FRIENDSHIP WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1938, Page 6

FRIENDSHIP WANTED

REICH AND BRITAIN

CONSUL'S OPINION

ATMOSPHERE IN DOMINION

Germany's earnest desire for friendship with Great Britain was stressed by the newly-appointed German Consul in New Zealand, Mr. Ernst C. Ramm, in an address to about 200 members of the Wellington Travel Club yesterday afternoon. Mr. Ramm also! criticised the newspapers of the Dominion for the impression they gave of the attitude of the people towards Germany, stating that he had met a much more atmosphere in conversations with private people. Returning thanks for the reception given him, Mr. Ramm said he accepted them as a token of good will and friendship towards his country.

"We all are still living under the impression of the events of the last weeks, and I am grateful that you give me the opportunity to repeat to you what the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, said on various occasions, that the German people want to live in peace with the British people and that Germany never wants to cross swords again with Great Britain," continued Mr. Ramm. ' . .

"This, I assure you, is the expression of a sincere desire of the whole of the German nation and every German individual. I am sure that there is no country in the world where the noble courage with which the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, fought for the cause of peace is more appreciated than in Germany."

In the five weeks he had been in New Zealand, said Mr. Ramm, he had been received everywhere, by the authorities as well as by private j circles, in the most friendly way, and he had learned that there was a strong desire for friendship with Germany. He felt extremely grateful for the spirit of friendliness which he had met everywhere in New Zealand, and it filled him with hope that it would be possible to develop between the two nations a real friendship, based upon mutual trust and understanding. BETTER UNDERSTANDING. "In the invitation to this reception, the secretary of the club, Miss Dono-* van,.pointed out to me that it is the object of the club to help to bring 'about a better understanding between the peoples of the world. The word I 'better' insinuates the idea that there is still something left to be done for an improvement of the existing relations between Germany and New Zealand. "I agree with this opinion," stated Mr. Ramm, "because, as I cannot conceal, the impressions I got when reading the newspapers of this country, were not half as encouraging as those i which I gathered In private conversation with New Zealanders. I think you understand what I want to say and it is not my intention to dwell any longer on this rather difficult subject. ."After all, what people in New Zealand seem to me to be really most interested in is home politics, and to made attacks upon the political institutions of other countries, and upon their responsible statesmen, is perhaps an easy way of fostering one's own views on local politics. So I do not take such attacks as really being very seriously meant. All the same, striving as I am for an improvement of the existing relations between our j two countries, they seem to me a mat-! ter for regret. And that is all I should like to say on this topic." DISARMAMENT? There had been some talk about disarmament lately and after the results of the recent negotiations people were perhaps entitled to hope that at least,! a limitation of armaments might come! out of it. The problem of disarmament had two sides, a material and a spiritual one, and the spiritual was perhaps the most important. "As far as Great Britain is concerned, I can assure you that there does not exist the slightest trace of hatred or animosity in Germany," said Mr. Ramm. "In this respect we have completely disarmed. You may travel throughout Germany from north - to south and from east to west and speak to all classes of people, and I am sure you will find only an- earnest desire for friendship with the people of Great Britain and it is perfectly unthinkable j that a malicious ..cartoon of King George VI could be published in a German newspaper. Such an act would j meet not only with strong administrative measures on the part 6f the Government, but also with the just indignation of the public. ."If it really should be possible to come to a limitation of armaments and a reduction of the expenditure for the military forces," concluded Mr. Ramm, "This would be welcomed throughout Germany, because it would allow us to pursue our great works of peace and besides that, and m conclusion of my speech, I should like to emphasise, it would enable Germany to buy more wool and butter from New Zealand." (Applause.) Introducing Mr. Ramm, Mr. G. G. Stewart (chairman) said that he had had a splendid diplomatic career. In all he had been in the diplomatic service for 15 years, being stationed at Tokio (1926-1928), Moscow (1929), Madrid (1929-1932), and was then for six years at the Ministry of Foreign' Affairs at Berlin.