29 SEPTEMBER 1944, Page 12

THE RE-EDUCATION OF GERMANY

SIR,—Is not some of the difference of opinion on this subject due to a failure to realise that the task of turning the Germans into decent citizens is one which must take at least two generations? The present generation of Germans probably cannot be taught and must be sup- pressed ; the next probably can but—will it? The danger is that we shall start by attempting the impossible, get tired of it, throw it up and leave the Germans to go their own way and bring up another generation of barbarians. The most effective method would be to sever all connexion between this generation and the next—to establish a kind of quarantine against infection. This is, of course, impossible in toto but a large measure of segregation might very well be a good