“WE NEED HELP’

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 450, 4 September 1928, Page 1

“WE NEED HELP’

GERMANY’S FOREIGN TRADE VISITING CONSUL’S REVIEW “Aided by the willingness of her people to live cheaply and work hard, Germany is making a great effort to bring her overseas trade up to the pre-war level and thus put herself in a position to meet her obligations,” says Dr. H. R. Hemmen. a member of the German Foreign Office, who arrived from Sydney by the Ulimaroa this morning. y)R. HEMMEN has been acting-Con-sul-General in Melbourne for the past eight months, and, accompanied by his wife, he is about to begin a. short holiday tour of the North Island. “We enjoyed our stay in Australia.” he told a Sun representative. “We found it a really ‘sunny’ country—sunny in every way. Having heard so much of New Zealand we felt that we cojild not leave these parts without paying .a visit. From here we shall continue on to South America, where I shall join the Embassy. COMMERCIAL RELATIONS Speaking of the work of the German Consulate in Australia, Dr. Hemmen said that the Foreign Office of his country was trying its very best to rebuild R&e commercial relations existing between Australia and Germany, and New Zealand and Germany, before the Great War. As statistics showed, German trade was developing very well In the Commonwealth, and, in return. Germany was ' doing an immense amount of buying of Australian wool and other products. , “As a matter of fact,” he continued, “the balance of trade with Germany is favourable to New Zealand and Australia. Many people are unaware of this and think we are taking more money than we give out BALANCE OF TRADE “We do not want to sell only; we want to buy, but when we buy we want to pay in goods. In Australia we are selling about two-thirds of the value of our purchases. “It is the task of men such as myself to endeavour always to improve and develop foreign economic relations with Germany. Germany is badly in need of trade, as trade offers the nly channel through which she can fulfil her obligations. “We want to set our minds to work and forget the past. All natione must help and they can help best by buving our goods.” Thanks to the Dawes Plan, said Dr. Hemmen, Germany was getting her footing, and since that scheme had come into operation, America and England had done their very best to help. There was a decided improvement in conditions in Germany, although, of course, the standard of living was a low one. CONDITIONS IN GERMANY “Every year two and a-half milliards of marks cross Germany’s frontiers in payment of her debts,” he continued. “These are contributed by 60,000.000 people, and only hard work and a restricted standard of living can accomplish this. “I feel sure that Germany will pull through, but the fulfilment of her obligations of honour depends largely upon the health of her trade relations. Please make it clear to the people of New Zealand that we want t odevelop our trade so that we can pay our debts. It is'surely time that old prejudices were forgotten and that the cry, ‘Don’t buy German goods.’ should cease. THE KELLOGG TREATY “There is no doubt that the Kellogar Treaty will be a powerful influence in binding closer together the peoples of all nations. I am convinced that the various Cabinets are set for peace, but the ideals of the treaty should do away with bad feeling among the people and lead public opinion along safe and amicable lines.”