COUNT VON LUCKNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 67, 21 March 1938, Page 8

COUNT VON LUCKNER

Federation of Labour Challenge TO DEBATE NAZI IDEALS I Per Press As—elation.] WELLINGTON, March 18. An invitation to Count von Lucknei to debate Nazi ideology at a public meeting was issued to-night by the New Zealand Federation of Labour under the hand of the president (Mr A. McLagan) and the secretary (Mi : D. Cornwell}. In a statement they j said Count von Luckner’s visit was ’ discussed by the council of the federa- | tion, which is now sitting in Wellington. "We concede that Count von Luck ner has a right to his opinions and to express them freely,” the statement continues. "We invite him to come out in the open and express his opin- I ions at a public meeting. If he will de- j bate with our representative the cause of Fascism against the cause of democracy, we will guarantee him a fair and courteous hearing." REPLY TO CHALLENGE j NO RELATION TO POLITICS ! [ Per Piess Association.] WELLINGTON, March 19. | “Do they think 1 have come 16,001 ' miles, 380 days at sea, to talk propa- | danga?” asked Count von Luckner! when shown the Federation of La- ; hour's challenge to debate Nazi ideology. In have nothing to do with politics. In all my travels 1 have not spread any Nazi propaganda. Indeed, I have been strictly forbidden by my Government to export the political views of my countrymen. Our Government is our own, and we do not wish to export it to any other country. “But let me tell you this: In Germany to-day it is the labouring people who are the great power beninu miler. There is no country which has such wonderful labour organisations as Germany. There is practically no I unemployment. The working people have their own houses. They have money to spend, to buy their furniture, and to live happily. They have organisations to look alter their wives and their children, and financial provision is made lor those with big families. And the labour organisations have their own steamers, so that tne working people can go on holdidays to the Mediterranean, and to Africa, and to other lands. I can tell you, it is in the working people that the strength of Hitler is placed. “I am not a member of the Nazi Party. 1 am an officer and can belong to no political party. I tell you frankly, at first many of us were not in favour of the Nazi movement, but today we have come to think otherwise. “But 1 do not want to argue with these people. If Wellington does not want me, why, I will go elsewhere. 1 have come only to spread the gospel of goodwill. In wartime, for the service of my god, I sank the nitrate carriers whose cargoes would have been converted into munitions to kilt thousands of people. 1 never a mother of her son. 1 loved the New Zealand people because they were sportsmen wnen 1 was imprisoned here, and escaped, captured tne Moa, and afterward was caught again. There was no hatred between us. And now I have come back because 1 could think of no liner present to give my little countess than to bring ner and show her the places where my adventures took place; to fetch her to this country where my heart is. What have 1 done to deserve this? It hurts me here,” said the count, taking his pipe from his mouth and pressing his hand over his heart.

CONDEMNATION OF NAZISM CHALLENGE REPEATED [ Par Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, March 19. Replying to Count von Luckner, the Labour Federation says: Count von Luckner asks: “Do they think 1 came 16,000 miles with 380 days at sea to talk propaganda. We have no objection to his doing so; in fact, we welcome it and repeat our invitation to do it at a public meeting where the other side of the case can be presented. “lie says their Government is their own and tncy do not wish to export it, the federation adds. Does that nold good for Austria, Czechoslovakia, Spain ana South American countries. 1 He says, further, that if Wellington does not want him, he can go elsewhere. 1 hat is a matter for himself to decide. New Zealand democracy, unlike Nazism, gives him the lignt to please himsek in that respect, but il Austria, Czechoslovakia and other countries do not want Herr Hitler or Hitlerism, docs he think Herr Hitler should agree to take himself off and leave those countries and the people alone to work out their own destinies?

“We note Count von Luckner’s modest statement about having sunk unarmed ships in the service of his god. It appears to us that at that lime Count von Luckner’s god may have been Kaiserism, just as it may now Hitlerism. We regret that the invitation to publicly debate his ideas should have so hurt Count von Luckner, but it is only just to remind him that the Nazis have never considered the feelings of other people whose ideas differed from theirs. Even to-day the feelings of some people are being so outraged by the Nazis that they prefer suicide to the prospect of a continued existence under Nazi domination." NOT TO BE DRAWN [ Fer Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 20. Declining the challenge of the Me*-# Zealand Federation of Labour rope;/--ed on Saturday to debate the Nazi cause on a public platform, Count von Luckner to-day repeated that he refused to be drawn into any political controversy. He would make no answer to the federation’s further statement which criticised his reply to the original challenge. “If I make a reply then they and t must in turn make a further reply,

and sc it can go on indefinitely,” be explained. ' i have not come to talk politics but you can be assured it is not from weakness that I make no answer. Ali my victories have been won in the face of blockades." He dismissed the subject with an impatient gesture. TREMENDOUS OVATION COUNT'S LECTURE WELL RECEIVED I Per Piess Association.] WELLINGTON. March 20, Count von Luckner received a tremendous ovation when he spoke in Wellington on Saturday night. Sj far from there being any hostile demonstration, the Count was warmly applauded and his lecture was punctuated by repeated clapping. Afterwards it was fully half an hour before he was able to leave the Opera House because of the crowds round the doors. Among the audience wore many uniformed soldiers and sailors and returned soldiers, who listened to their former enemy’s description of how he evaded the British naval blockade. The lecture contained no propaganda.