CONDITIONS IN GERMANY [To the Editor of TIlE. SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Mr.
Ernest Lesser, if I understand him rightly, thinks that my appeal to Englishmen to adopt " an impartial attitude " -towards Germany at the present. time is useless as far as " liberty and justice-loving Englishmen "—among whom I hope he, will permit me to include myself—at the
present time are concerned. .
On the subject of the Jews. -May I say that no one can feel more strongly than I do ? I made no attempt to hide my feelings from all those Germans that I- met ,during my recent visit, including several persons high up in the Nazi Government. - , - But with the help of friends in many countries I am trying to do a very difficult thing—to run a non-party international society, --the - All Peoples' Association, which aims at - pro- moting friendship between the citizens of all countries . and which " seeks -to understand the other fellow's standpoint," with a view towards_ promoting ultimate world unity. The only possible basis for such a society is to -refrain from inter- fering in the internal affairs of any country and to try to interpret- the aspirations of each country to the others.
• The - present wave of • nationalism in Europe is a fact. Some people think it is a bad thing, others, admire it, according to the individual point of view.. -In Europe's present mood, I think we must work through nationalism towards internation- alism, we must walk before we can run.. We may hope, as
I do, that nations will get through the " ourselves alone" stage. - In the-meantime I think that I am but serving the interests of European unity and, incidentally, the interests of inarticu- late minorities in Germany, by letting the majority of the German nation know, that there are many in all countries, who may not agree with some aspects of present German policy, but who nevertheless are making a sincere attempt to understand " what Germany is thinking- and feeling."—I am,
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