DANGER OF "WAR TALK"

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22141, 10 July 1937, Page 25

DANGER OF "WAR TALK"

Comments of Retired German Diplomat

CONVICTION THAT PEACE WILL CONTINUE

(pftxss AsaocuTiov t*lbqkaic,) AUCKLAND, July 9. Once described as "the flying Chancellor" and recently as "the flying ambassador," Dr. Hans Luther, former Chancellor of Germany and once a leading figure in the world of finance, stepped ashore at Auckland from the Mariposa on a brief visit of a fortnight to NewZealand. He is making his way leisurely from Washington to Germany and said that he expected to spend six months in travelling through the countries on his way. From New Zealand he will go on to Australia.

"I think there are two different aspects of peace—if you understand by peace constructive peace, which is the only kind of peace that really helps everyone," said Dr. Luther. He remarked that trade expansion and an increase in prosperity were keys to security and contentment among nations; but there was also another aspect, the question of confidence as affecting the health and welfare of people. "I don't know whether you have here in New Zealand the kind of war talk which they have in so many other countries of the world," he said. "There is a great danger in this war talk. There will be no war. You should have no doubts on that. But this talk of war prevents the return of confidence, and that affects trade.

Do not suppose that I think there Wl -H £ e a °ything but peace. There will be peace, but what we need is real peace, peace in the minds of the people."

Dr. Luther said that the signs of reviving trade to-day. were encouraging, but they were slow, and were not being shared by all countries. Some nations had "turned the corner" several years ago, and were enjoying a considerable degree of prosperity today, but there were others in which signs of improvement were much more recent. In Germany, the trade balance last year was "active," and it was continuing to be favourable; but so far there had not been much expansion in Germany's overseas trade. As head of the Reichs Bank, Dr. Luther stood for the stability o{ German currency, and it was considered to be due in a great measure to his financial wizardry that Germany survived the; series of crises which then threatened to engulf her. Four years ago Dr. Luther went to Washington as German Ambassador, a post from •,.hich he has just retired. Replying to a question about what he intended to do, he was non-commit-tal. He invited the interviewer to guess his age, and laughed loudly when the figure given was wide of the mark. "I am 58," he said. "Do I look more than that?" Although his white hair is thin, he is robust, and obviously enjoying life—particularly the prospect of retirement, though one may doubt whether he will ever be content to be inactive. "I am just a travelling student," he concluded. "Not a student as you would understand it, but just one who wants to learn."