Evening star., 1938-09-18
Insane Folly of Hitlerian
Program
By WILLIAM BIRD,

PARIS, Sept. 17-1f any proof were
needed Of the insane folly OF the Hit
lerlan program, it was generously sup
piled by the Fuehrer himself when, in
his hrst speech at Nurnberg, he pro-
claimed that Germany no longer had
anything to fear from a naval blockade.
Many lunatics are extremely lucid on
certain subjects. They can talk excel
lent common sense, often for hours at
time, and you begin to wonder why
they are confined in an asylum But.
sooner or later. they give themselves
away by dropping into confidential
tone and telling you that they are the
Pope, or explaining q scheme for build
ing transatlantic railroad.
The statement that Germany is
henceforth invulnerable to blockade is
50 obvious and 80 impudent . blu1 that
1t casts doubt on everything else the
Fuehrer says, and causes people to won
der whether all the shouting and drum
beating that Hitler has so impressively
organized in Germany Is not merely
whistling to keep German courage up.
Many critics have said all along that the
current German turbulence was nothing
but empty boasting and would finally
come to nothing. and now the Chancel-
Ior-Pres1dent appears to confirm 1t.
But there is always the possibility
that, even If he does not deceive for
eigners, even II he does not completely
deceive his own people. Hitler may be
deceiving himself. Perhaps he actually
believes that Germany today is uncon-
querable. Perhaps he believes that his
enemies are too divided and too fright
ened even to resist him. Maybe he
thinks German ersatz industries are
today fully equipped to supply IS, 900
people on . war footing with synthetic
rubber, cotton, copper, nickel, steel. sugar
and even wheat. If that is what he really
believes, he Is making the same tragic
mistake that Kaiser wilhelm made when
he thought Paris would be taken and
the French Army eliminated before Eng
land could make up her mind to act,
4
I have in my hands the illustrated
descriptive catalogue Of the popular"
automobile that every patriotic German
family Is now ordering and beginning to
pay for on the installment plan, for
delivery three or four years hence. This
remarkable car will be able to brake down
to stop from 40 miles per hour in Is
feet; it will have a turning radius of 16
feet, cruising speed of 60 miles an hour,
will climb Is per cent grade in high
at dizzy rate, and will give 80 miles to
the gallon-of synthetic gasoline, pre-
sumo. In short. the car you have been
waiting for. But the most interesting
part Of the booklet is the last line: Sub
ject to modification"
1t might be an excellent thing If Hitler
would tack that line on at the end of his
ear-shattering speeches. or that other
line we often see at the foot of financial
advertisements: THE above Statements
are believed by us to be true, but are not
guaranteed"
Certainly, the world IS getting tired of
the constant tension that has now been
maintained for at least two years bv the
1ncessant speeches and aggressive acts of
NaN Germany. There can be but two
interpretations: Either the Nazis and
their leader are preparing to plunge Eu-
rope into another World War. or else
their agitation is solely for home con-
sumption.
The boast about being able to with
stand naval blockade throws 4 curious
light on Germany's insistence on the
need for colonies One Is compelled to
wonder why, n/continental Germany is
now self-sufncient, any colonies are
needed.
And yet the colonial question has
again been brought to the fore, almost
In the same breath with the blockade
boast. It is true that it is not a new
question, but 1t is obvious that it is q
delicate one, second only in that respect
to the Czech problem. 1t is becoming
apparent that, If . provisional settlement
Is reached in the Czech matter-by which
Is reached in the Czech matter-the
colonial question will take first place on
the Nazi agenda.
Is the world to be kept mobilized for
another year while we find out whether
Hitler intends to make war for colonies
or not? In France the nation has prac-
tically been on . war footing since the
beginning of the summer, and while it
must be said that the people as q whole
have shown tremendous sangfroid, peo-
pie are beginning to feel that they would
like 70 get some sleep.
(coDy7ishh 1889