GERMAN AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 10 December 1938, Page 13

GERMAN AFFAIRS

TRIAL OF COMMUNISTS Propaganda Activity [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] BERLIN, December 8. Charged with spreading Communism on behalf of the International Socialist fighting force, three men were sentenced at the People’s Court to three, two, and one and a half years’ imprisonment. The prosecution alleged the men spread propaganda by pamphlets and gramophone records smuggled from abroad. This is the second group tried this week. It is understood that twenty are awaiting trial. THE “KEN” STORY. A “COMPLETE FANTASY” SAYS WILHELM. ' DOORN, December 8. The ex-Kaiser has denied the interview published in the American magazine “Ken,” which he was stated by that publication to have given to a Mr W. Burckhardt. The “Ken” statement was that the ex-Kaiser, when asked what he thought of the Fuehrer, retorted explosively, “Nicht,” meaning nothing, and that he added: “There’s a man, alone, without family, without God! Why should he be human? Without Jdoubt, he’s sincere, but this very excessive sincerity keeps him partly out of touch with men and realities. A nation is created by families, religion, and tradition. He builds legions, but he does not build a nation. For a few months, I was inclined to believe in National Socialism. I thought it a necessary fever, and I was gratified to see associated with it, for a time, some of the wisest outstanding Germans. But these, one by one, he’s got rid of, or even killed. Von Papen, Schleiger, Neurath, and even Blomberg have gone. He has nothing left but a bunch of shirted gangsters. This man could bring home a victory to our people each year, without bringing them the glory of our Germany, which was a nation of poets, musicians, artists and soldiers. He has made a nation of hysterics and hermits, engulfed in a mob, and led by a thousand liars, and fanatics.” The ex-Kaiser said that the “Ken” interview was “entirely incorrect” and was a “complete fantasy.”

NAZI LEADER EXPELLED. VIENNA, December.B. Franz Winkler, ex-vice Chancellor, has been expelled from the Nazi Party. AMERICAN JEWS. INTEREST IN GERMAN BUSINESSES. (Received December 9, 7.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 9. The State Department has -disclosed that the American Embassy in Berlin has informed the State Department that the German decree of December 3, ordering the Jews to liquidate their wholesale business will not exempt the American Jews owning German wholesale businesses from the application of the order. The State Department has confirmed that the U.S.A. Embassy has sent a Note to the German Government warning it against any violation * f American rights through the decree. JEWISH BANK. BERLIN, December 7. Germany’s best-known bank, the Mendelssohn Company, founded in 1795, is being Aryanised. AUSTRIAN JEWS RELEASED. (Received December 9, 9 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. The Vienna correspondent of the “Daily'; ■ Telegraph 7 ’ says that about 1,360 Viennese Jews are now being released from the concentration camps. Unless they leave Austria for some place abroad on an appointed day, however, they will again be arrested, even though they may have nowhere to go.

JEWISH FUNERALS DELAYED. BERLIN, December 7. As a result of the decree forbidding them owning motor-cars, Jews are unable to bury their dead, of whom at least 100 are awaiting interment. Horse-drawn vehicles are forbidden in the city, and non-Jewish undertakers refuse to carry the coffins. SWEDISH REBUFF. TO ANTI-JEWISH OVERTURES. (Received December 9, 8.20 p.m.) GOTHENBURG, December 9. The Swedish Foreign Minister, M. Sandler, during a speech, complained of German attempts to carry the policy of Aryanisation from Germany by influencing Swedish firms through trade relations. He said that Swedes were informed of the unsuitability ol their having non-Aryan employees, and were asked the race of their employees and their shareholders. M. Sandler declared that the limits of propriety had thereby been exceeded by pretentions to apply a specific German law, which is offensive to the sense of justice of Sweden, any yielding to which was, he said, disloyal to the Swedish foreign trade.

LONDON JEWS. DISMISSAL BY GERMAN FIRMS REPORTED. (Received December 9, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. That the German firms which are carrying on business in England have been ordered to dismiss all of their Jewish employees by December 25, is alleged in a question that Lt.-Com-mander Fletcher (Labour) is asking in the House of Commons next week. The paper “Sketch” says: “It has been known for some time that German employers in London.have been sacking Jewish employees, particularly shipping and forwarding firms.” FORCED EMIGRATION. EARL BALDWIN’S COMMENT. (Received December 9, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. i Earl Baldwin broadcast an. appeal

lon behalf of the refugee fund. He declared that there was enforced emigration of '- thousands of helpless and destitute persons, half a million of whom were. professing, and a hundred thousand were non-Aryan, Christians. This had created a serious international problem. He hoped that Germany would recognise that, whatever her internal problem, her co-operation would make a great difference to the ultimate success of the emigration plans. BRITISH STEEL FIRMS. BEAT GERMANY FOR CONTRACT. (Received December 9, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. The City Editor. of “The Times” says: In the face of strong German competition; two British firms have obtained a contract to supply seventyseven miles of steel pipes to the city of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The price is £500,000. MAYOR OF NEW YORK. ' * (Received December 9, 10.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, December 8. The Mayor of New York, Mr La Guardia, has received a letter, containing a .22 calibre loaded cartridge, and threatening: "You will get this if you continue to attack the German Nazi Party.” The missive, which was signed with a Swastika, coincided with a citizen’s meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr La Guardia (who is a Jew), at which a protest was planned against persecutions in Germany and other countries. DUTCH BAN ON FOOTBALL MATCH. (Received December 9, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. The Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says: Hans Vontschammer Undosten, the Reich Sports Leader, has broken off German-Dutch sports relations in retaliation for the action of the Mayor of Rotterdam in banning the German-Dutch football match there, on Sunday next, December 11. Ostensibly, ‘ the ban was enformed out of fear of anti- ! German demonstrations at the match owing to progroms in Germany. THE HAGUE, December 9. Following Germany’s representation in reference to the Dutch press antiGerman comments, Premier Colijn advised the press to take an example from the dignified British attitude. He said that in discussing German methods against the Jews, it was not necessary to attack a neighbouring Government with which Holland lives in peace. FRANCE AND GERMANY. ROME, December 8. Diplomatic information reveals that Herr Von Ribbentrop communicated the text of the Paris declaration to Signor Mussolini in October. Signor Mussolini approved. MEMEL BID FOR PEACE. (Received December 9, 9.10 p.m.) WARSAW, December 9. The Lithuanian authorities at Kaunas are appointing Viktor Gailjus of Memelland as the Governor of Memel, in the hope of establishing friendly co-operation in Memelland.