Do You Remember?

From PIM of 20 Years ago

IN February, 1937, one man, scarcely remembered these days, was consistently top headline news. Hitler was his name and he had turned his attention to the re turn of the former German colonies The Hitler myth seems funny in 1957, but 20 years ago it had not been exploded and the residents of those former Germany colonies would not have been unduly sur prised if they had wakened one morning to find that they, too, were part of another bloodless German victory. (Present generation should not find this funny; the “Free’’ world is still playing mesmerised chickens; the snake-in-the-grass now being a dual personality that goes by the initials B & K).

Here are some other extracts from PIM of February, 1937; "It has been officially announced that at the Imperial Conference in London in May or June, Australia will raise the question of the future administration of the New Hebrides.

Details of Australia's wishes have been kept secret but it is believed that Australia will press for concessions in trading and settle ment." * * * There were "certain mysterious moves" by both America and Britain over ownership of islands (suitable for air-bases) in the central Pacific. Pan American Airways had chartered the French phosphate company's "Oiseau des lies" and disappeared into the unknown—

apparently to inspect islands along their pro jected airline route. At the same time, HMS "Leith" had appeared at Suva, taken on a radio officer, some timber and sealed orders and also departed for parts unknown. The battle of the air-routes was on—but did not finish until after the war when land-planes had superseded sea-planes and the bases that seemed desirable in 1937 no longer mattered very much. * * * A company with a nominal capital of £lOO,OOO was floated in Sydney to engage in large-scale gold sluicing in the BSIP. Called Solomon Islands Gold Development, Ltd., it was, according to the promoters, likely to make Guadalcanal a "new Bulolo". (It did not, of course).

He * PIM announced, with many apologies, a rise in the price of the journal from 6d per copy, to 8d per copy. Rise in Australian postage rates was given as the reason. * * * The New Guinea air-transport company, Guinea Airways, extended its operations to the Australian mainland with a Lockheed Electra service between Darwin and Adelaide. (After the war GA did not return to the Territory, but continued to operate services in South Australia). * * * Quoted from a Dutch newspaper; "Germany will at present press hardest for the return of her African colonies. The Pacific colonies are considered of problematical value, one reason being that the German fleet is not strong enough to uphold Germany's prestige in the Pacific".