EMPTY AUSTRALIA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 281, 27 November 1941, Page 5

EMPTY AUSTRALIA

NAZI PROPAGANDA

SINISTER REFERENCES

Sinister references by Xazi propsandists to Australia's small populaon and "inordinately high wages" eveal what Hitler would do to the ommonwealth if he got a chance. Australia could easily support 50.000.000 people, according to German radio and other propaganda. Commander PetzolcL, broadcasting rom Germany, said that Australia fas one and a half times the size of Europe. excluding Russia, but had inly 6.900.000 inhabitants, compared 400,000,000 in Europe. "Australia's excessive emptiness s due to her narrow-minded immigration policy," Petzold went on. Cultivated areas suitable for furher development are falling into wmplete neglect. Australia is the entre of a vast expanse of South >ea islands. The ordered commercial ixploitation of these was begun in [857 by the Hamburg firm of Gode"roy, which later co-operated with the Reich in the successful colonisation of Samoa. "There is a dangerous artificiality in Australian living conditions because of the inordinately "nigh wages. Favourable -living conditions and ample unemployment assistance tempt the workers to interrupt work. They frequently buy tickets in the Stale lottery with unemployment money or bet on the weekly horse races. Australia's economic position is unsound, causing the British and Australian Governments grave anxiety." Dr. Antonio Soler broadcast a Spanish translation of Petzold s speech to the Spanish-American republics. The Finnish newspaperA}"® Suunta, in an on AiwtMlian economy, says: "Britain is ™ implement her promi*tobigr Australian exports. It remains to oe _ how far Australia is prepared to go on behalf of the Motherland.