Hitler-A Maladjusted Man

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1939, Page 9

Hitler-A Maladjusted Man

“At this time it is perhaps popular to throw brickbats .at the author of ‘My Struggle’ and his colleagues,” said the Professor of Education at Canterbury University College (Dr. H. E. Field) during an address in Christchurch to the International Association.

“But, looking at it impartially, we will find that Herr Hitler has had a very unsatisfactory personal life, and is a man essentially maladjusted, but with a lot of ideas about humanity. “You sec the dangerous forces that can bo let loose when such a person fights his way to the helm of a great nation, said Dr. Field.

“Part of the problem of international relations was that persons ill-prepared for social life had come to positions of power.

“It is not enough to have broad visions of the destiny of a people, nr to be devoted to ideals,” he said.

“To have any reasonable safety, the individual who wants to ''work for the welfare and progress of mankind should be well .adjusted in the smaller and more intimate relations of the family and society.” Dr. Field claimed, that an effective machine for international co-opera-tion eventually would be achieved. It was only a matter of time. He referred to the growing sense of the possibility of organised world society, saying that further attempts would follow the failure of the League of Nations. However, man. was naturally a member of various groups, such as the family and the nation; and the development of a wider social order did not necessarily mean that these groups would be superseded. "There is a danger of stressing broad and universal ideas and neglecting more intimate and personal social relationships,” he said. “We have met more than one person who loves humanity and hates most of the individuals he meets.” The basis of a wider order was the ability to like and to co-operate ‘with the people met in ordinary life.