“EUROPE IS ARMED TO THE HILT”

Northern Advocate, 27 October 1936, Page 5

“EUROPE IS ARMED TO THE HILT”

“ENGLAND THE ONLY SAFE COUNTRY” [Special to " Northern Advocat&,”l DUNEDIN, This Day. “All the main Continental countries are armed to the hilt. What is in the minds of the three* great dictators— Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin —nobody knows, nor does anybody appreciate what the future may hold.” This is the predominant impression of Mr Will Fels, chairman of directors of Hallenstein Brothers and D.1.C., after a tour embracing England, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Holland and Belgium. “Everybody feels that the only country that is safe Is England, and accordingly they are investing their money there,” said Mr Pels. “France is in a very bad state, and though I did not encounter any strikes there I was warned before I left for England to prepalre for one next day by making special arrangements for transport to the boat. There was no strike, however.” '

Because newspapers and their correspondents were not allowed into Italy, with one or two exceptions, Mr Fels said Italians were ignorant .of what was occurring in other countries. Mussolini’s influence was so strong that the people he dictated to were encouraged to harbour feelings of enmity towards England. > So strong was their bitterness that English residents there' were leaving the country. Two ladies from Wellington, who had resided in Italy for 20 years were forced through bitter propaganda to return to New Zealand. They travelled back on the same ship as Mr Pels, and expressed their intention not to revisit Italy at any cost. Germany’s relationship with England, he added, was 'entirely friendly. Tourists were welcomed in the Fatherland if only for the money they brought with them. All possible financial resources were being used for armaments.