GERMAN REPARATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 307, 28 December 1922, Page 3

GERMAN REPARATION.

(To the Editor.* Sir.—l note Mr. W. J. N'apier's letter on the above and the fact that he. has unquestionably become an enthusiastic convert to the alleged German methods and now hotly advocates these in preference to the* British article. But suppose we do impose what Mr. Xapier advocates and seize the private property belonging to anyone who is German born, what a precendent it would set. and what a curse this precedent would prove, should our children ever suffer defeat in war. The only way Germany is likely to pay is by working long hours and living frugally. By this method the nation will eventually be able to pay the huge indemnity asked them. But to compete with them in business it stands to reason ■that the British worker must do likewise. Again suppose that instead of Germany suplying coal and ships to England for nothing we asked them for free legal advice, then Mr. Napier would be like the British worker and be out of a job; while by the time the indemnity was paid he would have forgotten how to work. Again the fdea. of annexing foreign civilisations needs scarcely any rebuttal as the present misery throughout the world is rooted on this very mistake, But the worst mistake of all: Suppose ■we give France the whip hand over Germany and suppose that instead of France's eastern boundary being a menace, a large area becomes a, recruiting ground for her army. Who would feel the whip next?—l am, etc., HAROLD SCTfMTDT.