GERMANY TODAY
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.'
Snt,—Mr. Roger K. Allen, in his letter appearing in The Spectator of June 1st, states that in Germany less than eighteen months ago one could not go to business in the morning without a revolver in one's pocket. I can definitely say from my own experience that that statement is quite untrue and conveys a false impression of conditions in Germany at that time. I was in Germany for four months just before the revolution and again shortly after it, visiting Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt a/M, Diisseldorf and many other large cities and also suburban and country districts, attending business .every morning and coming daily into contact with large numbers of business people. I certainly never- thought of carrying a revolver, nor did I ever hear of any other business man carrying, or even thinking of carrying one.
Mr. Allen's added statement that at that time even a man would be very chary about going out alone at night is an exaggeration. It is true only so far as it relates to some of the Jews, and to actively hostile and aggressive elements in the National Socialist, Central, Socialist and Communist parties. So far as the general public is concerned it is untrue.
His further statement suggesting that General Goering is very unpopular with the general public needs to be modified. Goering is, of course, extremely unpopular with progressive elements and convinced Socialists and Communists. The business and other experienced sections of the community disapprove his oratorical indiscretions, but they acknowledge that the man has worth, and it would be very rash to assume that he is unpopular with them. He is still immensely popular with the National Socialists and the younger genera- tion of the general public.
Mr. Allen makes far too much of the effect on the public of Goering's admiral's and other rather " flashy " uniforms. Caricatures are not necessarily indications of unpopularity, and it is most unlikely that their object is to emphasize the uniform. Germany is a land of uniforms ; moreover Goering, as an officer of the air force, served his country with dis- tinction during the War.—I am, Sir, &c., J. H. FLEEmAN, Northwood.
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