MR. TRIMBLE’S QUEER VIEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16591, 13 November 1919, Page 4

MR. TRIMBLE’S QUEER VIEWS.

ON PROPER TREATMENT OF GERMANS. SCOUTED BY EDUCATION BOARD. A resolution protesting against tlio proposal to reappoint Professor von. Zediitz to the chair of Modern Languages at Victoria University led to ft discussion at the mooting of the laranaki Education Board on Wednesday, Mr. H. Trimble representing the minority in the division of opinion. 'Mr. Trimble moved that the resolution lie on the table, hut he found no seconder. Mr. Smith, M.P., moved that the resolution he endorsed arid Mr. P. White seconded this. Mr. Trimble said he intended to oppose the resolution and in commencing to give his reasons for doing so remarked that we had just come to the end of a very long war. For one thing, the hoard did not know that it was proposed to appoint Professor von Zedlitz to the position. It was necessary, in order that peace should reign throughout the world, that foolish quarrels like this should not ho raked up. “As vou arc aware (this to the chairman),' Mr. von Zcdlitz’s mother was an Englishwoman.” Tho Chairman (Mr. Masters) : ‘1 was not aware of it.” Mr. Trimble: “Tho peace signed at the end of the past war was tho most unjust peace, 1 suppose, that e-ver ended a war and there can be no real peace until we are prepared really to join in with the nations of tho world and work together for tho common good. There can he no peace in the proper sense of tho word if it is intended by the English-speaking part of the world that Germany shall always be kept in a state of slavery. If it is intended that the German nation shall never raise its head again there can be no peace. Naturally there would bo generated a feeling throughout Central Europe that some day they will have their revenge. So long as wo keep up the feeling of hostility towards Germany, towards Central Europe—because that’s what it is; it is not only Germany—so long as we keep up that feeling it is almost certain that eventually Germany will become the head of a united Europe—united against us.” It was this he wished to avoid. Tho Chairman; “Appointments like this won’t help it, Mr. Trimble.” Mr. Trimble; “Wo shall never realise it by keeping up what I call foolish resentment- against the Gorman nation. 1 don’t know Mr. von Zedlitz. I am quite indifferent in a way whether he is appointed or not, but I don’t think resolutions like this one should bo passed by an Education Board or by anv .board.”

Air. S. G. Smith, M.P., expressed total disagreement with the remarks of tho previous speaker. Ho referred to the vast number of people in the British Empire who could never forget tho war. Referring to Professor von Zodlitz, ho said ho had been long enough in New Zealand to have become naturalised had he desired to do so. Ho would not have received tho consideration ho had received both before and since the war if it had not been for his connections by marriage. Mr. Smith expressed a hope that no such appointment would be made while there wore Britishers offering for a position in a British school in a British country.

Air. White expressed even more emphatic disagreement than tho previous speaker with tho remarks of Air. Trimble. In commencing he said it was extremely regrettable that there were members of an enlightened community such as we were supposed to bo in New Zealand who could take such a purely academic view as to imagine we could treat, with Germany after tho methods she had used—and ‘ had acknowledged and made no apology for. And then to talk about an “unjust peace”! On the resolution being put to the meeting Air. Trimble asked for a division. The “Aves” were Afessrs. Smith, Eaves, Lees. White and Alasters. The “No” was Air. Trimble.