EUROPE’S PULSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 November 1939, Page 7

EUROPE’S PULSE

TOUR BEFORE THE WAR LIFE IN GERMANY. MR R. R. BURRIDGE'S IMPRESSIONS. Impressions of life in Germany and references to the atmosphere of Italy, France and Britain, in the period before the outbreak of hostilities were given yesterday to a “Times-Age" representative by Mr R. R. Burridge. of Masterton. who. with Mrs Burridge. has just returned from a tour of Europe and the British Isles. Mr Burridge said he felt rather humiliated by the way in which he and others were treated on arrival at the German border, .when proceeding from Lucerne, in Switzerland, to Heidelberg in Germany. The railway station at the border was alive wit,h men in all types of uniforms. The carriage doors were locked, customs and passport officials and police came through the carriages and satisfied themselves that no goods were being taken into Germany permanently. The passengers were then ordered to leave the train and proceed into one of the station buildings. A number of armed and uniformed men herded the people into the building, where they had to produce from their pockets the moneys of all countries in their possession. This was checked with the entries on the declaration forms to see that the amounts tallied, the object being to prevent anyone taking out of the country any more than was brought in. While they were in the station, the luggage in the carriages was examined. The train then moved further along the platform and the passengers were escorted to the carriages again. It was rather humiliating to be herded like so many sheep before people who apparently were not conversant with their jobs, and in the presence of many other people on the platform. INTENSIVE CULTIVATION. I "I was much surprised," said Mr Burridge, “to see in those parts of Germany which I traversed, that the people were well clothed, and well nourished, and that man. woman and child were bright and happy. Passing through the country by motor and train, it was seen that the whole countryside was a hive of industry. Intensive cultivation was apparent everywhere, and there appeared to be not an inch of land wasted. Even those fields which were not in cultivation had huge crops of troops, and there were aeroplanes and aerodromes everywhere. At the time of my visit the towns and cities of Germany were still gay at night, the shops were stocked to the utmost with goods of every description, all attractively set out and illuminated. The beer gardens and their orchestras were in full swing, the restaurants were well patronised, and the cabarets and places of entertainments were packed with people.” MILITARY TRAINING. It was interesting to learn that all children rich and poor alike, became members of the "land army,” at the age of 16 years, Mr Burridge continued, serving in that force with garden tools, and wearing military uniforms. They carried their shovels on their shoulders in the same manner as soldiers carried their rifles. They served for six months in the land army without pay, and then for 21 years they had to give compulsory service in the army —three years’ compulsory service altogether. The significance of it all was that rich and poor alike had to do menial work. While passing along the Rhine, Mr Burridge said he passed three Nazi pleasure steamers, accommodating upwards of 1000 people. Under the Nazi regime, workers contributed something like 6d a week, which was deducted from their pay, and every year they were entitled to a holiday cruise free of charge. They were very gay ships to pass, bedecked with flags and with the excursionists singing loudly. PEOPLE PROUD OF HITLER. “One had to be very tactful and usually had to refer to Hitler as Mr Smith as a safeguard," said Mr Burridge. "The Gestapo is so interwoven with their life that a sister, if she spoke about Hitler, did not know that her brother would not give her away. No one knows who might report them. Generally speaking, the people are proud of Hitler, and cannot speak highly enough of what he has done for the lot of the people of Germany as a whole. They think he is a wonderful man. Whether it was by design or otherwise, at several hotels we sat in the dining room facing enlarged photographs of Hitler. His photographs are displayed everywhere. When we entered Germany we did not expect to see British newspapers, but they were procurable throughout the country at every railway bookstall, and hotel restaurants and were actually sold to us by Germans in hotel dining rooms. We proceeded through Germany without let or hindrance. No one showed any feeling that we were not wanted. We had been warned by tourist agencies that it was necessary to be particularly careful as to what we said or did." WONDERFUL RAILWAYS.

“The railways are wonderful and most up-to-date." Mr Burridge continued. "We saw nothing broken down in all the miles we travelled. I travelled in company with a railway man from Australia, who could not help commenting on the high class of the rolling stock, and its quality and durability. even to the enormous proportions of the electrical engines. We experienced no shortage whatever of food and saw nothing of rationing. In the cities and towns troops were on the march from 5 a.m. and at all hours. T was very noticeable that almost every male from 50 years down to children o:' 12 was in uniform. At a hotel in Cologne we were pestered with German:’ —men, women and children —presenting tin collection boxes, and asking for money. This occurred no less than five times during the course of one breakfast, and I was approached several times the same day while reading a newspaper in a restaurant, and again every few yards along the streets. I was told that the money was to be sent to poor Germans in foreign lands, but sources of information other than German indicated that the money was being collected for munitions. TWO FACTIONS IN ITALY. Referring to Italy. Mr Burridge said the same intensive cultivation was to be seen there. “Reliable, intelligent informants." he went on t osatte. “bein formants." he went on to state. ”belet us know that there are two laclions in Italy, the followers of the

King, and the supporters of Mussolini. The King's followers have the utmost admiration for Mr Chamberlain, and dislike of Hitler. They said quite definitely that if Italy went to war on the side of Germany there would be a revolution in Italy within two months. The cause of very much discontent in Italy was because the country was becoming saturated with German male and female labour, which is more or less paid by Germany. These people are no good to trade, as they have no money to spend, and in addition are serving the cause of peaceful German penetration. Some Italians hold the view that Britain should not be allowed to hinder the programme of Germany or Italy.” BRITAIN AND FRANCE. Passing on to refer to France, Mr Burridge said that except in the cities and towns, where men were working feverishly constructing air raid shelters, the whole country was continuing life in a normal, peaceful way, and to casual observer war did not appear to be imminent. There was a marked contrast between the peaceful appearance of Paris in July and the grim atmosphere of London on September 1, the day on which the Germans attacked Poland. In Paris, he saw the residence that had lately been purchased by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. It was guarded by police, and no sightseeing vehicles were allowed to stop in front of it. After visiting Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, he proceeded to England and toured all parts of the British Isles. On September 1 he crossed from Dublin to Liverpool in a ship which had blackout regulations in force, and at Liverpool, and throughout the country wharves, railway bridges and tunnels were guarded. Notwithstanding that war had not been declared, many parts of London on September 1. including shops and offices were sandbagged, artillery and equipment were passing through the streets, and balloon barrages were up. Instead of Oxford Street being thronged with people, and the road full of buses, and other motor traffic there was hardly a person or a vehicle to be seen. The whole scene was one of stagnation, and no smiling faces were to be seen. A number of clothing shops had already closed, and the contents removed and Australian and New Zealand banks had taken up quarters in various parts of England out of London. Nearly all the buses in London had been commandeered to take children to the various railway stations for evacuation, and the stations and trains were packed with children and people leaving London, and with militia men called up for army work proceeding to camp. There was no guarantee when a train would leave or arrive at its destination. It was a sad sight at the London railway stations to see women weeping when parting for an indefinite period with their little ones, wives farewelling soldier husbands, and family life generally at the point of disorganisation. It was compulsory for all people outside London having available space in their homes to accept children or adults, particularly Government employees whose places of employment had been transferred for the duration of the war. One lady who had resided in Masterton until the commencement of this year, and had .then gone to England, had six such employees, who would remain until the end of the war. The evacuation arrangements were made pried to September. 1938. RATIONING IN BRITAIN. The English people, said Mr Burridge were fast being subjected to rationing of various commodities and foodstuffs, early in September, were being sold at prices fixed by the Government. All the inconveniences and extra costs Were borne cheerfully, and with a firm belief and hope that Hitlerism would be exterminated. To the English people two things were exasperating. As the degree of blackout demanded by various air raid authorities varied in different streets or localities. considerable dissatisfaction existed, and there was an endless public clamour for more satisfactory publicity about war events. Mr Burridge said he left London on September 23. The voyage was uneventful, though sailing under blackout conditions did not make for the pleasant trip that one would enjoy under normal conditions. Most <'f the passengers would have ' tried to go homo in a rowing boat without complaint, such was their an-) xiety to get home.