INTERNMENT OF ALIENS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1918, Page 4

INTERNMENT OF ALIENS.

It will only tie two or three weeks before we see the close of the fourth year of the war, and yet enemy aliens are still allowed to be at large in Britain and the Dominions. Knowing what we do of Teutonic methods and how thoroughly the spy system was built up, it seems incredible that so much laxity should have existed in allowing these aliens their freedom. Every German should at the outbreak of war have been regarded as a possible spy or propagandist of trouble. The revelations that have been made concerning the treachery of aliens in Allied countries and the elaborateness of their metlhods have more than fully justified the most drastic measures being adopted to cope with a menace the extent of which very few people realise. Instead of being interned and made to work,-"a very largo proportion of these centres of 'danger and disaffection have been, and are, profiting by the opportunity to spoil the Allies. Some have been interned, but presumably only those who were too patently pro-German or proAustrian. About a week ago the Britis Home Secretary (Sir George Cave) made a statement in the Honvse of Commons in which he disclosed the astounding fact that there were still in Britain 6000 Germans, 5,500 Austrians, and 1100 Turks and Bulgarians who had not been interned, of whom, he said, 4000 belonged to friendly races only technically of enemy nationality, 3000 ageds and invalids. The Minister further stated that the Germans included 3500 men married to British wives, and 2600 had sons in the British forces. It seoms scarcely credible that

heae thousands should have been alowed freedom of action, especially as a considerable portion of them may have been among the most clever and langerous of enemy, spies—too clevei ;o he detected at their work. It is aot only a question of informing the enemy of occurrences that will help hi; war operations on land, on sea and ir the air that matters, but it is mon subtle and dangerous propagandists whose unseen work is fraught with din results. We have only to remcmbei that the Germans knew the time ant ilace of Lord Kitchener's departure am the ship on which he sailed when hi met his doom. Surely that alone shouk have stirred the British authorities ti Irastic-action, but neither that nor thi numerous other instances of Germai depravity aroused the authorities ti action. At last, however, the Britisl lion lias become angry, and drastic mea sures are to be taken. Every enem> alien is to bo interned unless strong reasons are shown for exemption. The policy of the Domiaiafti Cfrvemmpt has followed that of the Motherland in its mistaken leniency, so that we may reasonably expect equally drastic measures will be taken in New Zealand to that which are promised in Britain. Numerous resolutions have been passed in various towns of the Dominion from time to time calling on the Government to intern all enemy aliens, without exception, during the period of the war, some of these demands going to the length of removing all persons born of enemy alien parents, and at present holding positions in the Dominion enabling them to acquire knowledge, the possession of which would be of value to the enemy. There is also a/very strong feeling that such persons and neutral aliens should not be allowed to hold land, either on lease or by transfer. It is obviously, unjust that while our own people are voluntarily or compulsorily taking Wieir part in the war, that aliens who are not eligible for service are being allowed to reap a fat harvest. It is to bo hoped there will be no more timid tinkering with this problem, but that even at this late hour, the right course will be taken. There has been far too much harm done already, and the latest outrage—the sinking of the "Wimmera near our coast—should brace up the Government for the performance of a manifest, though probably an uppleasant, duty

convincing reasons to tlie contrary are j substantiated. We are a long suffer- | ing people with a spineless Government, j but there will be no longer the shadow of an excuse Tor not dealing with this matter thoroughly and effectively.