CAN NEW ZEALAND HELP?

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 101, 26 October 1938, Page 12

CAN NEW ZEALAND HELP?

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I have spent the greater part of the last six months in London, Paris, and Berlin and I have met a number of Jewish people in each city. The refugees in London could get temporary permission only to earn their livings and the refugees in Paris live on short rations in. the attics of houses in the Latin quarter—these were the fortunate ones. The fate of those Jews who cannot leave Germany is appalling to contemplate. Dr. Goebbels has said that his ambition is to see all the Jews begging in the streets. Ordinary German people admit that many are virtually forced to commit suicide. When I was talking to Jews in Germany I was ashamed to admit I was a New Zealander. They knew it was a lovely country, they had heard it was democratic and progressive,. but they also knew they had no chance of going there. Jewish mothers look longingly towards America, Australia, New Zealand. They long for their children to emigrate because, though they would never see them again, they would be able to think of them free and happy. It was pathetic to see little groups of Jewish boys in Berlin learning sewing and cooking to prepare themselves for colonial life! (Groups of more than five or six are forbidden and all activities are spied upon.) Surely we could admit some of these persecuted people! We say that we have our own problems and cannot increase unemployment. But economists have lately joined in the cry for a | higher birth-rate and have said that a falling population will increase unemployment. Besides their need is greater than ours, and our need of them is great too. There is a constant drain of intellectual ability and artistic talent away from New Zealand to larger centres of civilisation. It was no accident that Rutherford and Katherine Mansfield did not work amongst us. This is good if we are prepared to welcome people of talent and ability from abroad. Otherwise it may prove disastrous. The present exodus of scholars from Austria and Germany has perhaps had no parallel since the sack of Constantinople./ It would be a great gain if the number of professors in our university could be doubled—say, one refugee professor to every existing professor. (Even this woxild not give us anything like the opportunities for specialisation possessed by. the ■ English provincial universities or even the University of Hawaii.) However this may be, there are thousands of Jews in Germany, victims of a vile and fanatical hatred, whom we could help if we would. While we lock our doors against them we are partners in aggression and not friends of peace. We have just escaped one war and now is the time to make contributions to a lasting peace, by being generous and wise. Can't we do something immediate, costly, and wholehearted to help?—l am, etc., KATRINE HURSTHOME. New Zealand House, 415 Strand, London, October 3, 1938. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It was with great interest that I read in your paper of October 25 the report of Rabbi Katz's address to the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Amongst other things, Mr. Katz pointed out that New Zealand would benefit by the immigration of the Jewish refugees who had the misfortune to be denied the right of citizenship in a certain European country today. He drew attention to the pitiful plight of the Jews, but he omitted to say how their plight was brought about, as the Jews have not a country of their own, but control the resources of the countries they have adopted.

Hardy pioneers established New Zealand, and we who ore their proud

descendants have a right to manage this country—the gem of the Pacific —not any foreigners. If the unrestricted immigration of Jews ,is brought about, before long we would find that Jewish interests would dominate the various spheres of our national enterprises.—l am, etc., PRO BONO PUBLICO. »