MILITANT EUROPE

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 120, 9 December 1938, Page 4

MILITANT EUROPE

(i Eli MAN EX-SEEVICEMEN '■ ■ ' HATRED TOWARDS FRANCE YOUNG MEN INDIFFERENT WOULD FIGHT ANYBODY “The German ex-servicemen have a groat admiration for Britain and said that they had no inclination to light the English, but that they, would bo prepared to fight the French.; the young men of the country, would fight anybody, as they have been ,taught that Germany is, the master of Europe,” said Mr. S. Tait, Whatatutii, in an interview with a- Herald representative. \

Mr. ‘Tait returned to Gisborne recently after six months’ tour of Europe, and that was the impression lie had gained liter talking to several during Iris visit to Germany. The boys and girls in Germany did not play on tlie streets as, they did in New Zealand. The boys would be seen drilling, or marching down the streets, with daggers at their hips, under the direction of a young corporal or other non-commissioned officer. They were trained almost as soon as they could .walk.

“Their intense hatred 1 for the. French seen)ed -to he behind it rill,” said Mr. Tait when referring to the situation in Germany, towards the end of August. On the siirfaeo the Gorman peopie' were charming, hut under that v.oneei it was plainly evident that they had a dread of Herr Hitler and a fear of being sent to a concentration camp if they spoke out of turn in. the hearing of any of the agents of the Fuehrer.. They, would not say a word until they were sure they knew where a stranger was from and his business, lest lie be a Nazi agent. „•

Newspapers Confiscated on Border. .Mr. Tait’s introduction to Germany was a.peculiar sensation, for on entering German waters or stepping across the border into German territory all foreign newspapers were confiscated.

Thu living conditions of the German race, he thought, were' superior to those of any other country in Europe. There seemed to be a plentiful supply of food, jet lie noticed that meat seldom was included on the menu at restaurants and hotels. The bulk, of the money in the country seemed to lie being expended mi the building up of large cities, and oil munitions. While travelling from Berlin to Dresden Mr. Tait was surprised to note that all the general farm work was being carried out by women, and be did not see one man in the fields. Cows were used extensively to draw ploughs and other farm equipment, and dogs were used to some extent

for lighter work in. harness, it . was probable, however, that the men at that time! were all engaged hi the extensive manoeuvres on the French and Belgian borders. There was abundant evidence of the extent of the exercises, the ground being disturbed for the construction of dugouts, and barbed-wire entanglements also being in position.

Factories Work Night and Day. Smoke belched night and day from the smoke-stacks of the giant iron works, especially in the area bordering on the Rhine and Dresden. It was impossible to seif further tlian a mile, and all planes were forced a> fly low if they wished to check up on their, ground positions. Twelve miles from Berlin there was a huge forest, thousands of acres in extent, in which were situated numerous camouflaged iron works. So well were they concealed that it was difficult to distinguish the buildings from the forest background. In .in outer circle there was a balloon barrage, and further out still were emergency landing grounds lor aeroplanes.

What else the forest concealed he did not know, but the balloons appeared to be similar to the blimps known to England, with steel-wire hawsers to connect them to the ground and would prove a difficult problem for enemy planes wishing to get to the heart of tliej forest.

Activity in Other Countries. Leaving Germany, Mr. Tait Dwelled down' the Elbe River to Prague, where lie arrived (luring tlie first week in September. He likened the Czechs to the Swiss in physique and thought that they were a splendid; race of people. Conditions \vere similar in Czechoslovakia to those in Germany, and yet lie noticed that people seemed to he walking about constantly at night apparently afraid of air raids.

On his visit to Vienna lie was aware of . great military activity, there being troops on the move in the streets all night. To ere was extensive reconstruction work being carried out to the roads. The position was the same in Venice so far as the activity was concerned, and as soon as the Italian border was crossed troops entered the train and guarded the passengers so that they were unable to make any observations concerning tin* military and defences of Venice.

From Italy hlr. Tait returned to Kin gland, by way of Switzerland, Luxemburg, and Brussels. On his journey frovn New Zealand to England he had crossed America and had gained some interesting impressions of that country, his main one being the artiiicial appearance of the cities with skyscrapers that were built for show and were now little more than hall occupied with office suites.