"PATRIOTISM AND THE SCHOOL."

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15567, 17 April 1916, Page 10

"PATRIOTISM AND THE SCHOOL."

j TO THE KDITOR Of "THE ntESS." J Sir, —The schoolmaster in your l Literary Corner on Saturday morning 1 had indeed got a vision of his high calling—that of moulding ihe young ■ mind, and training it like the vine tendril. Chatting to a Baptist minister the other evening, lie said, "I am fearful for the future." "Why so?" "I am afraid that this 'Strafe Germany' spirit will lead to regrettable trade reprisals which will be contrary to the spirit of brotherhood." Here is a story told me by a bottle-man lof an incident which happened on board a Hoinc-bournl boat eleven years j ago, which should make us slow to i ''strafe": Two Germans, an old man and a young man, were passengers. I The old man was an old Australian i colonist, and the young man was.telling i the old one bow, when war started, i the British Xavv would be swept off I the seas. This is the gist of the conj versation which was carried on in Ger- ' man, and afterwards told by the old I man in English. "Go easy, young i man. I have lived 40 years among these British, and I know them. They ! are born fighters. You know the dogs we \ise among the cattle, noisy, yapping, and quarrelsome. . You know also the bulldog—not easily roused, .but when he does fight, it is to a finish. I have made my pile among these bulldogs, and never once have I been accused of being a German. More than that, I have filled several honourable positions among them. If I had remained in my native Germany I would possibly hav« remained a labouring man. Before you have a hope of sweeping them off the seas you will have to double-bank them in ships and guns. They are born fighters, which we Germans are not." Let us remember the old German and be slow to strafe.—Yours, etc., PETER TROLOVE.