A DANGER SPOT

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20495, 11 May 1938, Page 6

A DANGER SPOT

There is said to be unrest among the 200,000 Germans who live in the South Tyrol, under Italian rule, but it is expected that their claims will be shelved in the meantime. These people, summarily cut off from Austria by the Peace Treaty, have many genuine grievances. The Italian authorities have ruled with a very heavy hand. Families have been compelled to change their names —from German to Italian —the use of the German tongue in the schools has been prohibited, and parents found to be instructing their children in their homes, in the German language, have been punished severely. Then it was reported that among the conscript forces sent to Abyssinia early in the campaign was an unduly large proportion of young men from the Trentino, and this caused very bitter feeling. The people have adopted a policy of passive opposition to Italian domination, and economically they have suffered severely owing to the decline of the tourist traffic. The position is said to be a dangerous one, and the people place their faith in Herr Hitler’s declaration of February 21. The Fuehrer said: ‘‘The States lying on our frontiers embrace more than 10,000,000 Germans. Until 1918 they fought shoulder to shoulder in the Great War with Germany. Against their will they were prevented by the Peace Treaties from being united with Germany.... One of the interests of Germany is the protection of Germans who are not in a position to assure themselves on our frontiers personal, political and philosophical freedom.’’ The Tyrolese claim that they are among the people so placed and they now desire, what they may some day demand, unity with the Reich.