4 JANUARY 1902, Page 2

The " Wresohen incident," that is, the punishment of Polish

children for refusing to learn prayers in German, has of course created much excitement in Galicia. In order to avoid an impassioned debate in the Diet, Prince Czartoryski, a leading Member, was asked to utter a protest, which he did in moderate but at the same time decided terms. The national and the humane sentiment had, he said, been out- raged at the same time. Ibis speech, however, has given great offence in Germany, and the semi-official North German Gazette declares that it is " an unauthorised and unwarrant- able interference on the part of a foreigner in the internal affairs of Germany." That is rather a remarkable utterance, for it seems to imply that no foreigner has a right to com- ment among his own people upon German affairs. Prince Czartoryski is not a Minister or a diplomatist, or even a Member of the Austrian Parliament speaking in his place. Yet the same people, including the officials, claim the right of condemning the English method of raising armies, and publicly stigmatise our free soldiers as " mercenaries." Surely that is a little unjust, as well as unworthy of a race which is so justly proud of the impartiality of its historians.