WENDELL WILLKIE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 February 1941, Page 6

WENDELL WILLKIE

RIGHT TO LIVE AS FREE MEN STATEMENT TO GERMANY HATRED OF TRYANNY i [U.P.A.—By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] ! (Received 6th Feb., 1.35 p.m.) j LONDON, sth February. ; Before leaving England Mr | Wendell Willkie issued a state- 1 ! ment for transmission to Ger- j many: “I am purely of German I descent. My family name is j Willicke. My grandparents left j j Germany 90 years ago because j they protested against autocracy and demanded the right to live as free men. I, too, claim that right. “I am proud of my German blood but hate aggression and tyranny. I tell the German people that my convictions are fully shared by an overwhelming majority of Americans of German descent. They too believe in freedom and human rights. We German Americans reject and hate the aggression and lust for power of the present German Government. Mr Willkie told thi Associated Press of America’s correspondent who accom- j panied him on the tour that he was positive that no Government effort was I made to show him only approved places. He said that when he saw women de- j monstrating against tho system of food j rationing he knew who these people, were. He did not believe they represented Britain. The correspondent states that Mr Willkie will tell America that Britain will win with American aid. It is believed he is of opinion that Britain is a good financial risk, with certain restrictions.