND GERMAN UNIVERSITIES AT ISSUE, REPLY TO GERMAN PROTEST. SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS. By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The French Universities recently replied to a protest issued by the Geri man Universities against the accusations made with reference to their country in connection with the -war. A copy of the letter, which is addressed to the Universities of neutral countries, has been received by M. Julien Rigoreau, French Consul at Auckland. Tho only answer of the French Universities, the document states, will take the form of a few of the following questions:— Who has brought about the war? Who, during the short respite left to the deliberation of Europe, have tried their utmost to find conciliatory formulas? Who, on the other hand, refused all means proposed in turn by England, Russia, France, and Italy? Who, at the precise moment when the conflict seemed to be subsiding, lias let loose the war just as if a propitious occasion had been expected and looked forward to ? Who has violated the neutrality of Belgium, after having given a pledge to guarantee it? Who declared that neutrality is but a mere word; that treaties are only "scraps of paper," and that in a time of war it is every man for himself? Who has disregarded the international conventions by" which the signatory Powers had pledged themselves not to use, in making war, any forcible 'means which might constitute a barbaric or a perflde, and bound themselves to respect historical buildings, religious, scientific, or charitable Institutions, • unless the enemy led the way to such destruction by using them first for military purposes?

In what circumstances was the University of Louvain destroyed? In what circumstances was the Cathedral of Rheims burnt down? 1 In what circumstances were incen- c diary bombs dropped on the Church , of Notre Dame de Paris? j Facts are sufficient answers to these questions. You can already consult 6 documents published by the Diplomatic r Chancellors, the results of inquests held , by neutral countries, the evidence , found in German note-books and, fur- ' thormore, the testimony of the ruins in ' Belgium and France against them. It is no use, as the German men of science did, to give to these evidences a flat denial, based only on their honor, It is not sufficient to say, as the German Universities arc doing: "You know,L. our teaching; it cannot bring up a nation of barbarians. We know the value s of this teaching, but we have seen also , how, breaking away from German tra- ( ditions which brought forth such men as Leibnitz, Kant, and Goethe, the 1 German culture) which has been enslaved by Prussian militarism, and carried away by it, pretends to universal supremacy. There are countless proofs of this pretension. Quite recently a Professor of the Leipzig University wrote: "All culture in Europe is for the future dependent on us.s' On their part, the ©Diversities of Franco have said that civilisation is not dependent on one nation alone but is derived from all nations and that culture and moral beauty is the result of 1 ever-changing variety, and is dependent on the genius of all countries. Like \the Allies, the French Universities take (•upon themselves the work of defending the liberty of the world." A "REFRESHER" CAMP. THREE HUNDRED MEN UNDER CANVAS. Wanganui, Last Night. At the Wanganui racecourse a "refresher" camp is in progress, 300 officers and non-commissioned officers and cadets from the. Wellington military district area being under canvas in charge of Mayor Morrison and staff officers. Favoured by good weather conditions a strenuous training programme is being carried out. NEW SYSTEM OF RECRUITING. Dunedin, January 2-. The Hon. Jas. Allen informed a reporter to-day that the new system of recruiting had been approved and would now be put into practice. It aims at keeping a complete register through the post office of all applicants so that i they can be called on when wanted, thus avoiding their leaving employment long before they can be received for training at Trentham.