GIVING FOR OTHERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1934, Page 12

GIVING FOR OTHERS.

RELIEF PLAN IN GERiVIAfJY. ASSISTANCE DURING WINTER. Many are the intimate insights into the life and culture of far distant countries gained by Mr. C. Brandon, secretary of the Auckland Esperanto Club, who lias over 40 correspondents in foreign countries. None of them can understand a word of each other's native language, but they use the international language Esperanto for their postal chats. An example of the fooling of intense loyalty to each other among all classes of Germans comes from a resident of Saxony who was recently converted to National Socialism. The letter was written last month and the translation

reads: — "A few days ago, in Germany, the 'winter assistance' began. If you were in Germany you -would certainly take part in this assistance. It is magnificent to think that in a country with almost 70 million inhabitants no one freezes and no one starves. Each gives regularly from his wages, or income, an entirely free-will percentage. "Every month on one Sunday each German eats a very modest dinner (cooked in only one pot) and the money saved by this means lie puts into a collection box for the 'winter assistance.' The countrypeople give food, while the industrial people give money, coal, clothing, etc. Possibly never before has reigned such magnificent camaraderie with us. One feels the obligation to give not only j something superfluous, but also to offer something that one wants for the very poor. "One may criticise the so-called 'new spirit' in Germany, or may suspect the sincerity of this or that, but one cannot but admire the whole country's solidarity in this common cause. The country people celebrate with the industrialists the First of May, the Festival of | Labour. Previously the townspeople insulted the country people, who, in turn, spoke ill of the townspeople. Now the industrialists wish for a rich liarvest and the country people wish prosperity to the townspeople. "Certainly for us Esperantists the whole world family circle is no mere phrase. One may read in the Bible 'He who does not love his brother whom lie can see, how can he wish to love God Whom he cannot see?' Therefore,! is not internal peace and harmony a condition for world peace? . "Pardon me if I have written too much of politics; but every German must concern himself about such things which have wholly altered our life."