WINTER IN GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 108, 3 November 1939, Page 5

WINTER IN GERMANY

THE TASK OF RELIEF

HITLER'S COLD COMFORT

Hitler, in opening the 1939-40 winter relief campaign at the Sports Palace ih Berlin, reports "The Times" of October 11, said:—

The winter relief work is the task of institutions which are now consider, ed a matter of court c. One has become accustomed to the fact-that, by means of this work, many activities of the public social service have been taken over, and that, moreover, the man in the street has, more or lebss willingly, contributed to it. I say . more or less. The great; majority show more willingness; it' is only a small minority who show. less. But it makes no difference. The point is that the help is given. The idea of this institution is .selfhelp. Other means were available, the possibility of taxation, for instance.' But consciously we have chosen this way. We also wanted to give each individual, an insight into the real misery of. riaariy of the people. Our task shall-ba achieved,. but every individual must realise that fortune and wealth hay« not come to all of us, nor will they. Misery has always existed, but it is, perhaps a relative conception. A few days ago I saw territories in which., tlie average life of the population is far below what we in Germany regard as the direst poverty. Those who haiye not set eyes on conditions abroad do not "know how well things are with us. There has always been misery; there is misery today, and. there always will be misery. NO CAPITULATION. Nov/ fate has compelled us to take up arms for the "safety of our Reich. Within a few weeks the State which, with the greatest impudence, believed that it could imperil German interests has been crushed, thanks to a military achievement which is unique in wbrbld history, .to the courage of our soldiers: and to their brilliant leadership. We do noj know what the future has in store for us. But there is no power in the world which can again bring us to our knees. Nobody can overpower us in a military sense nor bring about our downfall by psychological attritions In no circumstances will the World see us capitulate. • , I have expressed our readiness for peace; Germany has no reason whatever, for war with her Western opponents. They started this war for ridiculous reasons. If my proposals are rejected Germany is determined to accept" the challenge and wage this war in one way or another. Before us is the eternal destiny of the German people. We are not alarmed about how long, it will take to realise our aims. Nottiing can turn us aside, nothing can stop us realising our destiny.. Whatever" the others choose they shall have. ';.

In the past I took a difficult road to ~ lead Germany out of the distress caused by the Versailles Treaty. : Twenty years have passed since Versailles. The road that lies before us cannot be more difficult than the road we have travelled. Germany's solidarity strengthens our will tb take this path. The times ahead of us will help us to realise bur aim of achieving National-Socialist unity. They will accelerate the process of: Nazi solidarity "WE SHALL ENDURE." Tlie war finds us more prepared than, ever to help our people in its struggle, for existence. Thus ,winter relief will also be relief for the .Red Cross. Winter relief will contribute to the Red Cross from its own funds. When I pronounce the words "Red Cross" it becomes obvious to all of us how small all individual sacrifices are in comparisou. with the sacrifices of the army arid, the community. May everybody be mindful . only Of the greatness of the common sacrifices, the sacrifices' of those : who had to give their lives and who will have to give them in the future. In comparison with those sacrifices all other sacrifices mean nothing, at all;----but they can assist in intensifying the.;, feeling of unshakable solidarity. After the great struggle a new, nar-i tional body must emerge. Therefore the results of the Winter Relief of 1939-40 must surpass everything-. achieved,in the past. This will be our, answer to- the stupidity of our opponents, who believe they can cause disunity among the German people. We want to demonstrate to .them that: they can only strengthen and intensify German solidarity. We want to dispel their hopes that they can interfere mv. Germany's Constitution. We want to., make them respect Germany's internalregime.. ■ ••■■- ■ 'yy What we must endure we shall.en-,; dure. I hope that the others too will; be able to endure as we do. The time*; will come when National-Socialisrii;.; will develop its whole strength inunifying and advancing the Germannation. Out, of war our strength, and our ideology emerged; and in war they,; will be proved. The decision lies with the others. For us only is the grim; determination to accept it and to fight 0 it out to is final consequences. FREEDOM FROM "MOLESTATION." The firmer our determination to accept all sacrifices the more certain shall we be.of obtaining the peace needed.:--, by the German nation. It must be possible for the German people tb be able; % to live its own life according to: its ; desire and its will without being continually molested by others. It must be possible for Germany to obtain that space which the German people Is justified in claiming—and which it will claim—by virtue of its greatness and its number. " ■- •■■■'";:■■"; Dr. Josef Goebbels, the German Propaganda Minister, made his first public statement since the war began, when,,.: speaking on the German wireless, he > gave an account of the Winter Relief campaign for 1939-40. He announced that the "one-dish Sunday" would be succeeded by "Sundays of sacrifice" to ■:,, assist the Reich in "its great, tasks in the occupied territories in the East." AX