GERMANY’S HOME FRONT.

Evening Star, Issue 23374, 18 September 1939, Page 8

GERMANY’S HOME FRONT.

Hope is felt throughout the Empire that there will be sufficient internal trouble in Germany to break the Nazi tyranny. It would not be wise to trust to such a development. In time of wains a rule patriotism is aroused, the call of country prevails, arid even acute domestic differences are for the time forgotten. So the British Empire, secure in the integrity of its purpose, must be prepared, with courage and determination, to face a long war and make heavy sacrifices. Yet the conditions in Germany and Austria are abnormal under tho iron heel of Nazism, and there must be considerable sections of the people in both countries who regard the present war with abhorrence, knowing tho terrible loss of life and the suffering that must follow. A report comes from London of a broadcast throughout Germany by a woman announcer, who, speaking in tho name of the “ German freedom army.” from a secret station, denounced Hitler and all his works. Such a statement, for obvious reasons, must be accepted with the greatest reserve. At the same time, the Berlin correspondent of one of the leading journals in Now York suggests that there is real danger of mutiny among the German people, and that machinery has been ready inside the Nazi party for two years to take over the home front against treachery and defeatism. Again, too much must not be read into this message, for Nazi organisation is as thorough as it is unscrupulous, and many visitors to Germany have been impressed by the apparent devotion of the people to Hitler. ' Among tho flood of books made available dealing with Nazi Germany one that lias been widely read is ‘ Germany’s War Chances,’ written by Dr Ivan Lajos, assistant professor of constitutional law at the Elizabeth University, Pecs, Hungary. So eagerly was this work read, and so embarrassing was it to tho Hungarian Government, which desired to remain. friendly with Berlin, that tho book was suppressed, and it was announced that criminal proceedings were to bo instituted against the author on the ground that the book disseminated false information detrimental to Hungary’s foreign policy. The main conclusions of the writer were that Hitler had unfriendly designs against Hungary, and that Nazi Germany’s chances of winning a war were poor. The German people, under the present regime, have suffered great privations as a result of the “ guns before butter policy,” and these will be intensified by war conditions. The Nazis foresaw that one result might be internal troubles, and elaborate preparations were made to deal with such a development. Dr Lajos quotes a speech made by the chief of the Gestapo (secret police), Himmler, in September of 1937 to German officers, in which he explained the precautions which the Nazi Government was planning for protection against an outbreak at home in time of war. He explained that this was all the more necessary because “ in the war of the future there will not' only be tho fronts of the armies on-land and of the navies at sea and of the air forces in the air, but there will be a fourth theatre of war inside Germany.” The Communists and all the untrustworthy elements must, from the outbreak of war, be made harmless in order to immunise the German people against every infection, because “ wo must realise that any war in which we neglected this internal theatre of operations would end in defeat.” Himmler’s whole plan is based on police measures. But in high quarters in Germany that idea does not meet with entire support as likely to settle the whole question. The leaders are impressed with the statement that the people’s will to fight will be the most sensitive front in the struggle. “ Mon can be butchered, but not made to fight.” So Nazi propaganda for home consumption takes the lino that war must be made to appear as a necessary evil, to be put aside at tho first opportunity. The idea of defence must take precedence over the idea of aggression. Thus dangers of internal disintegration will be met in two ways. The Gestapo will pursue its ruthless methods and efforts will be made to make the people believe that the Fatherland is in peril as a result of aggression from outside. It must be remembered that the mass of the German people have been kept in ignorance of the sequence of events that Jed to tho outbreak of war, and no doubt many of them believe that the country is engaged in a defensive struggle.

At the monthly meeting of the Hillside branch of the A.S.E.S., the following resolution was carried;—“That we request the Government to ignore the representations of reactionary individuals and organisations to abolish the 40-hour week, and that we have only contempt for those who would use the war situation as a means of filching from the workers those conditions that they now enjoy.”

The building of the Exhibition is now almost complete, apart from interior finishings. The whole enterprise has been one of magnitude greater than any over witnessed in New Zealand before. the course of the erection of the main exhibit blocks several building performances were put up, which arc likely to be unrivalled for some years. One was the erection of the frame-work of the buildings. This started on August 8, 1938, and was completed by December 19 of the same year, ft involved the erection o'f 1,500 supporting columns and 1,200 trusses. This construction was completed in 83 working days and- the contractors rewarded their workmen with new hats for a Christmas present in recognition of their loyal co-operation.

More than 100 miles of electric cable have been used for the wiring of the interior of the Inhibition building. The wiring presented several difficult problems, and every typo of cable has been used, including some specially made for the distribution of the huge electric load. The peak load for the Exhibition lighting will be 5,000 kilowatts, which is equal to 6,250 horsepower. An outstanding feature of the interior lighting is the illumination of the main foyer in the tower block, where an atmosphere of rich colour has been obtained to lit in with the striking architecture of this section of the buildings.

Summer time will begin on Sunday next, at 2 a.m., when clocks throughout New Zealand will bo put forward 30 minutes. On April 28, 1940, summer time will end, and clocks will be put back half an hour.

Equivalent to England’s first swallow heralding the advent of warmer weather in place of winter’s bitterness might bo Dunedin’s first surf bathers. Yesterday morning these local “ swallows ” appeared on the beach at St. Kilda, disporting themselves gaily in the balmy air. For a time it appeared as if the. bathing costumes which were flaunted so bravely were adorned only for show, but at least one or two of the wearers were determined to do “ their stuff.” Into the surf they plunged, and took a header. As they came to the surface the chatter of teeth could be heard a mile away, and the bathers made lightning moves back to the sand, where furious exercise restored warmth to frozen limbs. But the ice had been broken (almost literally), and the bathing season commenced. It will not be long before that one-second dip becomes a worthwhile “ splash in the briny.”

Advice lias 1)0011 received by a local firm that it is not intended to bring whitebait' under the general licensing plan for the fishing industry as far as production is concerned. It will be included in so far as it is sold wholesale by the merchants and retail by the fishmongers, but this will not take place this season. Next season the general plan for the whole industry will be operating, and under this whitebait will come into the scope of the arrangements for distribution by wholesalers and resellers. Canning firms will therefore not be affected to any great extent. The second of Wellington’s blackouts on one day, occurring some minutes before “Time, go’ni’n, please,” caught many thirsts, temporary and incurable, in process of attention. In one bar, where the 12oz handles, still a novelty, were being tried out thoroughly to see if they were drink worthy, an impasse almost European in its implications was caused. An untrusting toper warned the bar against being served with the old lOoz handles in the dark, and some difficulty was experienced by the barmen in changing the larger coins and notes. The 12oz handles are slimmer, taller, and rather more graceful than the others, but the beer tastes the same. The secret of the extra capacity is in the bottom, which, from the bar’seye view, is very much more shallow, and easily checked up on in darkness. Several candles from the emergency supply, propped on the bars, restored a measure of freedom to drinking. Unfortunately the clock was not electrically driven. A fire at Takaka early this morning completely destroyed Mr W. Bourne’s shop and living premises and damaged the roof and interior of the two-storied concrete building of the Bank of New Zealand. The local brigade made a good save. The shop was owned by Mrs W. .Johnston. The insurances were £2OO. —Nelson Press Association.

The police have in their possession two rugs and one overcoat which they consider may have been taken from motor cars, and desire to trace the owner or owners.

Probably over £60.000 is involved in the building of the new ilect of traincars which are to help cope with the increased traffic expected during centennial year in Wellington, and specially for the exhibition period (says the * Dominion ’). There is no mistaking the popularity of the new cars already in use, so clean and bright in their scarlet and cream, and so neatly streamlined as to remove all trace of structural heaviness from their build. Some people make a point of waiting for these particular cars on account of their easy riding and bodily comfort. The tramway conductors, however, have not been impressed with the new model. They aver that, lacking breaks in the centre, these cars take longer to load and unload at busy junctions. Actually there is very litt’.e difference in the time these cars talke to load as compared with the old combination cars; but there is no comparison in the comfort they offer the public.

People with the jitters are fearful of the German submarine menace and the neutrality of the United States that debars (for the present at least) the provision of aeroplanes for Britain (says tho ‘ Auckland Star ’). About 10 years ago Earl Jellicoe revealed in a speech at Belfast how quick wits can leap over a cold decree. While commanding the Grand Fleet Lord Jellicoe shepherded tho liner Olympic into Lough Swilly (Ireland) following.'the torpedoeing of the Audacious near the lough. On board the liner was Charles Schwab, head of the Bethlcm Steel Works in the United States. He sought out Lord Jellicoe and said he wanted to make a trip to London to see Lord Kitchener concerning munitions. Lord Jellicoo urged him to see Lord Fisher, too, regarding Navy requirements. The upshot was that Fisher asked Schwab to make as many submarines as he could, and the latter undertook to do so in five months. America vetoed the scheme on account of the neutrality law, but Schwab purchased the Vickers works at Montreal (Canada), manufactured the submarines in the United States, and sent tho parts Jo Montreal as motor cars. There they were assembled arid delivered in the five mouths. His German name led to his arrest later in Belfast, but a telegraph message to London soon saw Charles Schwab free.

Three sons of a ratutahi farmer are working day and night over three shifts of eight hours in an endeavour to complete the preparations of land for the sowing of spring crops in case they are called for military service, states a Gisborne correspondent. They aro working their tractor on three shifts, and the machine has been going continuously, stopping only while the diver rests for a meal and for the refuelling of the machine. The three young men are Messrs Nelson, liuia, and Pat Cooper, who aro working on a farm controlled by their father, Mr Charles Cooper, for Carroll and Cooper. There is a fairly large area to sow in wheat, barley, maize, and pumpkins, and they arc making every clfort to have the whole of the laud turned over and ready for planting as soon as possible. They are not strangers to night work, for they did a considerable amount of it last year when a wet winter delayed tilling operations until, it was so late that a special effort had to' bo made to have the work done before planting time came round. The tractor is htted with suitable lighting to enable night work to be carried out.

The number of aliens registered at the Police Court at Dunedin since the Alien Control Emergency Regulations wore issued on September 4 exceeds 250. the nationals including Germans, Italians, Austrians, Yugoslavs, Russians, Greeks, Poles, and Chinese, the majority being Chinese. Inspector G. E, Roach is the registration officer for the Dunedin district, and is in' charge of that department, where the work has proceeded most satisfactorily. Today is the last day upon which applications for registration will be received from those aliens who were already resident in the district when the regulations came into force. Referring to the flying of the flag on the Town Hall this morning the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) said it would be flown daily as a token of loyalty to the King and the Empire. It would also be a reminder, he added, of the liberty and privileges which we enjoyed, and under its protection we could daily express our determination to do our utmost in defence of those privileges and the smaller nations of the world. The war commandeer of wool will have no effect on the work of the Sheep Farming Commission, according to the chairman (Sir Francis Frazer). “ The marketing of wool is only one of the many things this commission has to investigate,” ho said. Asked whether the commission’s work would bo affected by the possibility of the extension to New eZaland of the British Governmerit’s plan to take over the Australian wool clip, ho said the commission’s inquiry would continue. “ This commissionhas to have a long-range policy because the war will not last for ever, said Sir Francis Frazer. —Wanganui Press Association. A justifiable false alarm , sent , two machines fx‘om the City Fire Brigade to the State Theatre shortly before 12.30 this afternoon. During the week-end there were several calls, non© of a serious nature. On Saturday evening a defective hearth was the cause of a fire at a shop and dwelling at 834 King street. Damage was negligible. A malicious false alarm from the box at the corner of High and Grant streets was responsible for a machine turning out at one minute past midnight yesterday. At 9.30 a.m. there was a chimney fire in Scotland street. Shortly after '5 o’clock yesterday afternoon the Green Island machine turned out to a chimney fire along the Main South road. An outbreak of the same type in Calder street last evening was attended to by the South Dunedin machine. The milkman’s horse is the villain of a nightly drama at Devonport (reports the ‘Auckland Star’). He contravenes the borough regulations applying to vehicles on the footpath, and in his devil-may-care defiance of authority he commits depredations on public property—the ornamental shrubs on thoroughfares at {Stanley Bay. The law is, however, on tho track of the miscreant, and has noted tho evidence of spragged wheels dragged on the greensward, and tho torn and chewed twigs of the aforesaid shrubs, to say nothing of the testimony of outraged householders awakened from slumber by the noiso _of jostled milk cans, as tho equine marauder hails the dawn by a tasty snack of arboriculture. At the meeting of the local council last evening it was decided to put Nemesis on the track of the prowler. Testimony by an eyewitness of tho unlawful trespass of tho horse in question was solemnly narrated in open council, and in order to protect the public welfare the council decided to institute a prosecution—not against the horse, but against the purveyor of lacteal nourishment, who may be called upon either to muzzle tho quadruped, or to tie him to tho nearest telegraph pole. The shrubs meantime put forth the succulent green nibbles of spring. By advertisement in tin's issue the Post and Telegraph Department announces that September 25 is the closing date for new or amended entries in the next issue of the telephone directory (November, 1939, edition). Attention is drawn to an advertisement in (his issue of the annual meeting of the astronomical branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand, to ho held to-morrow night at the Museum. Two short addresses will be delivered— 1 The. Sidereal Clock,’ by Mr E. C>. M'George,’ and ‘ The World’s Greatest Eye,’ by Mr W. D. Anderson. The meeting is open to all interested. The Dunedin Burns Club will bold its monthly concert in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Wednesday night.