SYLVIA Noble has lately been very quiet, but in her letter 'Unpatriotic Slur' (LET, June 1), she raises the issue in a chaotic fashion of European integration and monetary control.

On Sylvia's allegation of Hitler effectively cancelling the German national debt, he personally did not cancel any national debt, Walter Schact the Reich's banking genius did that on the orders of the 'Fuhrer.' Germany later paid for this defiance with the war reparations burden.

What actually saved Germany from financial ruin was a combination of a work ethic, the launch of the cold war, and the Marshall Plan, where countries were offered a financial package by the Americans providing they played ball with their concept of democracy.

Mrs Noble's final allegation is about international finance, but in today's world, the profusion of businesses needs this concrete help, otherwise there could be more serious fall-out than just a recession.

I would finally inform her that thinking of this nature mentioned in her letter, launched dictatorships from the extreme parties on their ill-fated paths to disaster.

DUNCAN McVEE, Robin Bank Road, Darwen.

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