FRIENDSHIP WITH GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 63, 8 December 1920, Page 7

FRIENDSHIP WITH GERMANY

It is noil one person in 100,000 who knows the name o£ our poet laureate (wrote a London correspondent on October 21). He is 6tfid to be a dear old gentleman and may Ire seen at Oxford, or elsewhere. Occasionally lie favours the country with an effusion which a few persons may read, but which nobody n'alks about. Ho has, however, just taken a step (it is not in the way of 'poetry) which lias brought him into prominence. He has promoted a petition for reconciliation with Germany, signed by 60 persons, whose sihtus,. ns representative men of Oxford University is strongly challenged. The signatories are headed by Dr. Bobert Bridges, as the promoter of this movement. A large majority of the host names in Oxford are on the side of silence. Tho document, is addressed to professors of arts and sciences in Austria and Germany, and appeals to them to dispel the bitterness caused by the war, seek the re-esta,blishniont of old relations, and keep alive their spiritual ideals. The action of Dr. Bridges and his friends has aroused some sharp protests. One writer reminds us of the poet laureato's denunciations, less than two years ago, of ''Satan's chamberlains, high seated in Berlin" "for their deeds unspeakable." Anoulicr recalls tho sufferings and deaths of Oxford students, for University men lost heavily in the war. A third recalls the manifesto of October, 1914, signed by 93 of the greatest names of professors and university people in Germany, justifying tjhe violation of Belgium and tho murders committed in that country. Most people think it is too soon to condone the faults of Germany. Dean Inge, of St. Paul's, who never writes or speuks without attracting public attention, lias been speaking at the Southend Church Congress on this subject of reconciliation with Germany. lie admitted that the German Government deliba'lcly precipitated the recent war, but he maintained that "It was our duty to purge our minds of the artificial war mentality which had filled our hearts with hatred, and perverted our judgments." He added tfliat there could be no more fatuous policy than _to try and get Germany permanently crippled. It would drive Germany into alliance with what might be the coming militarist government of Russia. The war lords, lie said, had suffered the worst that fate could bring them. With the rank and file we never had .any real cause of enmity. Ho considered ihat the only altern'ative to tho League of Nations was 11 Mutual Suicide Club. There wero •several shouts of protest from the congress of clerics who heard the dean's speech, and the dean Raid he must apologise for appearing, perhaps, too German, He claimed to be as patriotic as anybody- But as Nurse C'avoll said before her death, "Patriotism is not enough."