WORLD AFFAIRS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 20

WORLD AFFAIRS

WAR NOT EXPECTED

GERMANY AND ITALY STATESMANSHIP OF BRITAIN " I have come back to the Antipodes feeling that hero is tlio happiest and cheapest part of the world in which to live," declared Mr. Stanley S. Crick, managing-director of the Fox Film Corporation (Australasia), Limited, who returned by the Mariposa yesterday with Mrs. Crick after a tour of America, England and Europe. Speaking of his impressions of tho political situation, Mr. Crick gave an emphatic "No" to tho question whether the world was likely to suffer another world war. ITe gave as reasons England's statesmanship and might, Europe's food shortage and its unsound finances. In his opinion, however, a better understanding and lasting peace could only be gained by tho lowering of customs duty barriers, enabling all countries to receive .their modicum of income from the world of trade. The Tourist Industry Everywhere in Europe Mr. and Mrs. Crick wero accorded tho utmost courtesy. " These countries to-day," said Mr. Crick, " trading as they do so much within themselves, regard tourists as an industry. " Contrasting with tho lighter temperaments of the Latin countries, Cermany seemed full of despondency. In Borlin we were treated well, but wo felt unhappy. Nobody seemed to smile —except tho children—and wo felt that bore everything and everybody was under restraint. Again nothing but militarism seemed to matter to those in power, and when on Hitler's birthday countless thousands turned out to witness silently Germany's dictator pass through miles of every form of modern military machines and manpower, I unconsciously shuddered at the thought of what might happen if ever these war dogs wero lab loose. Pood Shortage Problem

" Yet while Germany can bo admired for her economies and regarded from the point of view of efficiency as great a country as any in the world, I believe that this craze of militarism might yet be the undoing of both Italy and Germany, for the food shortago is deplorable, and to-day these countries find it difficult to feed their millions satisfactorily." Although Franco appeared to bo in a parlous state and labour conditions deplorable, the morale of the people there seemed different, said Mr. Crick, Then came London and tho Coronation. One had only to attend such celebrations, with their splendid dignity and organisation, to realiso why the British Empire stood so high. Ho realised the greatness of the people who so loved their country, their King and the Empire. " The day after the .Coronation we left for America, a country which has much money and many ijrobleins, strikes of all descriptions throughout tho land, production costs soaring to the limit —and, with their problems, a growing regard lor everything that ia English."