TRADE WITH GERMANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17371, 19 January 1920, Page 5

TRADE WITH GERMANS.

RETURNED MEN'S ATTITUDE, , CRITICISM IN THE PULPIT, REGENERATION OP GERMANY "Is ; the Returned Soldiers' Associa- . tion's Attitude Towards Gorman Trada Hight?" • was • the subject of a sermon by the Rev. D. C. : Herron, M.0., in St. David's Presbyterian Church, Khyber Pass Road, last evening. ;.There wae a large congregation, including a number of the ■ members and executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association.

Mr. Htrron, who was an army chaplain, and won the Military Cross, said thai although be was running counter to the Returned Soldiers' Association in this matter, he took a great interest in the work it was doing :or the commnnity. He was not tackling tho economic problems. Everyone realised they' were intensely difficult, because we had nob only to be fair to Germany, but also to our work- . men. But even tie economic problems would bo greatly simplified if the two grei 1 forces working at present— League of Nations and the International Labour Councils—were successful in introducing an international standard week. Because- thrae was loneliness stiil in many homes, because there were with us "the blind and the crippled, because revenge was sweet and forgiveness difficult, we were tempted to listen to the voice of those who desired to have no dealing with Germany. But th-?. question came in quieter moments, Was it right? We must remember that Germany's dead amounted to almost twice the population of New Zealand. When we thought of all these things and of the words, '' 'Vengeance is mine. I will repay,' saith. the Lord," we were not quite so sure that the voice now sounding was calling us to the

best foundation for the new world. He urged the congregation to read the history of Germany so that they might' that that very great nation had been swindled into its present position through the evil genius of a few very powerful men, towering above whom was Bismarck. If Germany had been governed by representatives of the people instead of by a few military deispots there would have been no war in 1914. • It was not England's fault but her ignorance and want of sympathy that tilted the balance, in the wrong way for Germany in v 1862. The result was militarism, ( bloodshed, and an iron policy. It made one groan to hear ■ to-day that one of the nominal heads of education in New Zealand declared we had no: occasion to learn'; German, • and also to hear that our library in Auckland for some time to come did noi propose to get any German literature. r».;»r If Germany saw" Britain was not going to give her a chance.to build.up the British type of government she would throw ; herself in despair back into the arms of j militarism. If we demanded an enormous

indemnity, without' giving . Germany a chance to pay it, we were looking for trouble. We had signed peace, therefore let as be.at peace.' The 1 Returned Soldiers' Association's attitude was certainly not Christian. Germany .would yet be a great blessings to the world .' if only. ; she could be moulded to liberal ideals. If we refused the Germans a chance and attempted to starve them our Bin, , would surely , return on our own heads. We were not born to build the 'British Empire, but to build the, Kingdom of God, which included Gemans as well,as British.- y ■'»:'; ". ;