THE MODERN GERMANY

Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 January 1928, Page 5

THE MODERN GERMANY

GOOSESTEP TO ATHLETICS. REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION. Press Association-Electric Telegraph-Copyright (Received Tuesday, J 0.15 a.m.) LONDON, Monday. Germany’s remarkable transformation from the goosestep to the greatest sporting nation of Europe is vividly outlined by the German Carlyle, Emil Ludwig, iu the “Sunday Express.” lie defends the secret military organisations, though lie considers them negligible. He says: “The i-ictors plan to disarm iron Germany is logical, provided general disarmament follows. A Aveaponless man surrounded by heavily-armed men feels that lie is in the painful position of an idiot surrounded by intellectuals. The sole beneficial result ef the unhalloAvetl treaty is the fact that German manhood has reached with both hands at a means of freeing themselves physically. The sudden liberation from conscription lias caused them to seek a higher means of physical culture, and to-day Germany stands in the forefront of the world athletically and gymnastically. This branch :s favoured because, having drilled militarily for long years, the Germans find athletics based more upon discipline than golf or tennis. “Jn .1914 one million persons belonged to sports bodies.; to-day there are seven-millions nationally organised, and tile sports areas have doubled in tAvo years. Before the Avar the strictest military obligations rendered sport superfluous. Manhood’s ideal was promotion in the army. In lieu of three years’ iron conscription, Germans arc free to choose an hygienic athletic life, and its tremendous development is driving out the Avarlike spirit. “Iu this connection Germany is merely conforming Avith the spirit of the times. People in the capitals and the neighbouring cities are eating alike and sleeping in the same sort of beds. There are no longer kings intent on waging Avar. Thus all kinds of Nat 7 ionalistie aspirations, have become ridiculous and the chief cause of modern wars has disappeared.”