“ASTOUNDED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 688, 13 June 1929, Page 8

“ASTOUNDED”

Sir, — I, with -many thousand others, am astounded that people should still seriously entertain the idea of welcoming the German seamen Lo Auck-

land. It seems but a short Lime ago that those of us who had sons in the first Expeditionary Force—l was one of them—were waiting fearfully for

the news of its destruction at sea by the Emden. The information That tlie Emden was sunk by the Sydney was given out in the theatre at night, and was received with prolonged cheering and the singing of the National Anthem. That the Germans should send, as a peacemaker, a ship of that name is astounding. This arrogant assumption of the visit being tamely received is quite typical of the German psychology and would occur to no other nation. Many years ago, when I first went to sea, the German sailors were a subdued, docile lot; but this later military obsession seems to have inoculated the whole nation. To keep our dignity, I maintain, sir, that we should accord these people the usual international courtesies and no more. It would be unfortunate should some “regrettable incident” occur. A. P. HOPKINS. Milford.