BOOM AFTER WAR?

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 19, 19 February 1940, Page 3

BOOM AFTER WAR?

N.Z. AND AUSTRALIA A.MEMIGAN I.M.MIGIiANTS IH'SiXGSS .MAX'S VIEW "Alllioiigh our immediate job is In prepare for Ibe exigencies of war. t believe llial when Germany lias been defeated and we have recovered from the effects of the conflict Australia and New Zealand can look' forward lo la boom period and the seltlemenl on the land in both Dominions of large numbers of American migrants of a very desirable type,” said Mr 11. G. Armstrong, of Sydney, chairman of directors of Armstrong and Springhall. hid., who lias arrived in Xew Zealand after a two years’ lour of tlie world. | Air Armstrong is a strong believer 'in Ihe development of good relalions willi file I'niled States, and 25 years ago was instrumental in organising a petition which, was presented to the ; then Prime Minister of Australia (Mr j Hughes), and which resulted in the j establishmenl of an Australian office j in Xew York. “Now a Minister lo I the U.S.A. has been appointed.” be I said in an interview withe “The Post” recen 11 v.

j "I wanted lo gel a reliable crosssmdimi of American opinion about Australia and Xew Zealand.” be said, “and so. during my recent tour. 1 bought a car and travelled 10,000 miles in il throughout the Slates. I •bund nothing but the friendliest atlitude towards I hose two Dominions and encountered many farmers of the good, solid type who wanted to know whal chance there was of obtaining land in this part of the world. I met many of them from die so-called 'dusl bowl, whose farms bad been destroyed by drought and wind and soil erosion, and who were touring the country in caravans looking for fresh land. They are part of the sound underlying section of the American people who believe in the close friendship and co-operation of the English-speaking peoples. “I believe that/ Australia and New Zealand can interpret the Empire to American people belter Ilian England can.” be said.

Nazi Germany Melerring (o 1 1 is travels in Europe, | Mr Armstrong said that to speak of the possible occurrence of internal rej hellion against Nazi rule was just | wishful thinking- of the worst kind, j r -l'he present struggle would not he • easy or short, though there could, of | course, be no doubt of the Allies’ eventual victory. Mr Armstrong said ! lhat wlmn be was in Germany as far i hack as seven years ago, a guide, who i was aide to lake him off the beaten track followed by most strangers, enI aided him lo see the tremendous ac- ! tivily everywhere in the construction

o!‘ aerodromes.-'fortifications, and milit<.i y works of all kinds. He felt then how necessary it was that England and tlie Empire should really wake up to what was afoot and begin making preparations accordingly. I Mr Armstrong as last in Germany Mast before Munich and said that even a I that time there was rationing of . foodstuffs which would, however, not be noticed lay travellers staying at hotels, where there was no apparent deficiency. For instance, one hotel he was staying at provided ample butter on the tables, but when he went to visit a family in the same city, and a well-to-do family at that, they apologised for not being able to give him his English bread and butter and explained that they had no butter. Thanks to Fuhrer Everywhere in Germany there were notices exhorting the people to thank the Fuhrer for this and that and the extent to which the phrase “Heil Hitler” was spoken was extraordinary. The fact was that the whole nation was so closely regimented and contro'led that everyone was frightened to do otherwise. In factories, in restaurants, in the streets, everywhere, there were watchers. In fact, it was sometimes said in Germany by those people not altogether in sympathy with their Government that the only time they felt comfortable was when the servants were out and the children were in bed. They were actually frightened of their own children. Mr Armstrong added that tales of Nazi brutality and persecution were not exaggerated. He had personal knowledge of cases of it but could not give, details for fear of it affecting friends still in Germany. As far as the Empire is concerned Mr Armstrong is certain that the war will draw the Dominions closer together, rather than dismember the Imperial structure.