THE GERMAN PEOPLE

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4809, 12 July 1939, Page 2

THE GERMAN PEOPLE

POLITICALLY BACKWARD.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS IMPRACTICABLE.

"The problem we have to face is that the German people, in their political development and outlook, are at least a generation behind the peoples of Great Britain, France and the United States," said Professor Sir Alfred Zimmern, in a recent address. "It is a great mistake to assume that if war can be avoided we have got a co-operative League of Nationsminded Germany just round the corner. I wish it were so, but it is not. The Germans were politically very backward before the war, and if they

were willing to enter a peace system now, at best they will be passengers. "People are apt to think the great problem is between France and Germany, but that is very small compared with the problem of Germany and the nations to the East. Till the German attitude of superiority has been removed we cannot hope to have a contented Europe.

"It is imperative to be clear in our minds that conference at the moment is impossible, and would be worse than useless. One reason is that we cannot place any confidence in the words of the leader of Germany. The second is a complete deadlock of aims between our policy and that of HenHitler, which is to extend German rule, direct or indirect, over the whole are between Germany and Rus-

"The third reason is deeper than that. The Germans are a people who will not define their political aims. You cannot get them to put down on paper what they want, because they don't know. If there is no war, we have to look forward to a long period of deadlock and tension. I hate to arrive at that conclusion, but no other conclusion, is tenable."