Extracts from a letter from Charles Bewley to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(43/33)

As is indeed inevitable, popular attention in Germany is almost entirely concentrated on the Abyssinian conflict. The German press and public, however, regard it strictly from a German point of view, i.e. the merits of the questions involved are weighed by the probable effects which they will have on Germany's position. Thus both press articles and private conversations are based on the principle that the conflict is one between England and Italy: the League of Nations is hardly mentioned, except as an instrument in the hands of English policy.

[matter omitted]

As regards the ideology of the League of Nations, German opinion is unanimous in considering it not only hypocritical but a definite positive danger, even though Germany may at the moment derive some immediate benefit from it.

[matter omitted]

In the abstract, therefore, German opinion is much more inclined to favour the ideology of Italy than that of parliamentary and Masonic democracy. But, as pointed out above, it hopes to obtain from the latter certain definite advantages for Germany, and such hopes have been strengthened by the recent letter of the British Foreign Secretary, in which he makes a distinction between a positive act and a negative failure to carry out the provisions of a treaty. This distinction, which it is quite realized is based merely on the fact that Italy's campaign threatens English interests, whereas breaches of treaties by Germany would be at the expense of other powers, has naturally been received here with great enthusiasm. Considerable prominence has been given to an article in the Daily Express, which refers to the possibility of Germany 'liberating its subjects from the Lithuanians' and says that England need shed no tears over such a prospect which is not its affair. As a result of utterances of this kind, Germany is convinced that England would take no action to prevent a breach of the Treaty of Versailles by her provided it did not affect English interests, and that in particular England would give Germany a free hand to annex Memel or to proceed to the union with Austria which it so nearly brought about last year by the assassination of Dolfuss. It is naturally impossible to conjecture whether the plans for these breaches of treaties solemnly entered into by Germany have yet been fully worked out, but I do not think that anyone has the slightest doubt that if England precipitates the world into another European war Germany will profit by the occasion to enlarge her empire in Europe. Whether this has actually been contemplated by the English Government, which sees in a Latin alliance a greater danger to English imperial interests than in a greater Germany, may be a matter for discussion, but that England is doing everything to make the absorption of Memel and Austria inevitable is a certainty.

The German press is at present full of abuse of the most violent kind against Lithuania, which is represented as a people of savages. No doubt this is all intended to prepare popular opinion for an armed attack on Memel if international events seem propitious to Germany's chances. It would, as a consequence of the propaganda, probably be welcomed by the German people as a whole, and would enable the Government to point to a signal victory and to prepare itself to other equally glaring violations of the Treaty of Versailles. Hints are also given of a possible military occupation of the demilitarised zone in the Rhineland: it is unnecessary to point out the international complications which would arise as a result, but German opinion is firmly convinced that it has nothing whatever to fear from England so long as it only breaks its pledges to England's allies.

In addition to the campaign against Lithuania, the campaign against the Jews is being carried on with greater energy than ever. The majority of the villages frequented by tourists, and even some middle sized towns, have inscriptions ?No Jews desired here', or the more ferocious 'Jews visit this place at their own risk'. All Jewish employees have now been dismissed by the railways. The boycott of Jewish businesses is being carried out more systematically than ever. Jews are not almost anywhere allowed to use the public baths. Photographs of persons who associate personally with Jews or deal in their businesses are published in the illustrated papers. Girls who are suspected of improper relations with Jews are paraded in public places with placards round their necks with such inscriptions as are considered appropriate before being placed in a concentration camp. An article has appeared in Das Schwarze Corps and been reprinted in the Volkischer Beobachter alleging that the recent accident in the construction of the underground railway in Berlin, in which a number of workmen lost their lives, was due to Jews in the contracting firm not having taken the necessary precautions. So far as one can see, these various measures enjoy the enthusiastic support of the great majority of the ordinary public, though there is of course a minority, especially among the more educated classes, which strongly deprecates them as going much too far. It may be regarded as certain that they will be developed further until Jews resident in Germany have been confined in something equivalent to the mediaeval ghetto.

As regards ecclesiastical affairs, there has been a lull in the last few weeks, presumably because foreign affairs have required the full attention of the Government. At the same time the processes against Catholic clergymen and nuns for smuggling of currency out of the country are proceeding to the accompaniment of anti-Catholic propaganda of the most violent character. And it should not be forgotten that the youth of the country are perpetually exposed to the same propaganda in private, with the object of uniting the whole generation of young Germany in one organization, which, it is unnecessary to say, would be violently anti-clerical and in particular anti-Catholic. The German Government is clearly adopting the same principle as the Russian Government, namely, that the adult generation in so far as it is Christian cannot be de-Christianized, but that the youth can be induced to regard religion as an old-fashioned and negligible institution.