HITLERISM AS A PASSING PHASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19241, 1 December 1930, Page 16

HITLERISM AS A PASSING PHASE.

PROFESSOR MACMILLAN BROWN GIVES IMPRESSION Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, November SO. Although Hitler was very much in the news and a widely discussed figure at the present time in Germany, England and the Continent generally, Pro-, fessor Macmillan Brown, of Christchurch, who returned by the Rotorua yesterday from a visit to those counwas not inclined to the belief that “Hitlerism” would score much of a success. “My own impressioh,” he said, “is that it is only a passing phase in Germany.” Hitler was not a German, he explained, and the next elections when they eventuated would probably see Hitler’s stock falling fairly considerably. He seemed to be imitating Mussolini, and Professor Macmillan Brown did not think that he would go very far. Transformation of the life of the country through Hitlerism was not likely to occur, especially if business, trade and the standard of living improved. With the amount of distress that was existing in Germany at the present time the minds of a certain section of the population were easy marks for Hitler’s eloquence and the principles he advocated. In Hamburg Professor Brown stayed with Herr Dietze, a relation by marriage. who was at the head of a large chemical firm. Herr Dietze had a son on the staff of the Siemen’s Electrical Company’s headquarters in Berlin, who, Professor Brown said, was a thoroughly representative young man, living in the centre of things at the capital. Dietze, junior, was strongly opposed to the Hitlerites and his attitude was typical of the educated young German. Aftermath of War.

The world as a whole, thought Professor Brown, would take a generation, if not two generations, to get out of the depth of the war’s aftermath. England certainly was going to take as long as she did after the Napoleonic wars. Professor Brown saw evidence of suffering in England. The most discussed subject in Britain at the present time was the dole, about which many were downhearted, believing that it was bringing up a generation of young people without inclination to work. The parades of unemployed which he had seen were made up of people of all ages. France, to-day, he said, was in a better position than any other nation in Europe, the reason being that France had a smaller population. A man’s estate was by law split up between his children as a result of legislation that was introduced in the revolutionary time, and a great number knew that it -would mean very small shares to their children unless they limited their families to two or three. A Famous Garden

Professor Brown had not gone far enough into Italy to get any real evidence of what was going on there. He left New Zealand last March, accompanied by his daughter, Miss V. Macmillan Brown, and they travelled throughout England as well as spending some time in Scotland. They were the guests of Sir Herbert Maxwell for a brief period, where in his famous garden Sir Herbert had a great number of New Zealand trees, some in fine bloom and some remarkably old. After returning to London they left for the Continent and visited Holland and Germany, going on later to the Dolomites in Italy. Professor Brown paid a visit to Dr Schlesinger, the well-known specialist in Vienna, and was given an extremely favourable report on his health. Miss Macmillan Brown, who is a painter, confessed great interest in German art and architecture.