Evening star., 1939-12-03
Mrs. Hampton to Tell Club
Of 7O-Month Nozi Study
Appreciation Of U. S.
Increased, She Says
In Interview
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

AASAAc AA SoAAVA doV WAtAA VIC 6OVC4us
mental setup in Germany as she
viewed it prior to, during and after
the Jewish purge.
More than year ago Mrs. Hamp-
ton, as the result of a series Of
studies of European affairs for the
international outlook Section of
the club, decided the most signifi-
cant political development in Eu-
rope during her lifetime would in
all probability come out of Ger
many. Thereupon, as a part of a
10-month sojourn in Europe, she
decided to live and study in Ger
many that she might, If possible,
understand "its unfolding social
drama"
After a preliminary tour of the
British Isles, France and the Meth
erlands. she entered in September,
1898, the Institute fur Auslander"
Unstitute for Foreign Students) at
the University Of Berlin.
As she is graduate Of the Uni
versity Of West Virginia and a for
mer teacher, with postgraduate
courses to her credit at Columbia,
Johns Hopkins and the George
Washington University, it was her
intention to work toward her
Phi. D., either In Germany or else
where, upon q thesis such as 1.-THE
New Education in Germany"
Sought Emotionless Survey.
Quite frankly, Mrs. Hampton
says: when took up my residence
as q paying guest in a Prussian
family in Berlin and began attend
ing classes flve hours a day and
studying every night my idea was
to approach the entire subject Of
German nationalism effectively
and without emotionalism.
What hadn't counted on was
having to 60 to bed for eight days
to recover in some measure from
the horrors Of the Jewish purge.
Not until then did I. as an Ameri-
can, come to a full realization of the
eternal majesty and reassuring
safety Of living under the blessing
Of our constitutional law. For the
first time there swept over me, too,
the significance Of being citizen Of
a Nation where If one be a member
of minority group his person and
his property will be respected as
inalienable rights"
At the beginning Of her sojourn
In Berlin the general feeling toward
Mrs. Hampton as an American was
unfriendly and suspicious. some
times voiced in the query, why are
you here?"
Tried to Convert Her.
Later on" she explained, moth
ing was left undone in the way Of
being cooperative and helpful. al
though they, Of course, wanted to
make Nazi Of me, preaching their
theories to me and at me With
fanatical fervor."
At the request Of the Karl Schurz
Vereinigung in Berlin, which is
a1nliated with the Karl Schurz
Foundation in Philadelphia for the
betterment of relations between
Germany and America, Mrs. Hamp-
ton on October ~, 1898, broadcast
her impressions Of Germany to
America in English over the Ger.
man short-wave broadcasting sys-
tenn. This broadcast took the form
Of an interview with no apparent
effort being made to censor her re-
plies. For it, to her establishment,
she received on honorarium of so
marks (about 500, from which the
government deducted a tax of 10
marks.
Her approach to the general situ-
alton she now strongly feels was
premature. since 1t was given before
the Jewish purge and at a time
when the German people were in a
state of general thanksgiving over
their deliverance from war by
Hitler.
Whatever else to the contrary
you may be told" Mrs. Hampton
said, "the German people do not
want war"
1T is difficult for the rank and
file Of German speaking Ameri-
cans to realize" Mrs. Hampton
elaborated, that the Germany
which I saw was making a religion
Of National Socialism, was fully 80
per cent behind Hitler and was
starry-eyed in its belief that God
dwells in Der Fuehrer' as He does
not in the rest of us. They believed
he had been lifted up into a state
Of transcendentalism, like a prophet
of old. Their confidence in his hon.
esty was unbounded."
Women Returned to Home.
Asked about the position of
women in Germany as she saw the
situation up to the time she left
there this past July, Mrs. Hamp-
ton said: 'They had been taken out
Of the professions and occupations
and put back into the home. But
die-hard feminist that I am, I will
have to admit that the German
government seemed to be doing its
uttermost to make the lives of
mothers richer and happier. BY
giving young girls, not just those
in special classes, but from all
groups, special training in Munter-
schulen, it was endeavoring to
crown maternity with new dignity
and significance and making the
upbuilding of the children, both
bodies and minds, its chief con-
Germ"
"Yet there were the fare-backs
from this system of many German
children with nat feet from too
much marching, and with constitu-
tional defects such as poor teeth and
too great susceptibility to childish
diseases because Of too low a caloric
content in the food regime imposed
upon the nation for defense.
1--WE have to remember" Mrs.
Hampton emphasized, that the Ger
man nation Of the days prior to the
present war had the greatest scorn
for our democracy, considering it
false freedom and a luxury which
only a wealthy nation such as the
United States could afford.