Method of Madhouse Ponsonby Calls Nazi Government of Reich

From a letter written by the head of the Labor Opposition in the House of Lords to the Editor of Die Wahrheit.

I have always had a great admiration for the Germans, and this was not destroyed by the war. They were then fighting against a great combination of enemies, and were driven by patriotism like the other nations for the defence of their fatherland. As their enemi## we were obliged to attack them and abuse them. But this passed off when the war was over. German culture I always considered was combined with enlightenment. Their wonderful contributions to literature, science and art were supplemented by advanced views on social progress.

What then am I to think of the events of the last few months in Germany? Have they as a nation gone mad? I admit that they have ground for indignation and exasperation, not only at the punitive Peace Treaties but at the unsympathetic attitude of the governments in the League of Nations. I admit that the delay on the part of other nations to carry out their treaty pledges with regard to disarmament is a just cause of complaint.

NAZI IMBECILITY

But this is no reason for destroying the foundations of their own national life, and drawing on themselves the scorn and condemnation of the civilized world. Apart from the barbarous cruelty of their harassing of innocent people, apart from their insane racial persecution of the Jews, and apart from the flagrant injustice of their harsh oppression of Socialists and Pacifists, what amazes me is their imbecility in supposing that ideas can be crushed by violence and that good government can be established by the revolver and the bayonet. These are not the methods of mediaevalism, they are the methods of the madhouse.

The more they succeed with these methods, the greater the chaos and confusion they are preparing for Germany in the future. Kill your Jews, imprison your Socialists, drive your Pacifists into unemployment and starvation, encourage cruelty, place ruffians in high positions, stifle free speech and let half-wits and vagabonds rule! What then?

Decent, sane and civilized opinion in Germany, though silenced, cannot be suppressed. It is only make-believe to pretend a people terrorized by violence unanimously approves of your barbarism. You cannot put out the fire of true progressive ideals, although you may extinguish the flame. The smouldering embers will eventually burst out and destroy you.

LEAD TO CIVIL WAR

In fact I regard the present situation in Germany as a very unfortunate but nevertheless a passing phase. Dictatorships in their very nature must be ephemeral, however ruthlessly they may act. Government according to new plans, and drastic changes in administration may be necessary in the world today in more countries than Germany. But I am very sceptical as to whether the new plans and drastic methods of the Hitler regime can lead to anything but internal confusion and perhaps civil war.

The world wants national reconstruction and international peace. The situation in Germany appears to me to endanger international peace by exciting bitter animosities which may extend beyond the fronties of the German fatherland.

From correspondence I have received I am convinced that Germans do not know what is going on in Germany.

From a letter written by the head of the Labor Opposition in the House of Lords to the Editor of Die Wahrheit.