GERMAN CONDITIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 18987, 3 July 1933, Page 4

GERMAN CONDITIONS.

RULE UNDER THE NAZIS. BOYCOTTING OF JEWS. Conditions as they were In Berlin fit the time of the boycott of the Jews in Germany are among the first-hand impressions of Germany to-day, given by Mrs. R. S. Aitken, of Wanganui, in a letter to her aunt, Mrs. 11. T. Wood, of Masterton. Writing on April 5, Mrs. Aitken said, in part: “I wonder what kind of stories you are reading about the conditions in Germany, and how much you are worrying about us. I am realty puzzled about these stories of brutal treatment which we read of in the foreign newspapers—even in reputable ones such as the Manchester Guardian—and wonder what glimmer of truth there is in them.” Mrs. Aitken went on to show how many of the newspaper reports were conflicting in their statements concerning the trouble in Germany. One report would give specific cases of barbarically brutal assaults by the Nazis on people of Communistic or Socialistic views. Another would give interviews correspondents had had with leading Communist and Socialist figures who were in prison. They would have no complaints to make, except of their imprisonment, and would show no signs of ill-treatment. Mrs. Aitken asks why such rumours are reported in reputable newspapers, and slates that it is left to the readers’ own judgment or prejudice to form their own views. ‘‘l feel that the Press should be answerable to a board (such as the 8.8. C. one) for

the truth, honour, and broadmindedness of its statements," she states. "And whereas the 8.8. C. Board has always to decide \yhat to broadcast, a Press Board could ahvays leave that decision to the individual newspapers, concerning itself with the how. "Nazi-coloured” News. "I am not sure to what extent the suppression of the Press here in Germany is responsible for some of the exaggerations. Naturally ail our news is Nazi-coloured, and one is only told w'hat is good for one, and 1 ’gin the Government’ tongues will'wag. | "Personally, we have experienced I no unpleasantness, nor do we antici- ■ pate any, and among all the people 1 with whom we have come in contact we have never once heard of any interference with personal liberty. 1 Often enough they criticise the child- , ishness of certain demonstrations, but ! on the whole they prefer a positive to I a negative programme. So they wait I in various stages of resignation to see what Hitler does. ‘There is undoubtedly a Jewish question to be dealt with. Here are some of the facts: One million Jews in Germany out of a population of 65 millions. No Jews are farmers. They I hold obvious business positions. ‘They’ [ say there were more Jews than pure- ) blooded Germans (whoever they may be) as judges before April 1. A great , many Jews came to Germany from I Poland after the war, and during the Inflation, and being shrewd business I people, have done well for themselves. I Berlin and Frankfurt are the two Jewish centres. In the Chariti, which Is the university, hospital, and medical school in Berlin, there were rumoured to be as many as 80 per cent. Jews on the medical tsaff. During the last week in March some of these were told they would have to give up their positions on April 1; others expected

to be told to go, and went without being told. Everywhere, confusion and depression reigned. . . . Methods of Boycotting. "We were continually annoyed on Saturday by the boycotting methods of the Nazis. In the morning we saw S.A. men with their coloured antlJewlsh posters standing in front of Jewish shops, on whose windows were more notices warning good cltl- v zens not to shop there. In Spandau we saw great crowds of people standing round the Jewish shops and listening to the discussion between shopowner and Nazi pickets. Then wa came back into Berlin again, for ws had been invited to lunch at a Jewish doctor’s home. At the main entrance to the building were the nameplates and bells of all the inmates. Two plates were covered with coloured warnings against visiting Jewsl Otir man’s plate was still free not that it would have made the slightest difference to our plans, but I am trying t o show you how general and personal the insult was made. We were very warmly received and entertained and questioned as to the possibility of having German medical degrees recognised in England, and what opportunities there were in England: , . Mrs. Aitken mentions that the inquirer, if lie left Germany, would have to for-j sake all his worldly possessions, as ha would not be allowed to take out of Germany more than two hundred , marks a month.