INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 February 1935, Page 6

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

INTERESTING ADDRESS. Rotarian C. M. Bowden addressed the Masterton Rotary Club at its last luncheon on the subject of international affairs in Europe, with particular reference to recent developments in Germany and-Italy. The National Socialists, or Nazis, as they were now called, said Mr Bowden, were very strongly entrenched as the dominant political party, and Herr Hitler had chosen well the time to assert his. right to leadership of the nation. Prior to his taking control there had been a feeling of general despondency among the people, and there had since been a revival of the people’s pride and faith in the Fatherland, which had in some measure restored Germany to a state of political and commercial confidence. It was still apparent, however, that the almost universal antagonism towards Germany following the World War and the enforcement of the heavy penalties by victorious opponents, with the consequent taxation burdens, had had a very serious effect on the morale of the people. What might be termed an inferiority complex had become noticeable, and it had been Hitler’s aim to counteract this by stirring up the national pride which had become dormant in the earliest post-war years. The attack on the Jews was one of his moves to re-establish the ascendancy of the German people. The majority of. the doctors in Germany were Jews, and many important posts in professional and financial quarters were held by the same race. The acts of terrorism carried out in purging the nation of these people who had supplanted the Germans in the leadership of various sections of the community were justified by Hitler as essential to the revival of national pride and the restoration of the Fatherland to its former state as a consolidated Empire. Notwithstanding the criticism of German methods by other nations, it was, nevertheless, recognised that the isolation of Germany was not in the best interest of world peace, and efforts were being made to lead the way to a better understanding between the central European Powers with the ultimate object of bringing Germany back to membership in the League of Nations. The success of Germany in the Saar plebiscite was deemed to be an important step in reconciliation between Franco and her neighbour. A vote of thanks was proposed by Rotarian 11. M. Peacock and carried. Rotarian W. L. Free, Avho was in the chair, advised that two members, Rotarians S. L. P. Free and E. Wells, were delegates to the annual conference which was being held at Timaru at the end of this month.