ACTION AGAINST ALIENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24334, 26 June 1940, Page 11

ACTION AGAINST ALIENS

TO THE EDITOB Sir—There is a great deal of justifiable apprehension with regard to Fifth Column work in New Zealand. In this connection I have just read a statement made by one who was formerly associated with the Nazi Organisation in Foreign Lands, In which he refers to the use made of German seamen who have “ deserted ” their ships, Some of your readers may remember the case of such a seaman who was brought before our courts about 1937. This individual made the excuse that he was a non-Nazi amengst a crowd

of Nazis and he had no option but to desert The court rightly decided that he was to be returned to his ship. The ■ matter did not end there, however, for some unexplained reason the responsible Minister made the astonishing decision that the man was to be released and, at the time the matter was referred to in a Christchurch paper, he was employed on the Rangitata bridge. There may be a strong probability that this man was playing a part in the interests of the Fatherland. I am impelled to ask (1) Is this man still at large, or is he where he ought to be, under lock and key? (2) How many “ deserting ” German seamen were also given a similar privilege?—a privilege, by the way. that would have been denied to a runaway British seaman. Why cannot we follow the lead .of the Old Country and other parts of the Empire and intern all aliens and disloyalists? The time is past for trifling with danger.—l am, etc.. Oamaru. Action, TO THE EDITOB Sir—l read with interest a paragraph in Saturday’s Daily Times which stated that the Wellington Education Board has banned Mr Paul Schramm, the well-known pianist, from giving recitals in all schools under the Weilington board. I find the paragraph of special interest for this reason: before the commencement of this war Mr Schramm gave a recital in one of the Otago schools. At the conclusion of the recital he was requested by one of the ladies present to play the Austrian national anthem. As he is an Austrian I expected him to comply with the request, even though his country has been swallowed by the Nazis; but he very politely stated that he could not do so as there was now no Austrian national anthem! At the time I considered that his seeming lack of patriotic spirit towards his own country might be explained _ by his being a foreigner and possibly lacking in “ intestinal fortitude.” A Briton, in similar circumstance, would, I think, have played the British national anthem in spite of the devil 'himself, let alone his disciple, Hitler —I am, etc., Fifth Column.