THE NATURALISATION FARCE

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 948, 12 September 1918, Page 6

THE NATURALISATION FARCE

Mr. Massey Speaks Out.

Massey's plain speech on the naturalisation farce should be warmly approved by New Zealanders. In his interview with a "Pall M~a.ll Gazette" representative, he made it clear that he has fully grasped the sinister meaning of that "peaceful penetration" which played so prominent a part in Germany's pre-war foreign policy and which, unless it is countered and checkmated after the war, may undo not a little of the good results we are hoping for from the triumph of the Allies. All over the British Empire, Germans, before the war, "sneaked" themselves into commercial and social sanctums even into official positions, in which they played the German game of espionage, or stealthily fostered antiBritish movements. And, to a minor extent, the same game has been carried on, during the war period, in Canada, Australia, and in New 'Zealand by "naturalised Germans." Mr. Massey advocates the barring out of

Germans from any and every part of the Empire "for a long period." As for naturalisation papers being again issued to Germans, he would have this made impossible for "even a longer period.'' Legislation to effect all this should be uniform throughout the Empire, as, also, should other legislation making the most generous provision of naturalisation and trading and kindred privileges for the benefit of our Allies.

We >are heartily at one with the Prime Minister in this post-war policy as regards the exclusion of Germans from the various States of the Empire. The trouble, however, will be to conquer the curious opposition to all punitive and wisely precautionary measures which already nnds reflection in certain English papers, especially those which represent the semi-moribund Free Trade Party. After the war the Extreme Radical and Labour Party will be very strong in British politics, and unless thej Over-Sea Dominions put up a big fight for the right to control their own immigration policy, Australia and New Zealand may be flooded by Germans who will seek naturalisation. Mr. Massey has wisely sounded a note of warning as to the danger of the enemy being allowed toi re-establish his ' 'peaceful penetration 5 ' in British countries, it is a great pity that some material and satisfactory understanding on the exclusion of German immigrants and on the naturalisation question has not been.arrived at before the overseas delegates to the Imperial Conference left London. It may be that gome such 'agreement has been axrived at although not formally announced, and that when Mr. Massey meets Parliament he will be able to give members some satisfactory assurances on the subject. *