HITLER’S DUPES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1940, Page 8

HITLER’S DUPES

PEOPLE OF GERMANY, fiFFECT OF PROPAGANDA. “Before we left, the German people seemed to be quite sure that Hitler would get back the Polish Corridor without a war. That was their mistake, however. But they are so full of propaganda about the hardships inflicted on Germany through the Versailles Treaty and the statements that the British Empire is now decadent that they are behind Hitler in his attempt to dominate the world.” That was the impression (reports the ‘‘Auckland Star”) brought back by Mr G. Quarry, one of two engineers of General Motors, Ltd., Australia, who were through passengers by the Matson liner Monterey from San Francisco to Sydney last Friday. With his companion, Mr R. Rowell, he has been away from the Commonwealth for 15 months in -connection with investigation and research in his profession in the United States and Germany.

Mr Quarry said, he had spent some time at the Adam-Open-A.G. factory at Ruesselsheim, a factory that produced more components of cars than any other factory in the world. There was no “farming out” of work. There was little to be learned in the way of new developments, as the system was based on the mass production methods of the United States.

Though he had left Germany just before the outbreak of war, he was impressed by the apparent shortage of food at that time. “Food was a real problem and fresh vegetables and fruit were almost impossible to buy. We had rationed eggs, butter, and cheese, and the butter, by the way, was composed largely of whale oil. Squeeze the pat and you smelt the whale.” He added that at the times when. Hitler made a special speech the workers were lined up in front of the radio loud-speakers in the works and compelled to listen. There was no dodging the order and punishment was meted out to those who tried to avoid it.

During his visit to the United States, said Mr Quarry, he did not see any special signs of a slump or particularly widespread unemployment. At that time the struggle was going on between the American Federation of Labour and the Committee of Industrial Organisation for the right to be the bargaining organisation for the automotive industry. The C. 1.0. had since won that right.