GERMAN-AUSTRALIANS

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 146, 18 December 1919, Page 4

GERMAN-AUSTRALIANS

VEEY DIFFICULT PROBLEM. •

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, 4th December.

When the war broke out there were in Australia, about 35,000 persons of German birth. In addition, there were many thousands of others born of German parents, and completely German in sentiment. The majority of these Germans were scattered over the four .States of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, in prosperous rural settlements. These places were practically little'bits of Germany. The people refused to mix. They maintained their language and their institutions, refused to call themselves British or Austealian, and drank the Kaiser's health ?n the Kaiser's birthday. But they were very good, industrious settlers, and Australia, until 1914, was very pleased with them. ' . Of course, with the outbreak of the war, when these people in the main proved to be complete Huns ancl bitterly anti-British, the question of dealing with them had to be solved. The most uncompromising Huns were interned—but Australia could not place 30,000 behind barbed wire, and th« remainder were kept more or leas under surveillance. But a new policy was decided on which would break down the isolation of the German settlements. The various German schools were closed up. German children must attend schools, but they may not be taught in the German language. It appears a harsh law —but these Germans brought it on themselves by their treachery during the war. Thousands of children were growing up in Australia not knowing a word of English.

- A more difficult problem has arisen, and is growing. The land held by these Germans is in almost every State the very best land. Thousands of soldiers, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria, are asking why they cannot get land, while 'these anti-British Germans, who tried to stab them in the back during the war, should wallow in plenty. If they had even tried to be decent Australians, say the soldiers, no one would have objected to their continued occupation of first-class estates, but should they not now be punished for their treachery by being deprived of at least a portion of their valuable territory ? So far, the Governments have not had a word to say on the matter, because they recognise that they could easily do' injustice. But the soldiers' agitation is growing, and some official pronouncement may be forced before before long. '