WORLD CRISIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1938, Page 7

WORLD CRISIS

MR R. H. NIMMO’S SURVEY IMPRESSIONS ON EXTENDED TOUR. MR CHAMBERLAIN’S EFFORTS ADMIRED. Confidence that the bulk of American opinion was strongly behind Britain in her struggle to maintain the peace of the world with honour, was expressed by Mr R. H. Nimmo, of Wellington, when he was interviewed by a “TimesAge” reporter yesterday. Mr Nimmo lately returned from an extended visit to Europe. While the crisis existed in Europe, American interest was intense, Mr Nimmo observed, and he was pleased to say that the response to Mr Chamberlain’s action in visiting Herr Hitler was really splendid. In the first phase of the crists, the American Press scarcely reflected that view. Indeed, some of the papers considered that Mr Chamberlain had sold Czechoslovakia in return for peace; but as the facts of the position became known that tone was changed to one of admiration for the British statesman and the courageous and dignified attitude he had taken in the face of the threat of what might easily have been a world war.

“I would like to say after my visit to Germany,” said Mr. Nimmo, “that the people of Germany have definitely an abhorrence of war and if they had any means of expressing themselves that would be made plain. ,On my way home I was given the opportunity in the United State of broadcasting on a national hook-up on more than one occasion. Having just returned from Germany and England, I am able to speak with knowledge of affairs on the other side of the Atlantic and in my talks over the. air were chiefly based on the vital importance of an understanding and co-operation between the democracies of the world as opposed to the totalitarian States where dictatorship ruled.” While in Germany, Mr Nimmo was made the guest of the Government and did his best to interest the authorities in the New Zealand centennial. He was given the.. freedom of Hamburg, where courtesies were extended to him by Baron von Rackett on behalf of the German Government. Thereafter, he was placed in the hands of Baron von Guyer, one of the lieutenants of Herr von Ribbentrop, under whose guidance he saw much of interest in Germany. He was asked about the activities in which he took particular interest and said that he had been associated with youth activities for many years. This resulted in his being taken to one of the big youth training camps.

GERMAN YOUTH MOVEMENT.

‘‘The youth movement in Gerrpany is the finest work I have ever seen—from a material standpoint,” said Mr Nimmo. “Its weakness, if I might put it, is that it is wholly material. It has no spirit- ' ual- side. The German Government has cut out the Y.M.C.A., the Rotary movement, the Masonic Lodge —anything that savours of spirituality or religion. It is a movement conducted with cold efficiency in a very wonderful manner. But the note of spiritual inspiration is lacking and that, I am convinced, is the rock on which these totalitarian States will ultimately be wrecked. Man cannot live on bread alone. Something of the spirit is essential to his make-up and that is what the democracies must hold on to. I had the privilege of delivering several addresses in Honolulu as well as in the United States and* always made that point. I consider it a paramount truth. In other countries apart from Germany, Mr Nimmo strove to forward the interests of the Centennial Exhibition and never missed an opportunity of mentioning it when occasion served. He visited the British Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, and took careful note of those things which he thought might be helpful in the conduct of the New Zealand Exhibition.