Evening star., 1938-09-11
Nazis Build Wall of Silence
Around China's War Advisers
Berlin.Rome.TokioA Axis Applies Many Mysteriour
Muzzles About Recalled Officers Who
By Jnnins B. Wood

n ERLIN.-Nothing in voluble Ger
x many Is tighter secret than the
whereabouts Of the German Army
officers who were advisers to China
Their names, army ratings and special de-
tails. aside from the chief Of what often
more or less mystery for 10 years and
still are, although they now are in civil
life.
Though small item in the Third Reich's
farf1ung world politics. they are a tender
one, and the official word seems to have
gone out that the less said about them the
better. Newspapers print stories about
Germany's new hidden forts and tea tables
flutter with revealing gossip over high
ranking minister's latest lady love, but the
officers from China are not for general
conversation.
Very few OF them have arrived in their
homeland though the order for their recall
was cabled from here to Hankow in May.
Half a dozen decided to remain in China,
while the remaining % travelled together
as far as Hong Kong
In that British colony the party broke
up to chart roundabout courses, alone or
in groups OF three or four, over many
seas toward home. Ten years Of diligent
military tutelage by Germany, a decade
which brought about the birth Of an eff
cient Chinese Army, was ended. Ameni-
ties Of the Berlin Rome Toxic axis, more
often distasteful than pleasant, compelled
Berlin to recall the officers, though most
OF them were on the retired list who were
helping China successfully to block the life
and death struggle of Germanys ally,
Japan.
Faraway Scenes Lure Many.
1t. Gen. Count Alexander Won Falken-
housen, chief OF the 30-odd German ad-
visers with his wife, was the first to reach
Berlin. Others may have struggled in since
The remainder which includes most OF
the group, are wandering leisurely over the
world.
They will not receive the reception
usually accorded returning son who has
upheld the honor and traditions Of his
country in distant land. In fact, aside
from brief mention OF their recall, Ger
man newspapers and magazines, dutifully
speaking the lines OF the propaganda min
istry's script, have forgotten their existence.
Newspapers in other European countries
printed in English, French, Russian, Scan
dinavian or another language which is not
read In Germany, have an occasional cable
announcing the arrival Of one of these row.
ing oficers in some distant port like Co.
lombo, Capetown or Sydney. One such
presence in Singapore and purported to
quote him briefly on the struggle between
Japan and China. All the interviews have
the same tenor-that China's armies are
getting better Is the fighting continues and
that each week, Japan.s position is becom-
Ing tighter. with little doubt that China
will win II 1t holds out long enough.
Story Promptly Denied.
When he arrived in Berlin, the general
promptly denied that he had said any such
thing. Such opinions do not accord with
the amenities of the Berlin Rome Toxic
axis. The other officers can be depended
upon to do the same when, or If, they arrive
here. Good soldiers neither guide nor ques-
ton the political policies of their country,
merely obey orders and do the fighting.
After few days in the capital, the gen.
eral retired to the big family estate In
Saxony, near Dresden He said that he pre-
ferred the quiet Of the country horses
hunting and the life Of rustic squire to
the hustle, noise and crowded hotel life of
q big city. Others, with more ear for poll
tics, observed that Hitler did not invite him
to call, though it might be expected that
that pilot Of the third Reich's destinies
would be interested in an authoritative
flrst-hand picture Of that part of the world
where Germany is so deeply involved Hit
Ter was busy at the time-entertaining
Horthy Of Hungary, putting on q show to
awe other nations, preparing for the party
day in Nurnberg-and the invitation may
come later. Some say it will, others answer
"no!'
Gen. Won Falkenhausen with all his dig
nifty as one of the old imperial nobility
and his rank as one of Germany's out
standing soldiers, is plain, frank talking
Aiai. WHICH, kOI III IOuCl WIFI MIN III
Saxony, his reply was polite, but prompt
and emphatic that he could not see me.
Soldiers are not diplomats whose mo-"
means perhaps" and whose perhaps"
means yes" Better say nothing than
say something which might not be what
the propaganda ministry would have pre-
pared.
Prestige Seen at Stake.
That the German officers who were with
the Chinese should whole -heartedly back
that country to win is not surprising Their
thought and toll had part in creating
the Chinese military machine. It is sur
prising, however, that other Germany Army
officers with whom have talked, who have
never been in the Orient, privately express
the same hope that China will win Aside
from the ethics of abandoning a cause
when it needs help the most, after accept
ing its bounty for 10 years, the sentiment
in German military circles seems to be
that the prestige of German military meth
ods-science character building, training
which China has been following for that