THE WEITZEL CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11045, 31 October 1921, Page 4

THE WEITZEL CASE

VICTORIA COLLEGE INQUIRY OUTSPOKEN LETTER TO CHAIR# MAN OF COUNCIL. MORE INFORMATION DESIRED. The Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education) has written the following letter to Mr P. Levi (chairman of thei Victoria College Council), with regard to the council’s inquiry into the Wietzel case: — “I am very pleased to find that the making of contributions to Miss Weitzel’e fine bv university students jointly with certain Communists, and also the possession bv certain students of revolutionary and Communistic literature, are facta which possess no unfavourable significance in the minds of yourself and your council. lam glad that vout council is quite satisfied .that the loyalty of these particular students is above suspicion “I observe that you do not stsite the source of supply of the ‘banned’ revo-r lutionaTy literature found to he in the possession of the students. It would he interesting to knew if there was any channel of communication between the Communist Hall (the distributing centre) and these university students. I think this point is of some importance, and perhaps voui will be good enough to dear up this omission from your statement. ... A WEITZEL SYMPATHISER. “I observe with pleasure that yoit are able to contradict any suggestion that Miss Weitzel had sympathisers with her views ta the college. You apparently consider that .die was almost alone in her views. It is all the more remarkable, therefore, that another school teacher in the WeHingtom school district, who was a fellow-stodent of Mias Wetzel, and took the subjects of education and. philosophy, has expressed in the public Press open sympathy with Miis "Weitzel in her offeooe, ana has used language, in denunciation ofi the authorities which I believe as now the subject of inquiry by the Board ofi Education and the local school ooom mittee. This lady algo sppepjs to hard offended the local community hgr bed anti-British attitude during fin war. and a request has been made by the school committee for her .remoral fan the district. DEBATES 'WITH gEDTOONIBTS DEPRECATED. “As to the debates en place between the donoto (bq fiH Social Democratic party, I riiocud nara little to esy but tor the toot Inn JB think a mistake has been nwib in 8f( fording unusually favoarabSe nities at tbeße debates to Certain known Cbntnranßls to afir thefir «ab| ions on certain questhmA I psfhng that this is also your o*ll tamnl view, and I npd the CbuncO ed ttoH seo fit to agree with yoo. u 8 Ofeeq by your euanwO that the students should have unfettered independence of thought and ttaffiDeet freedom ofi speech and action ta their uutMusibp associations. No one, I thrnV, anaq deny them these elementary rigmta# Certainly nfafc X. But neither free thought nor free speech is impsffiled by asking that tmiwirity folk shall keep law-respeotiug company. wfad useful purpose, may Z oak, ta in mil by having any revolutionary CbmanmJ ist or eedrttoniafc in the rim enmity hsßs even at debates? For ft is a fact than men who are members of the Ckmj munist Party, which is a society oM$ for pure anarchy and Sovietism, band been spokesmen at these debates. Then gentlemen are well known, m the city, and their views and antecedents ought to be known to the OaOege GbmxsL 2s it wise to give these folks a prominence ta the UnrvereHy Debating Society which is not granted thnin any, where else?. May toe public not look askance at intercourse with gentry who are openly anti-British and disloyal? I would impose no restrictions on toe Debating Sbciety, but toe simple and very necessary one that there shall be no truck with the Orannnmists and disloyalists. Nor will it be to the advantage of toe university that any teacher should keep company with, these people. I hope that tine is not mVing too much. TO MAINTAIN LOYALTY. “Your council’s resolution regarding the Debating Club in effect declares that so long as the students beep within the letter of the law they may say and do what they please. This does not seem to mo to set a very high standard for toe youth of the college; though, no doubt, it is quite a safe one. I have the strongest possible feeling that upon the issue of loyalty to King and country something more than an attitude of mere passivity is nowadays desirable, both in the authorities and in our teachers. With respect, I would submit that the nniversitv should endeavour actively to stimulate in its young people a spirit) of national patriotism and lovaltv to one’s country, its flag, and its laws, Tf a university fails to do this, it fails T think, in a most important, du tvl That yo«r!r students in war time Were loyal. and patriotic has. never beep questioned. Their magnificent war record proves this beyond doubt. But if the spirit of the war period is to he maintained it will nut be by intercourse. between young students and men disloyal to our country, and its institutions. and anxious for toe downfall of the Empire. A COMMUNIST LECTURER. “I regret that I have to speak thus plainly, but the tenets of Lenin are spreading throughout the world to-day ; and 1, for one, am not disposed to parley at the gate or in toe hall with men holding the views of the Ooffiroanist Society, the supporter of Bolshevism throughout the world. “lastly, I have already made you aware that a Mr Winter, who is * lse. timer on Maori lore, appointed by your council in connection with the w fe a movement, was very active at MiWeitzel’s trial t and was toe chief person in gathering the subscriptions to pay toe fine. I think, on inonirv vnn will find that Mr Winter is well also as a lecturer at the Communist Hall, and is a prominent member of the Communist Society. The answer of innocent- intention pleaded by the students who paid their money win scarcely be put in by Mr Winter. May I ask what action, if any, your council facts?” 9 *° * ake W * Ul roßpect to these