THE END FROM WITHIN?

Southland Times, Issue 23674, 24 November 1938, Page 6

THE END FROM WITHIN?

“Resentment Against Nazis” REBELLION REGARDED AS POSSIBILITY VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS OF GERMANS “If the Nazi movement comes to anything at all, it will come to its end internally. The teaching of history is that dictatorships flourish for a while, bubble, are then pricked, and down they come. If we can only gain time —and I think Mr Neville Chamberlain has done that —we shall probably see Nazism disintegrating and coming to its end.” That is the opinion given in an interview with The Press, Christchurch, by the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, Moderator Designate of the .General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church and minister of St. Andrew’s Church, who has returned from a tour which included Germany. Austria and Italy. Mr Robinson praised the statesmanship of Mr Chamberlain, who., he said, had developed a new technique m meeting another ruler and seeking peace before war. not after.'war. A very harrowing exoerience. . was “that dreadful week” of the crisis in London. Although one did not wish to have the experience repeated, one was glad to have lived through the crisis, he said. Criticism was made in England as well as in New Zealand, that Mr Chamberlain had let England down in the eyes of the world. That was not his judgment of the situation. England was very fortunate in having Mr Chamberlain in office at the time. “To my way of thinking, he has established a new technique in international relationships. He has set the precedent of meeting other rulers face to face and seeking peace before war, rather than after war. If he has done nothing else, he has gained time, which is a very important factor, allowing passions to cool and the people to take a new view of things. There can be no doubt that the people of Germany hailed him as saviour from the horror and awfulness of war. His reception there was a most remarkable thing. For people to say that Herr Hitler was bluffing is all very well. No man can say that Hitler was bluffing.. You are not dealing with a man who is normal, and you do not know just how far he will go. Neither was Mr Chamberlain able to say that Hitler was bluffing. His responsibility was so tremendous that he dared not do anything other than he did.” POLITICAL CRITICISM Most of the subsequent criticism of the Prime Minister had been politically manoeuvred. That was Mr Robinson’s opinion. A good deal of talk of loss of prestige had been indulged in. Greater than-the prestige of any country was the salvation of human life. ’ ... ~ During the week of the crisis, the people of London were calm although one was aware of the tremendous feeling of strain. They made what preparations they could in a systematic kind of way. It was a dreadful experience to have gas-masks issued to them, to see the beautiful parks in London scarred with trenches, the public buildings sand-bagged, and antiaircraft guns placed at prominent positions. It brought the feeling of the nearness of war very close to all. “The best loved man in Germany was the tribute paid to Mr Chamberlain by an English writer. The crisis revealed that not one of the peoples of Europe wanted war—and perhaps that was one of the most hopeful signs for the future. Unless the visitor spoke German, it was difficult to become acquainted with the natives of Germany. In any case, the Germans were not prepared to talk. No man there was willing to speak his mind on what he felt about the Hitler regime; but if one could judge from the appearance of the people and from actual casual conversations there was, he thought, a smouldering resentment against the Nazi movement, which might break out, any day, into the flames of rebellion. The visitor saw it more in the sullen faces of people, who gave a clear impression that they were not happy. With the discipline of the kind in Germany, obedience became absolutely necessary. To disobey meant imprisonment, or even death. They dared not rebel against the Nazi regime, which, like all movements of its type, was stage managed. “BELIEVE! OBEY! FIGHT!” “Believe! Obey! Fight!” “Who is not ready to fight for his faith is not worthy to profess it.” “Peace depends upon the importance of our armaments. Italy will have a great place in the world.” These are translations made by Mr Robinson of signs written on buildings in Italy. The presence of Mussolini was seen on every side in Italy, and texts from his speeches and writings were written on the sides of houses, so that the people could learn them by heart. The Italians were a happier people than the Germans, and more easy-going. Austria was now German. At Bolzano, which was in territory ceded to Italy from Austria after the Great War, he met an intelligent native woman who spoke excellent English. He had come through the Dolomite route, and he remarked to her that he envied the country its mountains. “Yes,” she replied. “They are beautiful, but there are many things we envy you.” “Such as?” “Your freedom,” she replied. That, he thought, was probably the feeling of a great many people in Italy, as well as in Germany.