VOICE OF THE EMPIRE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 13, 19 May 1939, Page 5

VOICE OF THE EMPIRE

The Editor of the Beacon has been handed a copy of a message recently broadcast from 8.8.C. by the famous English announcer Mr Howard Marshall, and addressed to the Germain people. The whole message breathes reason and logic and as one of the first copies to reach New Zea- j land we have no hesitation in giving it publicity as an example of a high endeavour to obtain a common tone of understanding. This isn't written as a newspaper article. It's the script of a talk I should give if Dr. Goebbels invited me to broadcast to the German people. I imagine myself, in one of those efficient little studios in the Rundfunkhaus in Berlin, where once I talked to America in the small hours of a snowy winter's morning. This is what 1 should say.. My German friends: May I come in a moment and sit by your fireside and talk to you —just quietly, as one human being tc another? You don't know who I am? Of course you don't. I'm nobody in particular. Just an ordinary Englishman, that's all. But I feel, as so many of my fellow countrymen do, that it's time we talked together—the ordinary people of Great Britain and Germany. And that it's desperately important. So far our leaders have talked for us. But I can't believe they've spoken our thoughts. So, for once, let's break down the barriers and forget our leaders, if you'll let me in.

I've experienced your warm-heart, ed hospitality so often that I can't think you'll shut your door to me. You see ? I've known your country for many years. I spoke your language when I was a child—not that there's really any language barrier between us. If only we could hear it, the common language of humanity unites us to.day

with greater force than ever in history . But we have to understand one another, you and 1. Before it's too late. Tragically too late. "And the ' sands are running out fast. ; I had a German godfather. He's i dead now. His family is broken up. ■ His lovely old home on the banks of the river in Erfurt has vanished. 1 When I was a youngster I used to 'ish in that German river with my '< godfathers son, Karl. I remember Karl well —his slow smile, his generous companionship. We were good Karl and I. J He's dead, too. Killed in 1917.. ' fighting for Germany. That broke * his father's heart. Killed, as your ] sons and my sons might be killed if ' ever wp allowed war to brsak out r again. Killed in n war which settled t nothing, but merely brought incred- c ible suffering and hardship to the ° world. NOBODY CAN WIN. L I wonder if you realise how near j we arc to the macVess of a new world t war? ]' m toi(] that many of yQU r aren't allowed to realise that though oerhaps you guess a great deal. Make no mistake about this. If t they tell you that the democracies arc decadent—that they wouldn't o fight against n 'threat of force—if t they tel] you that, they're wrong, a Grievously wrong. We should fight. And fight to th- n Vtw end, if need be, with all our n might. But I'm talking to you to-night y because we can't believe that you r> want war any more than we do. » Doesn't the thought of it anpal you, as it does us? Appal you because of F the fa.ntastic waste of it 5 the tragic P stupidity of it? ' o^

APPEAL TO GERMAN PEOPLE

MESSAGE OF FAITH

HOWARD MARSHALL'S REASONING

Nobody aen win a war today. We must all lose. And this time, perhaps, w r e should lose civilisation too. It's said sometimes that your leaders plan to dominate the world by force, just as it's said in your coun_ try tha.t our leaders seek to encircle 1 and strangle Germany. But I simply can't believe that you, as are interested in world domination. You care, as we do, about far simpler things. Home and family and all that goes with them—these are the things you care about—these and the many quiet; pleasures which the eeftth in, its richness could produce for us all so abundantly. I ask you to believe that we have no wish to encircle you, to strangle you t to deny you the right to a share of the world's goods. You don't really think so, do you, that we want to fight you? That we hate you, and wish you ill? Of course we don't hate you. Indeed, we respect and admir e you s with your great traditions in, musie and literature and all the pleasant art of life. I speak of what I know, for I'm no stranger to Germany. And I've always been happy in your beautiful country, whether I came as an ordinary seaman to the port of Hamburg, or as a visitor or traveller flying to your great cities—to Berlin and Hanover and Heidelberg and Frankfort. IVe seen your fine athletes in action at the Reichsportsfeld. I've chat ted to Max Schmeling in his training camp, and seen him fight in a German ring. I've talked to your university professors, your artists, your diplomats. I've worked in Germany, and play_ ed there. IVe sat in your beer gardens and made holiday with you in the sunshine on the shores of the lovely in the pine woods above Blankenese, on the broad waters of the Alster lakes. And I know this. You and I are strangely alike. We're homely people and if we must argue about politics, we'd far rather do it over a glass of beei* than at the point of the bayonet. We have everything in, common. Everything, thai is, except systems of government which would permit us to work together for the creation of a, better world.

That's what we should be doing- - kvhat all civilised peoples should ho loing. Working together—not snaring at one another like angry dog>. I'm not criticising your Govern--nent. That would be impertinent. The way you're ruled is your own iff air. And it's obvious that in so nany ways the Nazi regime has done *re«t things for Germany. We're not concerned with Govern, ncnts to-night. Except in one way. kVhcn_ that's to say, they set ordiniry folk at one another's throats. WE COULD SETTLE IT. During th e last war one of our oldiers wrote from the front and aid: It's vile that all my time should >e devoted to killing Germans whom don't in th e least want to kill, if 11 Germany could be united in one nan and he and I could be shut up ogether just to chat things out. we ould settle the war, I feel, in less ne hour." And that's Avhat we feel to-day. If the ordinary people of Great >ritain and Germany could sit down I nst as you and I are sitting down ogether now, we could settle oiu roblems simoly enough. We've made both of in -stupid mistakes. Well., let's face uy 3 them and put them right. What's stopping us, then? Systemf political thought. But why should ie ideas of a handful of men sepur. te millions of ordinary people? Ag I say, I've flown over Eu- r opc iany times. And flying gives you ew perspectives. You look and everywhere 3u see little homestepds, with I'Ulo aople busy in their i the fields, on thjir war to work Whether you're England oranee or Germany it'- just the sameople going peacefully about their vn aifairs.

From the air there ar e no fron_ tiers. Just human beings. That's a!U IVe called you my friends. But you're more than that. Brothers and sisters, under the same sky. warmed by the same sun, part of the same plan in the same mysterious universe I DON'T DESPAIR Lust year at this time I watched the first signs of spring coming in tlu woods round Berlin. Perhaps you Tre watching them now in the same svoods. while I see the hedgerows! turning green in my own country. Signs of hope and rebirth. And we share them, you and as we share all the fundamental things of life. That's why we should talk together. That's win' our hand is out-! stretched to you. Ah! If only it could; be made possible for you to taJte it before it is too late! But I don't despair, I believe that common humanity will pull us through. I believe that bcca-use you and I and m'llions of others like us feel so deeply th e utter futility of' iyaT " —because we feel it, reason must prevail. Well,, time's ur> and I leave! your kindly fireside and return to uy own home and my own children. But remember —if we've made fri_ mds to-night those children of mine wi'l be working shoulder to shoulder with your children to build a better ■vorkl for all. : But if we're stil] separated by need less mistrust and fears, then they may destroy one another. D'd we bring them into the world for that? I know what your answer must be. So in God's name—and in our Varts v/-. ?till believe, I know, in, the same God—in His name, thereeoro jet us meet again. And soonTill then our friendship to you, nd auf wiedorsehen.