WAR IN DECADE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 934, 2 December 1933, Page 21 (Supplement)

WAR IN DECADE.

Where the World is Again Heading. AMERICAN OBSERVER’S VIEWS. NEW YORK, October 15. \\7AR WITHIN A DECADE—that is unless important changes occur in the world situation, is the European outlook, in the opinion of Professor A. Ford Hinrichs, of Brown University’s Department of Economics, who has just returned from a year in Germany, Austria, Russia, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Germany, of course, is the most obvious powder-magazine, but there are others scattered over the Continent, and the matches are flaring dangerously, he believes. Professor Hinrichs’s chief purpose was to study methods of economic control and reorganisation in the countries he visited, but he also observed related political aspects of the situation, and had opportunity to study the people and their temper, particularly in Germany, where he spent three months, and in Russia, where he spent five. He was impressed inevitably by the dangers inherent in the Central European situation; and he felt increasingly that world affairs cannot be improved if the United States pursues an isolationist policy. It is imperative. Professor Hinrichs believes, to remove those elements in international relations which have “ created a Nazi movement that commands immense popular support in Germany.” In the German temperament and its reaction to the “ war guilt ” clause of the Versailles Treaty, Professor Hinrichs finds an explanation of a great part of the bitterness of the German people towards other nations. “ The Germans cannot put up with criticism in the same way that, say, the British and Americans can.” Professor Hinrichs observed. “An American or a Briton might not like the ‘ war guilt ’ clause applied to himself, but he would not be tremendously disturbed about it, as the Germans are. The German is an idealist. When his idealistic conceptions are attacked, he is adrift, he has nothing to cling to. He is extremely sensitive to the judgments of other neopie. The intent of the Versailles Treaty was to make Germany as impotent as possible. The world at large be van to realise, after a time, that this poliev would wreck the world, and modifications were made, as in the reparations. But almost all these modifications came too late. The damaee had been done and could not be rectified Whv did the country turn to Hitler? “ Oermanv used un all her old lead•rs; there was onlv Hitler left.” TT’tler commands a large measure of ■nblic '"nnort, all Hasses. Prohor Hinrichs believes. Business re- • j,j«; sompivKot a f raid of him. but is in hone that he will continue his con-«-prx-o»t,'ve policies. Lact Tnlv and August,” Professor Hinrichs said, “ there was a sort of balance: nobody knew where the Hitler Government was going. * T think that in

his foreign policy Hitler expresses the desire of the mass of the German people, lie demands equality of armaments—either through re-arming Gerreadjustment of the eastern frontier. The Germans not only are fearful of other nations, but they cannot endure that feeling of inferiority which inadequate armaments and the insistence upon the ‘ war guilt ’ clause force upon them.. “ Economically Germany is tentativeb* trying out a conservative policy. If conditions do not improve substantially. Germany may swing to extreme radicalism without displacing Nazi leadership, but the movement is social and political, rather than economic. “ In my opinion, it is highly essential that the world Disarmaments Conference. which is reconvening, produce definite results. If it comes to deadlock, or merely putters along, I am certain that Germany will try to rearm, legally as far as possible. Although 1 made no special study of the subject, it is evident that Germany has already violated the spirit if not the letter of the Treaty. “ Failure of the Disarmament Conference will mean simply another race, another piling up of armaments. It will then lie only a question of time before there is war. Tt will depend on whether France decides to attack before or after Germany has reached an armament equality.” (Copyright by the “Star” and the N.A.N.A. All rights reserved.)