NATIONAL UNITY

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20736, 21 February 1939, Page 9

NATIONAL UNITY

NEW ZEALAND’S NEED MR D. V. BRYANT S OPINION “DEMOCRACY AT STAKE’’ The need for a spirit of national unity in New Zealand to combat the ever-increasing force of totalitarianism was stressed by Mr D. V. Bryant In an address to the Hamilton Rotary Club yesterday. “I believe,'’ he said, ‘ that democracy is at stake even In New Zealand and what we want is a real national spirit, something that is Above party politics and individual interests.” in recounting his experiences during his recent visit to Germany Mr Bryant said if ever he appreciated democracy it was after seeing Hie effects of totalitarian administration in Germany. He had gone to Germany with an interpreter following the Czechoslovakian crisis in an endeavour to meet the ordinary German citizen and to understand his point of view. Several people had warned him that he would only get into trouble and perhaps would not return. He did not support this point of view, and, though lie was persuaded not to take a German as an interpreter, he obtained the services of an English expert. From a German whom he had met in a train he got his first insight into the German's attitude to Hitler s regime. Support of the People The threat of Communism and cjvil war in 1920 had led the Rightists to turn in desperation to national socialism and Hitler. While they were not In accord with all that Hitler was doing and President Hlndenburg had hated him, there was no doubt that the plebiscite taken after Hitler's first four years as head of the State had received the support of the big majority of the people. When Mr Bryant suggested to the German that It was thought in other parts of the world that the plebiscite might not have been a true indication of the feeling of the people, he (the German) vigorously denied that the voting oould have been anything but secrete The voting papers were not marked, the voter being asked merely to leave a “Yes” or a “No.” Mr Bryant said he was afraid that all the newspaper reports touching on conditions In Germany were not correct. He had recently seen mention of the fact that cereal crops in Germany this year weje poor but he could not believe that, in view of what he had seen during his visit. In one locality he had seen grain stored in a gymnasium because all other available space had been used up.