NAZI RULE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 244, 16 October 1939, Page 9

NAZI RULE

TRAGEDY OF GERMAN PEOPLE “NATURAL ALLIES OF BRITISH” NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS ASHBURTON, Oct. 10. Germany in which the dominant I sense is that of fear: Europe ecoI nomically and spiritually bankrupt, i infested with a terrible plague; the i tragedy of the German people, the most natural allies of the British ! thrust into a war against their in- ; clination. That is the picture of Europe held by Mr. Angus Mcßean, son of the Rev. Angus Mcßean, of Ashburton, who has just returned from Switzerland, whei e, within sight of the western extremity of the Seigfried line, he lived for several years. “The tragedy of the present, situation is that, the German people are the most natural allies of the English,” he said in an interview. “It would be the most wonderful thing the world could hope for if, after the war, when Hitlerism has been destroyed, a system of friendliness and co-operation between the two nations could be established. I was in Germain- for some months before I left to come home via America and the people showed not the least animosity toward lhe English. Not at any time was I treated with anything but the utmost kinu“After living for four years on the Continent one has the impression that Europe is a beautiful place infested with a terrible plague. It has all the grace and traditions of the past, but. as a whole it is spiritually and eco- ■ nomically bankrupt.’’The biggest task . ahead of the world was not so much the winning of the war and the clearing away of the Nazi regime, but ihe solving of the problems which existed long before the war broke out, problems which will be much greater when the conflict has ended. Before he left Zurich the British , Consul said to him that what appeal -d most was not ihe political situation but the spiritual and economic chaos; spiritual not purely in the religious sense, but. meaning all the moral values of tolerance, kindness and . truth. These had been scrapped, thrown out, largely as a result of fear, that sense that was dominant throughout the Reich. “Europe after the war cannot be the same as before the war, ’ Mr. Mcßean said. “There must be a Le mendous economic reconstruction.” It could not be denied that a considerable proportion of the German people : had been completely won over by the Nazi regime, and this proportion included the youth of the nation, who had been brought up to a tradition ; of blind adherence to the aims of Hitlerism. “The only unknown factor in tne : estimating of the possible swing of the people away from the Fuhrer is th.it the most ardent Nazis were convinc-d that he would never lead them mt:, war. A great many of them had a blind belief in Hitler, and have been led to believe in almost supernaturapowers on his part.”