[To TIM Lena/ OP 7 . 72 “srecreros."] Srx,—Your article on the
wrecking of the shops of alien enemies is exceedingly timely. You well emphasize the following points : (1) The importance of maintaining unflinch- ingly the civilized standard; (2) the folly of our adopting the German principle of wreaking vengeance on innocent in- dividuals for the acts of their Government; (3) the far- reaching consequences of forcing the hand of the Government by mob violence. While I am on the point I may refer to the argument often met with, that a British naturalization of a former German subject is somehow suspect or wholly invalid because the British naturalization does not wholly divest the person of his German nationality. The inference seems to be that the transaction is necessarily tainted with insincerity. The truth, of course, is that naturalization requires, or may require, the consent of the two States involved—the State allegiance to which is abandoned and that allegiance to which is assamed. Germany, and I believe the same is true of other States with compulsory military service, does not recognize the right of her subjects to withdraw themselves from their military service at their own good pleasure by a transaction with another State, and we, to avoid complications, and, indeed, as a mere matter of international right, do not claim to uphold the acquired British nationality against the country of origin. But in every other respect the naturaliza- tion is complete and unreserved. There is no reserve in the allegiance undertaken and expected and enforced by law. To argue that we should not recognize a man's British citizenship, advisedly conferred by us, because Germany would not newer- eerily recognize it if she had the man in her jurisdiction, seems, among other absurdities, to involve a strange sub- serviency to German ideas. General Botha's letter on the wrecking of German shops in South Africa, when read in the light of General Botha's own achievement, throws into relief the contrast between the false and true concentration.—I am,
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