HITLER’S IRON HEEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 6

HITLER’S IRON HEEL

PEEP BEHIND SCENES WAR MERELY POSTPONED LETTER FROM WIFE OF FORMER AUSTRIAN BARON “NAZIS MIST BE SMASHED" The s(ern effect, of the iron heel of Nazi rule in Germany is described in a letter received by residents of Brunswick. Wanganui, from the wife of an exiled Austrian baron— Mrs. Otto Konody, better known to the English public as a prima donna. May Busby. Writing from London on September 29. she gives an intimate picture of her impressions of what is happening in central Europe, and declares that war has merely been postponed, that Hitler will have to be smashed and that it Britain goes to war it will not be on account of the Czechoslovakians, a race Mrs. Konody does not regard very highly, but because of the growth of Hitler's power and influence. “The Austrians are not at all happy under Nazi rule and would give anything now to undo what they did in March (join Germany), but it is too late and they will have to put up with it,” she writes. “I was in Germany in July and met some very nice Germans. The day’ before leaving we were taken to have tea at Petersberg, which is the place where Mr. Chamberlain stayed when he went to Godesberg to see Hitler. We had lunch at Dreesen Hotel, when Mr. Chamberlain and Herr Hitler met. So you can imagine we were doubly interested in last week's events. “During my stay in Germany f went down to Vienna, where I stayed for 10 days. There is a great deal of unrest and poverty among the people and, of course, the Jews are apallingly treated. . . . But it is the treatment of the ordinary person who does mot happen to be a Nazi that angers me. “Oh, For Peaceful New Zealand" “At this moment (September 29) you are no doubt wondering whether there is going to be a European war. I don't think there will be now. though we are all prepared for it. Reserves are all called up and we have our gas masks. I envy you so far away from this seething cauldron of unrest, and wish I were in peaceful New Zealand. You arc not threatened by war, and such a war! It is too awful to think of it, and though I know it is so horrible I still think it is only postponed and will come later on, if not now. Hitler and his partyare too dominant, and will have to oe smashed. You see I have been a whole month in Germany just lately, and as I speak German as well as I speak English, and spoke it all the time I was there, and met all classes of Germans (the working class, middle and upper classes) I got to know the working of their minds German People Averse to War “The people themselves do mt want war any more than we do. but. they are led by the nose as to what, they shall do or shall not do. Freedom of speech and thought is an unknown quantity there, and all the workings of our Government to avoid war is kept from the Germans. They know nothing of Roosevelt's letter to Hitler and Hitler’s reply, and nothing of Chamberlain's speech the night before last. Their's is the tragedy of ignorance; their newspapers are not allowed to publish anything except ■.. hat the Furher tells them to. New Zealand is so far away that no doubt you do not, and cannot be expected to. know the inner workings of the crisis.” The writer has not a very high opinion of the Czechs. “We would he mad to go to war for that race.” she says. “Hitler is right ahi the Suddens and all he says is true as regards history of past, events as the

Versailles Treaty, hut it is the brutal, forceful way he wants to do things that is wrong. Where Hitler's Attack Would Begin “Do not. imagine that if we go to war it will be for the Czechoslovakians, it would be because Hitler is getting too strong and wants smashing. Also, I happen to know he has no intention of attacking Czechoslovakia at the Sudeten mountain frontier, but would attack at Preshourg. 20 miles from Vienna, where it is flat country. Attacking from there would mean that he would not devastate Sudeten territory, which is in such perfect, industrial condition. He is very clever. Nobody knows this here. I was told it yesterday by a Hungarian who has relations working underground on munition works and fortifications at Presbourg. where they have been getting busy for the last two years. Hungarians are Nazi to a man, except the Jews! . . . Presbourg is on the border between Hungary and Germany and what used to be Austria. Hungary Badly OH ‘'Hungary is in a bad way econorn.cally, and is a very poor country—no trade, no work, and though the agriculture is splendid, and you can buy a chicken for sixpence, they have not the sixpence to buy it with. All the fruit and vegetables are rotting—no one to buy them. The Hungarians are desperate and will join German; at once."