GTON VISITOR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1938, Page 5

GTON VISITOR

<T SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN. i JDRESS AT ROTARY CLUB. An interesting survey of conditions in Germany was given at yesterday’s luncheon of the Masterton Rotary Club by Mr J. Hott, of Wellington, one of a party of twelve members of the Wellington Rotary Club who visited Masterton yesterday. After referring to different countries he had visited and mentioning in passing the work that had been done by the Suva Rotary Club for Makogai lepers, Mr Hott proceeded to give a review of his impressions of Europe, especially of life in the totalitarian states. He prefaced his remarks with a statement that everybody must deplore the terrible happenings in Germany as far as the Jews were concerned. Apart from that, all the countries of the world had much to learn from the successes and failures of the autocratic governments and these totalitarian states. Mr Hott said the cleanliness of Germany, its intense cultivation and the excellent physical condition of the people greatly impressed him. Every piece of available land was being cultivated and put down in crops, because it was the wish of the German people to become self-sufficient. Passing on to refer to the training of the nation, Mr Llott said that all, regardless of age, could be drafted for emergency service. All able-bodied young men were conscripted for military service. Boys were enlisted in the Hitler Youth Movement and trained for their duties. When nearing 20 years of age, they went to labour.’ camps and thus became acquainted with physical labour, a step that also helped to remove class differences. Girls were liable to serve for a year in households or in training schools. All belonged to the anti-air raid organisation, in -which they drilled and took regular courses. “When one contrasts these things with what is being done in the Motherland one feels that the totalitarian States are far more prepared than ourselves,” Mr Hott said. STATE DOWRIES. The granting of State dowries for the purpose of increasing population and replacing women with men in industry was also commented on by Mr llott, who said that every girl leaving a job upon getting married could claim the dowry, which was payable partly in cash and partly in notes. State dowries had raised the births from 971,000 in 1933 to 1,275,000 in 1937, although before the war it was 1,800,000. One million women, as the result of these dowries, had given up work to become housewives. The loan was reduced on the birth of the first child and wiped out on the birth of four children in ten years. There was a heavy tax on bachelors. On a £250 income a bachelor paid £47, a married man £36; on £BOO a bachelor paid £l6O, a married man £lOO, and a married man with five children paid nothing. Those with an income of less than £640 received a bonus of 16s per month for three children and 30s a month for the fourth ARTIFICIA 1 VOOL. Mr Hott said New Zealand should look seriously at the artificial wool question, and devote more time to wool research and propaganda for the sake of her great wool industry. Artificial wool was being extensively used in Germanj' and Italy, he said, and while he did not think it would displace real wool he did think that it would have an effect on the price. All metal was collected and such articles as toothpaste tubes were used again. Housewives had to keep separate dustbins, one for potato peelings, etc., which were collected by the State and fed to pigs, leaving (he land free to grow vegetables. All newspapers were collected by official agents and used for packing paper. A wonderful synthetic glass known as protax was being manufactured and all cloth materials contained 25 per cent of artificial fibre, made from beech wood. The suits made from this material were excellent. In one factory alone forty research chemists were at work. The whole scheme was a plan for self-sufficiency to avoid the results of a possible future blockade. Although there was no unemployment —many people were working ten hours daily—Germany was not prosperous. The average worker’s wage in 1937 was 36.10 marks weekly? of which the State took 4.90 marks. Bread was twice as dear as it was in England and fat cards were issued for lib butter and lib lard Education was absolutely centralised, said Mr Hott. The system planned to restore confidence by giving a conviction of superiority over others through bodily strength -nd skill The point was stressed that a citizen could only serve by being capable of service, thus there was a strict training of the boy. Describing the Motherland as ’ rhe greatest country of all, Mr Hott spoke of her wonderful example during the recent crisis, but raid a great deal of defence work remained to be done- If 'he democracies wanted to hold their rights there must be a greater call for self-sacrifice on the part of the people. The president of the Masterton Club, Mr H. H. Daniell, who proposed a vote cf thanks to Mr llott, said it was interesting to hear a first-hand view from representative people such as Mr Hott. In New Zealand they were inclined to become insular and prejudiced about other parts of the world, but that was largely due to their own ignorance After a welcome had been extended to the visitors, Mr Campbell Spratt, president of the Wellington Ciub said 'here wa' a very close link between •he two clubs, but if it w°re possible be would like it to be drawn even closer. They had greatly appreciated the warmth of the welcome and always looked forward to paying their annual visit to Masterton.