The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1919. TREATMENT OF THE ENEMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1919. TREATMENT OF THE ENEMY.

When speaking at the meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, yesterday* on the question of endorsing the action of the • Wanganui Board in protesting against the re-appointment of Professor von Zedlitz to the staff of Victoria College, Mr. H. Trimble once more gave expression to his peculiar views as to treatment of Germans. Every man is entitled to hold opinions at variance with the rest of the community, but it is quite another matter when it comes to thrusting those opinions on his fellow men and causing them a painful shock. Such action is bad enough in private life, but is greatly aggravated when it is taken by a member of a public body, and especially reprehensible when that body is charged with the education of the young. It is not a question whether Mr. Trimble's ultra pacific tendencies are taken seriously or not. It is the princi- j pie (or want of it) that matters. The British Empire poured forth the whole of its virile manhood and material resources in the imperative task of ridding the world of the menace of German militarism, which aimed at world domination and the practical enslavement of the nations, the Dominions included. This is a reality which' has been clcraly proved again and again. The peace terms were arranged on s4ch a basis as would, it was hoped and intended, ensure the world's freedom from any future interference by any armed nation having a hist for conquest, and those terms wer« just and comparatively lenient. Mr, Trimble, however, sets himself up a3 an authority having superior wisdom to that of the statesmen who framed the terms, and denounces the treaty as being "the most unjust that ever ended a war." What did he expect? Apparently that the Allies should have apologised to the Germans for not having grovelled at their feet and taken a severe beating lying down. That, however, is not, has never been, and never will be, the British way of treating a vicious and unscrupulous enemy, especially when championing the causo of the weak. There is no question of keeping the Germans in slavery, only of forcing them to make reparation to the Utmost of their power for the incalculable losses and damage they so wantonly caused. Full reparation they canhot make, no more than atonement for their colossal crimes against millions of innocent people. Mr. Trimble might well bestow some of his sympathy upon the victims of the Huns, for surely they deserve all sympathy and help. Does Mr. Trimble thinfc that if a treaty less exacting were imposed on the enemy the latter would be any the more well disposed towards the Allies? We don't. The nature of a beast does not alter as a and: the. nature, of the human beast

that the Hun has proved himself to be would not be changed one iota if the peace conditions were relaxed. We would not have learned the chief lesson from the war if we did not take such measures as were in our power to prevent the human Least from ever getting at large again. The Peace Treaty attempts this. Whether the Treaty will be successful depends upon the power behind its enforcement, for the German, now as during' the war, understands and is amenable to no arguments but force. Pacifists would have us employ gentler methods, indeed would have us "shake hands and be friends" with those who have murdered our sons and our brothers, but we must never forget that the same pacificists' by their propaganda prevented Britain from taking adequate measures against the danger that was threatening her and the world generally. The pacificists were listened to. once by a foolish public; there ia fortunately now no chance of their counsel ever being heeded again.