BOOM TIMES IN ENGLAND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 8

BOOM TIMES IN ENGLAND

GERMAN DESIRE FOR FRIENDSHIP

IMPRESSIONS OF MR J. W. FAIR “Except for the depressed areas such as South Wales and Durham, the Old Country is experiencing a boom, this being largely due to the coronation next year and the huge expenditure on armaments." In these words Mr J. W. Fair, who has just returned from a visit to England and the Continent, referred to the change that had taken place in Industrial conditions in the Homeland since the cold blanket of depression was reported to be fairly widespread, in an interview with a representative of “The Timaru Herald."

“From what I could gather the Old Country is not so far behind in the matter of armaments as some would lead us to believe,” said Mr Fair. “There has been a great deal of scaremongering regarding war, but the impression I gained was that if there is war England will not be embroiled in it.” There was, he said, a definite Fascist following which seemed to be growing in the United Kingdom, and he drew an interesting comparison between a Communist march which he witnessed, and a Fascist parade which was to have taken place but which was prevented by police action. About 40,000 young Communists assembled in Trafalgar Square and with banners, urging chiefly the intervention of the British Government in the Spanish crisis, they marched to Hyde Park. They moved along without trouble, their progress being to the accompaniment of between 2000 and 3000 mounted police. A fortnight later the Fascists, the mortal enemies of the Communists, aroused widespread attention by planning a march from the East End, the home of many Jews and Communists. It raised the ire of people who wrote to the newspapers asking the Government to intervene. Barricades were erected by Fascist opponents, and on one was a huge placard bearing the inscription, “They Shall Not Pass.” There would have been serious trouble, said Mr Fair, had not the Commissioner of Police taken it upon himself to interfere. The members of the Fascist Party were called together by the police and as a result the followers were led to the Embankment where, after a few minor conflicts, the project was abandoned. Apparently the Government had no desire to interfere with either side, believing, as had been the policy in England for many years, in the freedom of individual action providing it did not conflict with the interest of other members of the community.

Germany’s Good Feeling

A visit to Germany gave Mr Fair the impression that a good feeling had been brought about between England and that country. The followers of Hitler seemed anxious to retain the good friendship that existed between the two countries. The Germans appeared to be a united race. They did not look upon Herr Hitler as a King, but they adored him as a superman who had certainly given Germany back her self-confidence. The country was fast making up the leeway of the postwar period, and while the standard of living seemed to be lower than that in England, the people seemed to be happy and contented with the administration. Germans liked to be disciplined and to be told what they must not do. Referring to the militarisation of the country Mr Fair said that even the customs officer who met them at the frontier was attired in blue military uniform. “He advanced with the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute and one of our party facetiously remarked that we should reply with ‘God Save the King.” Uniforms were to be seen everywhere, and Hitler seemed to be Germany Itself.” Unemployment, said Mr Fair, had been reduced tremendously, and there was an air of prosperity about the country. He was there at harvest time, and Southern Germany with its fields of waving crop looked a picture. There was intense cultivation and never a fence. The Germans seemed to want to create a good Impression with English people, for whom they had a great regard. He was surprised and delighted with the country, where efficiency had reached a very high degree.

Birthplace ol' Nazism

Munich, the birthplace of Nazism, following Herr Hitler’s famous "putsch" of 1927, was a centre of interest to the tourist, said Mr Fair. Iron coffins containing the remains of eight of Hitler’s chief supporters who were executed during the Communistic regime, were publicly displayed and sentinels constantly stood by. They were the first Nazi martyrs and in death they were nationally honoured. Another interesting link with early Nazism in Munich, the headquarters of the Nationalist Socialist Party, was that the city housed the whole of the flags carried in the historic demonstration that assisted to bring about Hitler’s tremendous power. Great national sentiment was attached to the flags.

Journeying through Czecho-Slovakla and Hungary, Mr Fair said he moved into an atmosphere of bitterness between the two countries, the feeling being that war must come. In the Square at Budapest his interest was aroused by the flag flying half-mast near the tomb of the Unknown Warrior. “And it will remain at half-mast until all the territory taken from Hungary is restored,” he was told. Such an action as that perpetuated the troubles of the past and fostered a spirit of hatred. Hungarians generally said a prayer based on the return of their territory, and every morning it was to be heard in the schools before instruction for the day commenced. When he asked if Hungary intended to have her territory restored through force, he was told, “no, we are too weak.” Well how?” he inquired. “Through Mussolini and the League of Nations,” came the reply. Poor But Very Happy Austria brought Mr Fair in touch with a happy and carefree people, although they were living in the past. They were very poor, as all their minerals and manufactures had been taken from them, and seemed to be existing on the tourist traffic. “I was impressed with the Germans, but the Austrians impressed me differently. They were happy and pleasant in spite of the times they had been through,” said Mr Fair. Austria was much in ad-

vance of any other country in the building of tenements for its workers. There were no slums in Vienna; they had been elimintaed by huge tenements, one of which was nearly a mile long. They provided excellent quarters and the occupiers paid rent on ehe basis of what they earned. Although the restoration of the Monarchy had been suggested, Mr Fair said he did not find much enthusiasm concerning it. A love of music and the arts had always characterised the people of Austria, said Mr Fair, who added that it was common to find hundreds outside of Stadt Park in Vienna listening to the playing of an orchestra. The Park was owned by the authorities and the orchestra was engaged to entertain patrons of the open-air restaurant. So entranced were the hundreds who could not afford refreshments, or who did not desire to enter the Park, that they remained outside until as late as 11 p.m. The population of Vienna almost lived on music. Returning to England Mr Fair witnessed the Davis Cup tennis between Germany and Australia and tlie final between Britain and Australia, in which F. J. Perry was -he dominating factor. It was the champion’s last bow as an amateur in big tennis.