JOURNEY ROUND WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1935, Page 8

JOURNEY ROUND WORLD

RECOVERY IN BRITAIN AUSTRIA, THE SAAR, HUNGARY. CHRISTCHURCH MAN’S VIEWS. During a journey round the world lasting 10 months, Mr. N. H. Barlow, a well-known business man of Christchurch, has formed some very definite and interesting impressions of the political and economical situations of European countries, the American states and South Africa. He has made frequent trips overseas, such as this, on business and holiday, and although he had previously considered himself not qualified to speak of his impressions he is now convinced that a New Zealander travelling frequently from one country to another has a splendid opportunity to observe fairly accurately the developments in the European countries and the American states.

In practically every country Mr. Barlow noticed a feeling of unrest, sometimes very apparent, and sometimes as an undercurrent. The plight of Austria he thought hopeless, and he remarked on his return that the poverty of the European countries was the only circumstance which prevented them from returning to war.

Conditions in London, on the other hand, were more like “the old times” than in any city in Europe or America. England was undoubtedly the best of the old-world countries in which to live.

“It is very difficult to get any inside information about Germany,” he said. “Those who talk seem to think everything is fine; others simply shrug their shoulders, which might mean anything. One thing can be said, and that is that they treat their visitors with great hospitality, going out of their way to attract tourists, but one could feel an undercurrent of strain. PLIGHT OF AUSTRIA.

“One cannot visit Austria and particularly Vienna, without feeling extremely sorry for the fine people. There is Vienna, one of the oldest and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe; today it is like a dead city. Before the war it was the capital of a country with 40,000,000 people, and now it is the capital of 6,000,000, more than 2,000,000 of which try to exist in Vienna. There are its beautiful buildings and palaces empty, its wide streets capable of taking care of 8,000,000 practically deserted—a pathetic sight. “It is natural to ask the reason for it all. Primarily, of course, they backed the wrong horse in the war, but much of the Austrians’ troubles might have been averted if the Allies had permitted Austria to become, as its first legislative council had declared it to be, DeutschOesterreich; that is, part of the . German Republic. Had that occurred Hitler would never have assumed control of Germany. , “The German of the north is a vastly different person from the German of the south. The northerner is admittedly more successful in his technical and industrial enterprise and knows how . to make money. The southerner is much happier and takes life less seriously, spending his money with taste. The Prussian temper of the. north is always directing and has led Germany to triumph and disaster, but never steered a middle course. The 6,000,000 Austrians would have carried considerable weight, g “Something must be done for Austria, and done soon,” he declared, but what puzzles everyone is what can be done. One thing is certain, however, and that is that she cannot exist in her present position, and while the majority of the Austrians do not trust Hitler, at the same time the spirit of hopelessness prevails and they are beginning to feelwell it could not be any worse.” Should the Nazis take charge of Austria, Italy would immediately step in and no doubt France would strongly object, so here we have a hopeless situation—a beautiful country that everybody wants, but all are jealous of the other fellow having it, so it was being left to die. NOT IMPRESSED WITH EUROPE.

“I was not impressed with what I saw in Europe,” Mr. Barlow said, “and I believe that the only reason there is not war there at the present time is that the nations are all too poor to fight. “And what a predicament the poor Saarlanders are in. Ido not think it remotely possible that they will join with France, though economically it might be the best tiling for them. They are practically all German, but how do they feel about Hitler? It is very difficult to get a true opinion of anything pertaining to politics in Germany.” ■ Hungary, he said, Was in practically the same state. The pre-war area of Hungary was 125,000 square miles; of this 90,000 had been ceded to other countries by the treaty of Trianon. The population of pre-war Hungary was 21,000,000, but in 1920 it was reduced to 9,000,000. Germany appeared to him much more prosperous than France. His impressions of Frarice were distinctly unpleasing, and as they might be incorrect he preferred to say nothing of that country. Great Britain was very pleasing to one who returned to it after a long absence. Everybody seemed to be cheerful about the future. It was a tremendously different England from the one he had seen six or seven years ago. America was in a very peculiar mood, and while -business was undoubtedly improving there was a feeling of uncertainty prevailing. Business men all seemed afraid of what Mr. Roosevelt might do next; but Mr. Barlow believed that the uncertainty was carried too far, and that the President was not likely to do anything too radical. America seemed to be one year behind England coming out of the depression, and he thought that good times would be back again in the United States in 1936.

WEALTH IN SOUTH AFRICA. South Africa, he said, was one of the few countries in the world, if not the only country, that could be said to be not only out of the depression, but actually enjoying a boom. The Government was one of the few that could look back on the last year with satisfaction. The political situation during the last 18 months had improved out of all recognition, and the change had been entirely for the good. In the economic sphere the recovery had been most encouraging and the future was full of promise. The revenue for the first five months of the current financial year was £14,764,000, compared with £9,296,000 for tlie same period last year. “Johannesburg is of course the radiating centre of prosperity,” Mr. Barlow said. ‘‘lt is about 10 years since I last saw Johannesburg, and what a change—an entirely different city. One is now impressed with big modern office buildings, fine apartment houses, paved streets, electric stop signals, and . above all, hosts of new luxurious cars. One naturally wants to know what it is all about, and the answer is gold. During the next year gold valued probably at £72,000,000 will be exported, if the present price is maintained. “Everyone has made money out of gold mining shares. The boom, of course, originated in London, and from what I gathered no matter what shares one bought they went yp.”