GERMAN COLONIES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 52, Issue 3756, 15 May 1936, Page 12

GERMAN COLONIES

DR. ASMIS’S VIEWS. NO ALLIANCE WITH JAPAN. “Although Germany has never, and will never, give up her claim to her former’ colonies, the question is not an acute one in Germany,”, said Dr. Asmis, Consul-General for Germany, who returned to Australia last week, accompanied by his wife and family. “I noticed an enormous improvement in Germany since my last visit three years ago,” said Dr. Asmis. “The greatest impression was the discipline and order everywhere, and the fact that there were no unemployed to be seen. “The economic improvement was very marked,” continued Dr. Asmis. “The number of bicycles owned by the workers had increased considerably and this was always a sign of increasing prosperity. Everywhere in the Rhineland were smoking chimneys, where three years ago there were few smoking.” Dr. Asmis said that the popularity of the army was very noticeable, and the pride of the young people in soldiery seemed to be greater than in pre-war times. All this was the outcome «f the rearmament. “There is a feeling of unlimited confidence in Hitler,” Dr. Asmis stated. “Every class feels that he is the man for- Germany. One hears two rumours about Hitler, and one also reads them in the foreign papers. One is that he has a double, who appears publicly for him, and that he fears assassination; and the other is that he is ill. I have seen Hitler several times and spoken to him, also, and he always goes free and unprotected, for he knows that he is safe in Germany. And anyone listening to his clear, full voice must realise that he is in the best of health.” The Jewish Question. Questioned regarding the Jews in Germany, Dr. Asmis said that the publication last September of supplementary regulations to the laws regarding Jews had eased the situation for the Jewish people in Germany. There was now a more tolerant feeling towards them. Rumours of a Japanese-German alliance were untrue, said the ConsulGeneral. The fact was that Japan was at present very popular in Germany, owing to the similarity of conditions of life in the two countries. The only fact which would have given rise to the rumours which were current abroad some months ago was the conversation between representatives of Germany and Japan regarding Communistic propaganda. At present no Commupism was noticeable in Germany. The Communists appeared to have been completely crushed, although there might still be some working underground.