CLAIM FOR COLONIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19135, 2 October 1936, Page 7

CLAIM FOR COLONIES

"GERMANY'S NEED" AFRICAN AREAS "Germany's greatest need to-day. is for colonies from which she may draw raw, materials to care for her large population." These, were the words of llerr Rudolf Corny, an Austrian journalist, prior to leaving Christ church for Dunedin, on his second circuit of tho world by motor-cycle. He was repeating tho claims of ITerr Hitler for the return to Germany of the colonies taken from that country after tho Great 'War. Tho nation could not continue to feed and house her peoplo unless she was given back her African lands, bo said. "Germany is the biggest country in Europe, slid has a. bigger population than any other country in Europe, and she must have, colonies," Herr Cerny declared. He cited many districts which he claimed were populated by Germans who loved Germany, but they were controlled by other nations. At the election in. 1021 in Oberschlosien, 680.000 voters showed that they favoured Germany, ho said, and 240.000 showed that they favoured Poland. For some reason which ho was unable to explain, the country was still controlled by Poland. "After the Great. War France, Britain and the others took what they wanted," he said. "All those places want to return because Germany is the Fatherland. In Austria we. all speak German and we are Germans. W T o want to go back to Germany. Wo are a. poor country and we do not want a separate Government. "Is it right." he asked, "that small countries like Belgium, Holland, and Portugal with small populations should have big colonial holdings? It is definitely wrong and is gross international injustice." CONVINCING THE WORLD Germany would make every effort to convince tho world that she deserved tho return of her African colonies. Already tho world realised that she needed' them, Herr Cerny said, and he felt bolh as an Austrian and as a. student that Great Britain would ultimately recognise it as her duty. Germany did not want New Guinea. She did not want, to spread round the world, but wanted only sufficient colonics to provide herself with the- wiw materials which she so badly needed. It, was ' true that Germany was amassing a huge army, but it was claimed that. thai, was with no intention of aggression either in quest of colonial empire or for any oilier reason. The reason for the steadily increasing size. of tho standing army was lo be seen oil the country's borders. Russia was continually striving lo penetrate in the north-east, and on the south Franco was constructing almost, impregnable fortifications, and fully garrisoning them. Because she. was being hemmed in and virtually being made into a. sandwich, she had lo make some preparations for defence.''