EUROPE TO-DAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21029, 6 May 1938, Page 8

EUROPE TO-DAY

GERMANY AND ITALY DISCUSSED COMMENTS BY NOTED VISITOR Interesting comments on living conditions in Germany and Italy were made by the Rev. Father Schaefer, Assistant General of the Marist Fathers, who was sent from Rome to represent the Marist Society at the recent Catholic Centenary celebrations, when interviewed by a representative of "The Timaru Herald” yesterday. In making these observations Father Schaefer said he did not wish to deal in politics but merely to give a few sidelights on general aspects of the countries mentioned. Father Schaefer speaks English, German, French and Italian fluently and this qualification had a deal to do with his appointment to his present position which entails his visiting the Houses of the Society in those countries and reporting back to his superior. The Population Problem To check the general decline in births, there was in vogue in Italy, said Father Schaefer, a system of taxation calculated to stimulate population. The Government bestowed a dowry of 560 lira (75 lira to the New Zealand pound) on the contracting parties to a marriage and each increase in the family meant a reduction of taxes. The graduated scale of taxes had the effect of practically wiping out excessive wealth and b .chelors were particularly hard hit in this respect. A good labourer received from 23 to 25 lira a day, but the cost of living was not so high as it was in New Zealand. Board and lodging cost 6/6 a day in middle class hotels, but “working class people lived much more cheaply. By providing economic security for the workers the Government had given a decided fillip to the growth of population which to-day stood at 42,000,000. Public works had absorbed a good many of the unemployed who were engaged in useful work such as highway building, drainage of swamps and the construction of many new buildings. The State was almost supreme, continued Father Schaefer, and to all intents and purposes it was totalitarian in nature. Youth organisations were widespread and th ir plastic minds were being moulded to a Fascist pattern. Signor Mussolini had done a certain amount of good in Italy in that he had made order out of chaos and had given the people a certain amount of economic prosperity Saying that Germany possessed the best highways in the world, Father Schaefer detailed the means by which this had been accomplished. Six months in labour camps was compulsory for every German youth. During that time he was housed and fed by the Government but did not receive wages. By that means double highways with a belt of trees between had been constructed in concrete throughout the length and breadth of Germany. No one was allowed to stop on the road. If any mechanical repairs had to be made the motorist was obliged to use the asplialt on the side which had been constructed for that purpose. Right angled turns had been eliminated by means of loops which connected arterial roads with the main highways. Wherever roads ran paralie. with railways, that was to say, in competition, the road services vere State owned. At present Germany was directing the power of the labour camps towards the building of a canal linking up the rivers of Germany, from the Rhine to the Baltic. Concentration camps, although actually prison camps, performed much the same work as the labour camps. Farmers and others could apply for labour for harvesting and other works and, if granted, the men were sent from the camps. In addition to this six months' forced labour, every youth was obliged to serve two years in the army. That was the reason why Germany and Italy, where conscription was also in force, had such powerful armies. Legislation similar in character to Italy’s for the inducement of bigger families was operative in Germany. No doubt it helped towards the desired effect as the increase in Germany’s population made the figure 62,000,000. Conditions in France Contrary to Germany and Italy, France’s legislation had the opposite effect in regard to population. The Napoleonic Code which supplanted t.'.e law of the aristocrats which bequeathed property to the eldest male successor, decreed that all property had to be divided equally among the family, said Father Schaefer. This enacto’ent in many cases had had a disastrous effect. In a case where only a house was left, and the family insisted on its rights, it. had to be sold. The application of this law had caused financial embarrassment to many businesses and consequently an increase in one child families had taken place in order to keep property intact. There were otherfactors responsible 'or the decrease in population, but this It w was a contributory cause. The approximate French population at present was 23.000.000.

Rapid changes of Government had resulted in lack of continuity of policy and this instability had been reflected in the labour disputes which recently occurred there. Owing to this labour unrest the recent Faris Exhibition had never been finished, as many projected bays never saw the light of day. Father Schaefer came to New Zealand about 38 years ago and for 13 years he taught in St. Patrick's College, Wellington. For 23 years he was attached to the Marist Seminary at Hawke's Bay, and the Novitiate at Highden, Palmerston North, during which time he was principally Spiritual Director, but also taught moral theology. About two years ago he was appointed to his present position. In reply to a question Father Schaefer said that the Marini Society was engaged principally in teaching and mission work. Foreign Mission:; were served by volunteers and in these parts the mission field comprised all that territory south of the Equator and west of the Date Line in the Pacific which .ncluded Fiji and numerous other islands. The work of the Society was flourishing and before returning to Rome he will visit the Marist Houses in Australia. In conclusion Father Schaefer said

that England enjoyed a higher standard of living than Continental countries but New Zealand had the best standard in tl e world.