ANTI-NAZI MEETING

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20991, 19 December 1939, Page 12

ANTI-NAZI MEETING

EXPERIENCES IN GERMANY NEW ZEALAND VISITOR To have attended a meeting of anti-Nazis in Germany was the experience of Mr R. St. Clair McKenzie, Christchurch, while on a recent visit to Europe. Mr McKenzie pointed out that it was not politic, in view of war conditions, to mention the name of the town. With his wife, Mr McKenzie was invited to attend a meeting which was ostensibly for the purpose of teaching English and giving Germans practice in speaking that language. When he got there, he was introduced to a number' of Germans and then taken into a room containing another 20 people. The meeting began by the chairman advising his audience that he had just returned from London and had with him a copy of the Sunday Times which contained an article by Mr Neville Chamberlain, dealing with the Danzig and the Eastern problems. Naturally, this article was not in support of the Nazi programme. Signal Light Flashes The German read the article in an interesting style, using very good English. During the time he was reading, Mr McKenzie saw a red light flash on and off beside the chairman’s elbow. This was to indicate that the incoming person was a friend. The whole of the subsequent conversation, although guarded, was anti-Nazi. “ It was then quite evident to me,” said Mr McKenzie in describing the incident, “ that it was not allowable for Germans to read English articles.” After the reading was finished Mr McKenzie was able to compliment the reader on his ability to read in English. As a visitor, he was asked to tell the audience something of New Zealand, of which they seemed to know very little, a request with which he complied, giving a summary of the progress made in the Dominion. He made it clear that New Zealanders did not stand for curtailment of free speech and that the newspapers invariably reported matters of importance without any restrictions. He also spoke of the success which had come to Germans who had settled in New Zealand in the early days to avoid conscription. Mr McKenzie’s remarks were well received and he said he did not think it would have been difficult to have had all shipped to New Zealand as migrants had such a step been possible. The one regret was, “We can’t leave here; we can only gel. 10s to take away with us and that will not take us far, even to the best land in the world.” Happier Time Awaited After spending the evening until midnight with these Germans, Mr and Mrs McKenzie left this town with regret, their experience being that these people were very kind. Among the group was a professor, a doctor of literature, a schoolmaster, all looking for a happier time to come, under some more favourable system of Government. In the next German town visited, Mr and Mrs McKenzie got a shock with the quality of bread and butter. It was not of the standard that they were used to as New Zealanders. Rye and flour mixed did not make an appetising loaf, said Mr McKenzie, and black rye was the least appetising for one. The butter must have been at least 75 per cent whale oil and was absolutely void of taste. Mr McKenzie had another experience of anti-Nazi feeling in this town. He endeavoured to secure an English newspaper and eventually, his courier obtained one, but it had been heavily censored. He asked the courier what was the news of the European situation in the German newspapers and was told that German papers were not worth reading because they were “ all lies.” When he questioned this statement, he was assured that the bulk of the people did not believe the inspired statements appearing in the German press and could not get the truth at all. Too Many Storm Troopers This courier was an ex-German soldier and a very likeable man. He was walking down the street with him talking quietly, when he saw a soldier some little way ahead. Mr McKenzie asked what kind of a soldier it was, and the reply was that it was a Storm Trooper. Not knowing the military meaning of Storm Trooper, Mr McKenzie asked what it meant and the courier replied, “ One of Hitler’s bodyguard ” in anything but a mild tone. Mr McKenzie asked if there were many of them and he remarked: “ Yes, too many.” At the same time, Mr McKenzie saw other troopers close handy, not so well dressed, and asked what they were. They were described as “ only the Heimwehr,” meaning only the rank and file of the army/ The courier added: “ They won’t shoot; they will run to the Poles, British or French, when the war starts,” and in rather a hard voice remarked, “ And we won’t fight either.” This and the former experience led Mr McKenzie to believe that there must be a good deal of sedition in Germany. The couriers’ final remark was: “ Why should we fight you, anyhow? Aren’t we the same stock?” This would make it clear that the Germans, or at least the Saxon section, felt the yoke pretty much.