GERMANY’S STRENGTH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 240, 11 October 1938, Page 7

GERMANY’S STRENGTH

DESIRE FOR PEACE i SPEECH BY HERR HITLER A HINT TO BRITAIN “NO TUTORIAL INTERFERENCE.’ [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SAARBRUCKEN, Oct. 9. Herr Hitler, in a speech at the opening ' of the new Saarbrucken Theatre, declared:— “At the beginning of this year 1 decided to bring back to the Reich 10,000,000 Germans who remained outside it. I was convinced that this was only possible by my own strength, and I decided to take the responsibility. The essential conditions for carrying out the decision were the internal union of the German nation and national re-armament, for which I have worked fanatically during the last six years,. It is cheaper to rearm before events than after. You can see for yourselves the gigantic fortifications and works that are being carried out in this region. No Power in the world would be able to smash this wall.

*T have resolved to continue the fortifications in the west and to extend them, including the large districts of Aix-la-Chapelle and Saarbrucken.

“Apart from Signor Mussolini, who is Germany's only true friend, two other statesmen have made last-minute efforts to preserve, yet it is evident that the spirit of Versailles has not yet died abroad. We face statesmen who sincerely seek peace, but they rule in countries where others may come into power. Eden, Duff-Cooper, and Churchill might coms into power in Britain instead of Chamberlain, and their aims would start a conflagration. They admit that this is so. We are forced to be on our guard.

“Germany only wants peace, especially with Britain. It would be good if Britain were to drop some of her ways of the Versailles epoch. We won’t stand any tutorial interference from British statesmen. Investigations by British statesmen or members of the House of Commons about the fate of Germai citizens in Germany are misplaced. We don’t trouble about similar things in Britain. Advice To Foreigners. “The world sometimes has reason enough to worry about international affairs. For instance, there are the events in Palestine. But we leave that to those who feel themselves called by destiny to deal with them. “We would like other nations to occupy themselves with their own problems and not meddle with ours. Statesmen of foreign countries would be well advised to accept this advice, which is the best to serve the peace of the world. We are a strong State, able at any moment to pursue !) . policy of understanding with everyone around us.

“We don’t want anything from them. We have no wishes and no demands. We want peace—no country more so. We are confronted with great cultural tasks and economic problems.”

Some remarkable revelations about the progress of German fortifications in the West, not cabled at the time, W'ere made by Herr Hitler in his speech at the Nazi Party Congress at Nuremberg on September 12. Herr Hitler declared that after the “base attack” upon Germany by the Czechs last May, when it was alleged that Germany was moving troops up to the frontiers (and when the British Ambassador, Sir Nevile Henderson, issued a warning to Germany which was commonly believed to be a major factor in the resulting back-down of Herr Hitler), he had, on May 28, issued orders for “very serious measures” to be taken. He determined to strengthen the army and the air force considerably forthwith, and the Western fortifications were extended. Since May 28 “the most gigantic fortifications that ever existed” had been under construction there. There were then (September 12) working in the West 278,000 men from the Road Construction organisation, 84,000 additional workmen, 100.000 men of the Labour Service, and numerous engineer and infantry battalions. The German railways were taking 8000 trucks of material there daily, apart from materials transported by road services. The daily consumption of gravel was more than 100,000 tons. The works would be ready before the winter and would comprise 17,000 armoured and concrete fortifications of a depth of up to 50 kilometres.