HITLER’S SPEECH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 February 1940, Page 5

HITLER’S SPEECH

TALK OP GERMAN SOLIDARITY

DEMANDS FOR TERRITORY.

BRITAIN * FRANCE DENOUNCED

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. BERLIN. January 30.

"The first phase of the struggle is now over and the second can start,” said Herr Hitler in his address at the Sports Palace. "Churchill is itching for it. He and his satellites have expressed the hope that bombs will start. They write that bombing war will not exclude women and children as though Britain has ever loft them out of her wars. The whole blockade is nothing but a fight against women and children.”

Herr Hitler’s address, which marked the seventh anniversary of his accession to power, was commenced at 8 p.m. It had been announced only an hour previously. The other usual celebrations of the anniversary were earlier cancelled. “The British radio says that Germany is on the verge of collapse,” Herr Hitler said. "We are supposed to have only three submarines. That is too bad for the British propagandists. The more I regard their propaganda the more I am convinced of our victory. Germany is the greatest Power in the world today. She possesses the greatest army and the best leadership.

“We know that an understanding cannot be reached without complete satisfaction of our rights. We don’t, want to fight again three or five years hence.

"I can assure the German people that a tremendous task has been carried out in the last five months. "If IVI Daladier doubts the solidarity of the new German unity, 1 would say to him, ‘Perhaps you will make the acquaintance of my Austrians, who will teach you a lesson. Perhaps you will make the acquaintance of other German divisions. You are not facing different German tribes, but the whole people. If you think your troops can march on our soil, we will show you that our troops can tread on your soil.”

"Now 1 understand,” continued Herr Hitler, "that what with Mr Chamberlain would be a God-pleasing action is a Godless one for me. I think God will bo satisfied with war having been avoided on at least one large front. Germany and Russia have lived in peace for centuries, and this should continue. The British and French objectives were wrecked by a clear recognition of their plans. "The second problem in 1939 was a military one at our backs where a free country, which Britain had guaranteed, disappeared from the map in 18 days. "Churchill can be certain that we know what the English and French have been doing in the last five months. Ho does not know what, we have done. Our accomplishments in the last five months overshadow the last, five years. Our armament programme is now running according to plan and our foresight is bearing fruit.” Hitler declared that "eighty million are now stepping to the front. The number of our enemies is about the same, but our people have strong faith. I am merely the nation’s spokesman; my person is not at stake, but I am not one who will ever lower the flag at the beginning of the eighth year of the National Socialist revolution. "Our hearts turn to the future. We shall fight to conquer and will never capitulate. Germany has been unable to obtain justice, though she has begged for it for years. Territorial changes could have been produced peacefully had Britain and France not wanted war and had they not refused offers to negotiate. "Britain and France were determined to take up the cudgels from the moment of the Reich’s awakening. Britain for three centuries has pursued a policy of preventing Germany’s consolidation. Britain's history refutes Chamberlain's war aims.

“When Chamberlain walks .with a Bible in his hand preaching his war aims he reminds me of the devil with a prayer book stalking a human soul. It is all obsolete stuff and no longer believable. Compared with this attitude I praise Churchill, who uttered what Chamberlain secretly thinks. “We cannot longer tolerate Britain’s possession of a quarter of the globe or Franco's disproportionate holdings. This problem must be solved."

INTENSE BITTERNESS IMPRESSION IN LONDON. A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 30. The impression created in London by the speech made in Berlin tonight by Herr Hitler is that it is more noteworthy for its note of intensified bitterness and sense of frustration than for any lead it could give to what is felt, here must be by now a sadly bewildered German public opinion or for any indication of lhe intentions of the Nazi leaders in lhe face of the difficulties and dangers in which they have involved their country.

To observers in London it does not seem that the petty sarcasm which constituted the note of the speech, marked by shrill protests, provides the necessary indication to maintain the morale of a people who are being asked to accept an indefinite prolongation of the sacrifices which have been theirs ever since Herr Hitler seized power in the Reich. Herr Hitler seemed to recognise that the Nazis have succeeded in rallying (lie whole world against Germany-— will, the exception of his Communist ally—but he offered no coherent explanation of what it did not seem to occur to him must be a surprising and disturbing phenomenon to the German people who have formerly been told that Hie Nazi leaders had restored their country to a proud and respected position in the world.

There has been no time for any considered reaction in official circles here, but a point which on superficial exami-' nation of the speech seems to have secured chief notice is that the speed) contains unmistakable evidence that Herr Hitler lias at. last learnt the folly of trying to separate France from Britain.