Evening star., 1939-10-23
Nazis Open Campaign
To Bolster Morale
On Home Front
High Command Sees
First Phose Of War
In West Completed
BY LOUIS P. LOCHNER.

BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER.
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
BERLIN, Oct 23.-Ge-many's
political army-the Nazi party-set
out today to further consolidate the
home 'front.'" now that the first
phase Of the war in the west is COM
pleted-according to the high COM
mand-and the lightning campaign
in Poland was ended nearly a month
ago.
There were no indications of how
long Germany expected the armed
conflict with Britain and France to
last. but in preliminary meetings of
party organizers the possibility was
considered that the war may last
months. even years
The high commands daily COM
munique again was brief. 1t re-
ported. only artillery and reconnoiter-
ing activity on the western front
during the last "a hours, and said a
tri-motored British plane had been
sighted Saturday over Konzen Is
miles from Aachen and then dis
appeared over the Belgian frontier.
When foreign correspondents at
their daily press conference inquired
why no mention was made in the
communique of a mine disaster to a
German patrol boat in the Baltic
Sea Saturday and of an engagement
between German planes and British
vessels and planes off Scotland the
same day, an authoritative reply was
given that these matters are still
under investigation, wherefore
statement cannot presently be
made"
Rumors from Moscow to the effect
that Josef Stain had declined to
give further military aid to Ger
many were put off with the laconic
statement: That is another trial
balloon to see what kind of a rise
can be got out of U.S."
Political Campaign Opens.
This years political campaign
one of a series that sweeps the Reich
annually beginning in the winter
months-was primarily devoted to-
Strengthening the home front"
HauSfraus will be urged to save on
everything from foodstuffs down to
the simplest of lifes necessities, not
to grumble, but to bear their hard
ships with the same grim determi-
nation as soldiers on the front.
Similarly, men in the factories and
especially armament industry work.
ers were being told that, as has
been the case frequently in the past,
they stand in the first line with the
fighting troops.
It was recalled that Hitler and
other Nazi top men repeatedly have
declared that Germany never will
capitulate and another November,
1918, will not occur. German World
War histories contend that the
Reich's defeat then was solely due
to the collapse of the home front.
What strategic moves were con-
templated by army commanders in
the western warfare remained their
secret. This much, however, has
been emphasized time and again:
That the halting of the Reich's army
at the French border should not be
interpreted as sign Of weakness.
The trend of the western war
hitherto obviously was to spare the
French as much as possible out of
slim hope of weaving them away
from the British.
The second stage of this war, as
seen through the German high COM
mand's eyes. began with the lull
along the entire front which occa-
sionally has been interrupted by the
two opposing artilleries.
Drive to Strengthen Morale.
The Nazi campaign to strengthen
German morale in the face of the
allied blockade was marked by nu-
merous mass meetings in which the
conflict was characterized as "a war
OF nerves" 1t was predicted freely
France and Britain would break first.
I'VE don't know how long this war
will last" one speaker said. Per-
haps it will last several months,
perhaps several years. But as long
as 1t may last, never, never again
will we be conquered by England"
Reminding the civilian population
that the sacrifices it may be called
upon to make cannot compare with
those made by German soldiers, an
other NaZi leader declared:
1T is not easy for our women to
stand In line for several hours to
get food for the family. But all this
is necessary to win the final battle.
Never again will England be able to
subjugate the German people. As
long as one German man can raise
his hand, as long as one German
woman lives. Germany will fght!'
A group Of Nazi district leaders
spent the week end In Berlin meet
ing with Adolf Hitler and conferring
m mat n odc fo y,,oot iptarxoI ~.ok