GERMANY AND WORLD PEACE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22005, 1 February 1937, Page 9

GERMANY AND WORLD PEACE

Hitler's Eight Points Expressing Attitude SPEECH AT REICHSTAG OPENING is Policy of Isolation Not Intended: Honour Now Restored (united press association—copyuiGMT.) (Received January 31, 10.2 p.m.) BERLIN, January 30. In his speech at the opening of the Reichstag, broadcast throughout the world in British, French, and German versions, Herr Hitler enumerated eight points as conditions for the preservation of peace:— (1) Stable internal conditions in each country. (2) A frank admission of the vital interests of each nation. (3) Reform of the League of Nations into an evolutionary body. (4) Mutual respect among nations. (5) Armaments must be considered from the universal aspect, instead of making a single nation responsible. (6) It was impossible to maintain peace as long as an irresponsible clique continued an agitation for it. It was unfortunate that Mr R. A. Eden (British Foreign Secretary) did not demand clarification of lies concerning Morocco. (7) European problems could only be solved within possible limits. Germany would watch her own security with a strong army. (8) Respect of the national feelings of minorities. Herr Hitler said that Germany had no colonial claims except on countries which had taken colonies from her. He announced Germany's withdrawal of her signature from the clause of the Versailles Treaty making her guilty of causing the Great War. He also announced that the Reich was taking over the railways and the Reichsbank, as a step further freeing Germany from the treaty. The Versailles Treaty was at an end, he declared, and German honour was restored. A struggle against France was out of question. Germany did not intend to pursue a policy of isolation. That would be the 1 greatest danger. He emphasised the nation's eagerness to cooperate with Britain. Referring to France, Herr Hitler said: "I solemnly declare that between France and Germany there can be no point in dispute as far as is humanly conceivable, and no problem which cannot be solved."

A National Occasion There was almqst a carnival at- \ mosphere in the frost-bound centre \ of the city for Herr Hitler's appearance at the Reichstag. Evergreens and gilded emblems were every- ■ where, and coke braziers were dotted along the kerbs to keep the spectators warm. The route was lined with unbroken ranks of black guards and , police, and secret police were posted on the roof of the Reichstag to keep ' watch over the Fuhrer's safety. Clad in a leather coat, Herr Hitler began the day standing sphinx-like in a motor-car, reviewing 3000 sixfoot men of his bodyguard goosestepping along the Wilhelmstrasse, ■while scores of loud-speakers blared martial music. - School-children left their beds early to have the importance of the occasion impressed on their minds. Dr. P. Goebbels (Minister for Propaganda) told them in a radio message, "To be German is again to be honoured." ■ Field-Marshal von Blomberg (Minister for Defence) said in a broadcast: "What Hitler has done for the armed forces places him in line with the greatest creators of armies in history." Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop contrasted the Anglo-German, naval agreement with the Franco-Soviet pact: "We ask ourselves, 'Who has done more for the stabilisation of peace?' We unhesitatingly continue on the road of amicable agreements with every nation willing to come to - an -understanding." The Reichstag opened at 12.5 p.m., le-elected General Goering (Minister . for Air) president, and extended Herr Hitler's plenary powers for four years. Herr Hitler began his speech at 12.17 p.m. Elaborate arrangements had been made for broadcasting it in British, French, andjGerman versions throughout the World, including Australia. "A Glorious Socialism" Herr Hitler acclaimed Nazism as a bloodless revolution. "Not that we are not manly enough to see the blood of 170,000 slain in Spain," he said. "On that basis we would be right to murder 500,000 people. But we have achieved a revolution by legal means. We have substituted for the liberalistic conception of the individual a people bound by blood to the soil, with the sacred task of preserving their race. ■. "The doctrine of blood and race "Will prevent the Jews from trying •to disintegrate and dominate other people. Is there a more glorious, a more beautiful, socialism than ours, Under which every boy can reach the head of the nation? I myself have come that way." Herr Hitler said there was only one representative German sove- , - re .ignty, namely, the people, whose \ w "l was expressed by the Nazi I party. Therefore there was only C ?£ e ,P slative an <3 executive author- ■ ''l-i'i '"^ ne new German penal code ' WW Put justice for all time into the service of maintaining the German race. Herr Hitler then deprecated economics, declaring that there could no longer be free business life in Economic chiefs had not , Wn C^ etieti in maintaining employment and exploiting soil and miner- ?«, and the State was bound to step EL p en «any would not depart from «er four-year plan. ' Fighting Bolshevism mni atever oth -er countries do. I • t P r « Ursue this aim >" said the Fuh ' *«» but the impression that Germany is pursuing an isolation policy v hL^ ong - Mr Eden is mistaken in r°/J yiß this view. Mr Eden has em«««?w his d esire to avoid splitfar+• ope into two camps. The »?**•♦• Eur °Pe to-day is so split. ■ tW am had held this view earlier - Treat'"" ° have been no Versailles * dr f^ r explained his earlier ■ " ft* £_ acti °ns as making it easier TnL°, ther nations to accept Ger- - ™any s decisions, and added that the

time of the so-called surprises had ended. Mr Eden had showed ignorance when he had said it was up to Germany to collaborate in Europe. Germany had made attempt after attempt to secure friendly settlement, but she would not cease to fight bolshevism. Other nations could please themselves. Referring to the Eastern pact he said: "It is unthinkable that Germans should fight beside bolsheviks." Colonial Demands He continued: "Mr Eden's desire to reduce armaments ignores the fact that our armaments depend on the dangers threatening Germany. However, Germany has no interests in the Mediterranean, except economic ones. "She does not want colonics fqr military, but solely for economic, reasons, and her aim is to build up an empire without shedding blood and without robbing anyone. "The reasons given for seizing Germany's colonies are invalid. It was said that the natives did not want German rule. Who asked them if they preferred that of others? Second, it was said that Germany administered them badly; but the German administration accomplished more than that of others. Third, it was said that colonies were valueless. In that case they are valueless to others. The demand for colonies will be eternally raised by a country as densely populated as Germany." Sneer at the League Herr Hitler went on to sneer at the League of Nations, saying that Mr Eden professed to want action and not speech, but the league mostly confined itself to talk except in one case when it would have been better to have had talk, and then the league had failed. (This is interpreted as an obvious reference to sanctions.) Good Relations With Britain Referring to Spain, he said that although Germany sympathised with General Franco she would do everything to lead to the re-establishment of peace. He welcomed the removal of Mediterranean tension through the Anglo-Italian agreement. Recalling reactions to the reoccupation of the Rhineland. he declared that he was anxious for good relations with England and neighbouring countries, but he must emphasise again the restoration of German sovereignty and equal rights. . He sarcastically commented on the Moscow trial, pointing out that it showed how much value could be placed on the fidelity of the Soviet's leaders to one another. "Just as England is the sole judge of what armaments are necessary to defend her Empire, so German requirements are decided exclusively by Berlin. Germany is happy to find that Italy and Japan recognise this, and will be still hap- j pier if the conviction that each country is the sole judge of its needs spreads throughout Europe. "Germany has no need to .answer the British questionnaire. She has already done so by consolidating relations, with Austria, Poland, Italy, Japan, and other countries," he said. He assured Belgium and Holland of his readiness to recognise them as neutrals for all time. Herr Hitler was applauded vigorously when he sat down. General Goering then rose to assure him that the lives of all Germans were his. General Goering went on to describe'the Moscow trial as a put-up job. No German Reichs Minister had ever conversed with Trotsky. He concluded by denouncing the Nobel peace prize to a "convict" as an insult to Germany. Henceforth a German national prize would replace the Nobel prize, which no German might accept. The session then ended. Herr Hitler wore a brown uniform. His hair was sleekly brushed. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders ironically whenever he referred to Mr Eden. Neither the French nor British Ambassador was present.