THE EMDEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1929, Page 15

THE EMDEN.

(To the Editor.) Sir—The - ‘.‘milk •of human kindness” appears to be an unknown quantity with certain- individuate, who would treat the officers and men of the visiting German ■boat,-the Emden, as criminals-and peo.ple beyond the pale. It makes an ordinary Christian’s heart bleed to read such undisguised avowals of hatred and bitterness towards a. conquered fop. Is it any wonder that the world continues to arm for further slaughter. . Is it’ any wonder that the League of Nations can make little or no headway? Is it any wonder that the representatives of the different nationals wholeheartedly distrust each other? lailure in its broadest sense ie a foregone con-

clusion, as the actions of certain correspondents to our papers in a very small way tend to prove. When you have thousands of people alike to these in their beliefs and opinions, as so

recently expressed, in all countries, is it not futile to hope for peace among nations ? It is plainly evident that man will require to be re-born to bring peace upon earth, but would this suffice? On second thoughts, no. He was re-born after the flood, when the world was deluged for our sins, and later the Son of God appeared as man to teach goodwill and charity towards mankind. Of goodwill and charity we have daily evidence, so we are forced to the conclusion that a re-birth would avail us little. God help us. Compare the actions of these British diehards with the action of the con_temptible German crowd of 50,000 spectators, who, according to recent cables, made Sir Henry Segrave the centre of an enthusiastic demonstration when he won at Potsdam, near Berlin, the German motor-boat speed championship, whilst a German orchestra played the British National Anthem! Yes, think of it, you charitably disposed persons, and hide your heads in shame, for what you really are, spurious Britishers, fit material for the fomenting of strife and liatrcd, for the keeping and the fostering of enmity and old wounds amongst people who are charitable enough to forgive and forget. No decent Britisher worthy of the name possessing in his heart a spark of goodwill or charity would refuse to our visitors the ordinary courtesies extended on such occasions. What have these poor people done to you? The majority, I presume, have never borne arms in combat, and what' if they had? Is it a disgrace to bear arms for your country? Or were these poor unfortunates on the Emden responsible for the war and all its horrors? I think not. Then let us treat them as fellow humans.

But perhaps these despised Germans have been guilty of outrageous acts contravening the rites of civilised warfare. Well, perhaps, but what are they? I can hear the answer of my friends for whom this letter is penned, and can see them frothing at the mouth. Listen, poison gas, corpse factories, mutilations, murders, rape, the sinking of merchantmen, etc. So far as I know all that in justice and in truth can be laid against them is their first use in warfare of poison gas, which we were led to believe contravened the laws of warfare. However, all the Allies used it, anti no number of wrongs will make one right. The only difference is they initiated it.

One other point: They traversed a neutral zone—Belgium. Whether this act broke the rules of the game or not I do not know. Does anyone know? Would other Powers similarly situated have done the same? So far as most other chargee are concerned they come mostly, to our everlasting disgrace, from the British lie and hate factory, known to good Britishers as the office of propaganda, whose preeiding chief was an English lord well known by name to us all. I would like to say more here but the “chief” has gone to his account. When that noble and distinctly outstanding figure tfho made such heroic efforts and sacrifices in. the cause of Belgium and her Allies, Cardinal Mercier, made the most thorough and exhausting inquiries with all the means and evidence at hie disposal for conducting such an inquiry, he could find not a shred of evidence in support of all these vile and airy accusations. Mutilations of Belgian boys, corpse factories, etc., were merely the offensive vomit from a British college of. propaganda for the purpose of enlisting cannon fodder, and to sow the seeds of hate and enmity that they may recoil in armed force against their fellow beings, the enemy. It worked, and I presume that this in a Britisher, for British interests, was a noble work. Some correspondents have suggested that the visiting ship should havd borne another name; as if that' would have made any difference! What is wrong with the name, anyhow? Did the Emden contravene the rules of warfare? Not at all, and what is more, her very able commander proved himself a gentleman and an honourable and humane foe. But what about the Lusitania? Yes, the Germans sunk her after having given notice of their intention to do so, and they need not have done so, as their evidence as to her carrying munitions was correct. If a sane person tells you that if you put your finger in the fire you are apt to get it burnt, then I say that there is something wrong with your mentality if you do not heed the warning. How many German merchantmen swarmed the seas during the war? The British Fleet saw to that, but nevertheless they could not' starve Germany into submission, an action which, if successful, would have laid low the women and children and the aged, as well as the combatant in the field. Germany would have done the same to England with her submarines, so whether the game was humane or otherwise, they were of the one mind.

No, sir, let us not be cock-eyed. There are good and bad amongst all States and peoples, and,broadly speaking, ono is as go’od, or as bad, as the other. I am not suggesting that Germans are lily white, and I am not likely to suggest that all Britishers grow wings. I just want to show that out of respect for out- own glass we cannot afford to throw boomerangs at Germans, or anybody else, for these -weapons have a nasty habit of rebounding on ourselves. These correspondents, I have no doubt, could give instances of the actions of Germans which would be anything but creditable. That is natural; they are not a super people, surely. But stay, does it only apply to Germans? Were there no New Zealanders or Australians or men of the Allied forces who were court-martialled and shot for contravening the laws of war? Assuredly there were, and it would be a miracle if there were not, so please do not throw stones, even though there are some people who cannot sec that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. No nations history will bear investigation to such a point that a

clean record can be proven either through the action of responsible Governments or through individuals in high places. Books could be written on British injustice alone, and many of the declaimers of British injustice have been the stoutest and most ardent and most' loyal Englishmen. All honour to them who fought for the right against wrong and might. Take as an instance Lord Chatham in the House of Lords oh the War of Independence. He is speaking of the inhuman methode his countrymen would employ in waging war with the assistance of hired savages. He says: “It irritates to an incurable resentment the minds of your adversaries to overrun with the mercenary sons of rapine and plunder devoting them and their possessions to the rapacity of hireling cruelty Who is the man who has dared to authorise and associate, to our arms, the tomahawk and scalping knife of the savage? To call, into civilised alliance, the wild and inhuman inhabitants of the woods; to delegate to the merciless Indian the defence of disputable rights, and to wage the horrors of his barbarous war against our brethren? .... What! To attribute the sacred sanction of God and nature to the massacres of the Indian scalping knife! To the cannibal savages, torturing, murdering, devouring, drinking the blood of his mangled victims! Such notions shock every precept of morality, every feeling of humanity, every sentiment of honour. To send forth the merciless cannibal, thirsting, for blood! Against whom? Your brethren! To lay waste their country, to desolate their dwellings, and exterpate their race and name by the aid and instrumentality of these horrible hounds of war. Spain can no longer boast preeminence in barbarity.”

Yes, there are still a few cock-eyed Britishers who wonder why the Americans do not love us, and why they did not enter the war until forced to by the governing laws of self-preservation! But this incident is a good way back in modern history. Let us get nearer to our own times, A few years ago a British Government waged a merciless and unjust political war in Ireland, for which purpose her henchmen scoured the gaols and slums of England, Scotland and Ireland for the dregs of humanity to do her bidding. •They did their work excellently, until the world revolted, headed by an old friend, . America, a British monarch, King George of'England, faced the Ministers of the Crown in a chamber at Westminster and demanded to know “when this murder of his subjects would eease. .... I will not have my subjects murdered.” The “Black and Tans” were withdrawn, and peace was soon proclaimed. Is it any wonder that the prayers of millions of Catholics throughout the world were offered to Almighty God for the recovery from a serious illness "of one just and honourable man, King George of England?

Nearer home still. Quite recently the Government of this country has decided to compensate peoples of our noble native race by granting them, I believe, certain sums of money in perpetuity. What for? The plain English, and only answer to that question is, for injustice done in the past. We all know what it is, so there is no need to mention the matter here.

So much for ruling powers. Now permit me to mention the case of a pair of beauties which might not be so well known. War! These two beauties took a notion into their head to shoot all and sundry who came within range of their rifles; they took no prisoners, unless lifeless bodies could be called such. Yes, they too were successful, and boasted of their unique achievement. The chief appeared upon the scene. Result: A court-martial and a shooting party! Were these Germans? Not at all; they were dinkuni good Australians! The field of action, the Boer War, and the chief, Lord Kitchener! Possibly, as I said before, our correspondents could mention acts like these in disparagement of Germans. But would it be fair or honest, or charitable, to say or to insinuate that on that account one would be justified in condemning the whole German people? Would you condemn the whole body of Australians for the acts of these two fiends above-mentioned?

Most certainly not. I do not wish to be misunderstood. I desire to show our correspondents that this whole world is made up of good and evil, irrespective of creeds or nations. If you can show me the unjust act of a German Government or of a German individual, I or anyone else can show you the unjust act of a British Government or of a British individual, and the same applies to all peoples throughout eo-called Christendom. If we were all as our correspondents would have us, then I am sure the millenium would have been reached, and there would be no need of war, navies, armies, police, judges or magistrates. All in the garden would be lovely, and there would be no need to pen these lines in the charitable defence of fellow humans, whoever they may be. Our motto should be: “Do not throw stones, as there are two sides to most questions. Be just, and, above all, charitable, and learn, like any ordinary work-a-day Christian, to forgive, and if possible, though much harder of accomplishment, to forget.” You are aware that without forgiveness you cannot be of the Christian fold.

Listen to a portion of the best of all prayers: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” The Lord’s own prayer, to which, in conclusion, I might add: “Go thou and sin no more.” —I am, etc., JOHN CROSS. Hawera, June 5.