Dictators and Truth

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 80, 28 December 1937, Page 3

Dictators and Truth

H, R.

FRENCH.

Sir — In trying to give a little of the background of international happenings to the increasing number in our province who are showing an interest in world affairs, a student cannot help being struck with the foolishness of some of the main actors on the stage. A few days ago I told a little of the crimes of Gcrman pre-war colonial administrators who were tried and condemned by German Courts of competent jurisdiction. The blaekest in that role of villany was Dr. Karl Peters. Now Herr Hitler is ordering the wiping out of all that record, probably because he finds it inconvenient in his demand for the restoration of colonial stakes Germany lost in the war gamble 1914-18. How can he lather Dr. Karl Peters and his ilk with wliitewash without impugning the judicial processes of his own land, which declared the charges of cruelty. Tapuie, theft and murder were true? 'Dictators may temporarjly throw dust into the eyes of those over whom they rule, but is there any other woTd than "foolishness" that is applicable to this dragging out of condemned criminals and entwining laurel wreatha on their browst as an indication to British people to place their like in control of native peoples again! General Goebbels stated that never would Herr Hitler declare that General von Schleicher and his wife were unjustifiiably slain in his bloody purge of June 30, 1934. Within seven days of that statement Herr Hitler was forced to make that declaration, for over two huudred German generals a$sembled and politely requested. that it should be publicly told that no charge of dishonour could ever have been sustained against the dead general or his wife. Even though it was equivalent to saying General von Schleicher was murdered withouti trial and without reason, Hitler was not powerful enough to escape the demand of his soldiers to bear his witness to truth and justice; so he made the required confession. He was thus forced to say he could not make white black. If his subjects could extract that avowal from him, a*re Britishers likely to swallow this new attempt of his to make black white? Apparently he thinks Britilhers are

more gullible than are his own generals. Another of his fpolish acts has coma to naught. The persecution of the Catholic and Protestant Churches is to end. Why did it ever begin? One thing that foolishness did accomplish was to prove that tho spirit of the church folk was as full of vigour and powe'r as the spirit of the generals. The foolishness of the persecution of the Jews still continues. Dr. Schacht knows something of the hurt that persecution has done to Germany 's foreign trade. In New York City alone, the great stores at onee withdrew their buyers from Germany. The hurt would be more if Britishers knew the full story of that attempt to malign a Tace that had established its intellectual superiority in many departments of German life. Einstein, driven out as an outcast, asked if it were not true that the Jews do not excel in hunting or in kindred hurtful sports? This should be repeated to Britishers. When the American Ambassador James Gerard, was working hard to obtain decent treatment for British war prisoners, he records that in German hospitals where British wounded soldiers were treated as they should be, in practically every case it was due to the presence of Jewish doctors! The conditions of some war prisoners' camps were bad, but never did they descend to the depths of the Dachav concentration camp. Not before tinie a British M.P., Mr. Fletcher, has spoken plain words against the uso of the Press by Mussolini. He speaks of the attacks personally made or unchecked by MuSsolinL, dirWted principally against Great Britain. Seldest in his book, gives a list of the suppression of news ordered by the Italian Government. Since then the Manchester Guardian has reprinted instructions issued to the Italian Press during the months January to May of this year. Because such instructions were previously reprinted, it was sought for scme time to give them by word of mouth. Now only the more "delicate" are so given. Let us select one for each month of the "non delicate" directions. "January 16: Give no news •of tho bombardments of inhabited ceutrcs by the Spanish 'Nationalists,' and abovo all deny that it is done by Italian or German aviators." "FebruaTy 20: Begin and continue a strong cnmpaign against Czechoslovakia. Keep absolute silence cn the date fixed for ending the dispatch of volunteers to Spain." "March 31: Treat Jugo-Slavia a3 though sho had already left the Little Entente." " April 18: Go carefully about the conflict between the ^atican and Germany and stay neutral. In any case incline to the side of Germany, but without ever reproducing news about the trials of priests accused of immorality. " "May 10: Stress any unfortunate jncident that may happen during the (British) Coronation celebrations. ' ' As an extra, read this instruction of Februarv 26: "Insist on the eventuality of Eden's leaving the Foreign Office. Have sent from London news of Eden's dismissal." Mr. Mussolini is not yet in charge of our Empire. It is time to study the cupabilities and charms of the dictators 1 who deride tho League of Nations, and try to make Truth a lying jade; especially as tlie British are the people they hope to fool the most. — Yours, etc.,

Hastings^ Dec. 27, 1937*