CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917 — Page 501

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Evil and

the sinking of a hospital ship in which were some wounded Germans. When the ship had been struck a German Colonel who was on board remarked:-"I can. not approve of the deeds of my people in (A voice-He was in the this way."

Much laughter.) A very wrong boat." apt retort, but I think we can give him One more credit for other feelings. point, and that is, that I think this spirit is being exorcised by the British people, in the kind care that it is being extended to the prisoners and to the wounded in our hospitals, and in the prisoner camps. The effect of war cught to be chastening. Our enemies suffer; we suffer. The fact of suffering should bind survivors together in a league to exorcise evil. I do not say that we shall succeed ware will continue to be, during the pre- sent age. But it is our duty to seek to mitigate their horrors and attendant evils. To pass a sentence of banishment on a whole race-even of a limited period is to set up and to perpetuate a race hatred and a racial strife that must have disastrous consequences. Are we the only people that have suffered in and by the Are we the only people who war?

Certainly detest German barbarities? not. If exclusion is good for Hongkong. is it not good for other countries? Can conceive of exclusion legislation being adopted by all the Entente nations? Restrictive legislation No, we cannot. affecting companies, clubs, residence, etc., must be and will be passed. The laisser faire, laisser aller policy of the past will not survive the present war-but more than that is not expedient, nor desirable. Until we know that this or that German regrets and abhors the cruelties per-

lesson there is a great deal to be said for it. But it is very questionable whether we can. On the question of sentiment I think there is another view. With all due respect have not the speakers been appealing to our passions rather than to our higher natures (Cries of "No," and a Voice: "Have you lost a son?") Let me state my view that Ger many at the present time is under the spell of an evil spirit (Laughter and The a Voice: "Always has been.") quotation which was read to us from Professor McElroy's address was apt, but the Professor wanted to point out that the policy outlined was due to the nation being under the absolutist rule of one Hons and monarch, and he said that the way of exorcising that evil spirit and changing that policy was to intro duce a Republic. That was a point which was mostly lost sight of. Let the nation as a whole get the power and it will be impossible for that damnable policy to be carried out. I say the people are under a spell, but this evil spirit is being exorcised under the blows of the Entente Powers. (Hear, hear.) The evil spirit is being exorcised in the auf fering and sorrow endured, which must give rise to thought, and thought will The lead to a desire for knowledge. views which were held by Frederick the Great are now held by the House of Hohenzollern, but there are others who do not hold these views. Politically, we hear of them as the Socialist Party, and they hold diametrically opposite views, and some have gone to prison and have Buffered greatly in their persons and pro- perties because they maintain them. The views of the House of Hohenzollern are not held either, I am convinced, by thepetrated by his countrymen in his name, men and women whom, we must believe, I for one can have no intercourse with are members of the Church of God. If him. I may be allowed to go back into bistory, we read that in the times of the Kings of Israel and of Ahab's rule that Elijah the prophet said that be alone was left The answer to as a worshipper of God him was "Yet have I left me 7,000 that have not bowed the knee to Baal." I feel that there are thousands in Germany of that same company, who have not bowed the knee to the war god, and when peace is brought about the views which they hold will be enforced. In this connection 1 would like to refer to the remarks made in a recent Reuter telegram in describing

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He will go his way and I will

ga mine. But so long as they will obey the laws of the land in which they live. I say let them live and let them learn. And let those who wish to have inter- course with them. Lets listen to reason; not sentiment. Tako long views and exercise a wise charity.

Someone in the audience remarked:-1 would like to ask every British subject where to-night, in connection with the question of sentiment, what they think our status would be if Germany had been allowed to over-run England the same as she did Belgium. (Applause.)

Another person asked:-Are we to re- turn hate for hate? In reply there was a loud chorus of "Tea."

The same person added: That is all I want to know. I can only say that that puts us in the same category as the Germans. (Laughter and loud cries of "No.")

Before the resolution was put the Hon. Mr. Holyoak briefly replied to the re- marks of Mr. Harris. He said: -Really, there is not very much to reply to before the resolution is put. (Laughter.) I am not saying that sarcastically of the re- marks which have fallen from my friend Mr. Harris. My friend in the audience has asked if we are to return hate for bate. Certainly not. But we have a sacred and solemn charge to perform,

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and that is to punish the guilty. (Lond applause.) Mr. Harris is as anxious as I am to exorcise the evil spirit in Ger- many. And, gentlemen, I do honestly believe, and I believe you are with me, that you cannot exorcise the evil spirit, which is in the German people quite a8 much as it is in the German rulers—if we are to believe their own books-until the territories of Germany are penetrated by our troops, and their villages laid waste, and they are made to feel what war means within the confines of their own country. (Loud applause.)

The resolution was then put to the meeting, and the Chairman declared it carried by a large majority. In point of fact there were only two dissentients observed in the gathering, which num. bered 700.

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