Evening star., 1939-03-12

after the treaty of Versailles Ger
many was cut to pieces and ruined
All around us our enemies-France
Czecho-Sloyakia. England, and the
others-Were armlng more and more,
while We weren't allowed to have
any kind of an army. And when
our leader came to power he said
that Germany would arm unless
| our enemies cut down on their
arms. They didn't do this, so now
we are building up our own army
and everybody is crying and yelling
that we want to start trouble. But
we have to arm because all around
us are people who hate us
How do you know they hate
you?'
Just look what they have done
to us. They beat us in the war,
then they tried to starve us to death
by the food blockade. and now they
are bOyCotting our trade Our leader
says tnat we must learn to live with
out outside help. on our own
strength and resources, and that in
otAtNA W ooNAtNo VIC llluoI lidNS q
strong army to protect us. That
only means war if the rest Of the
world continues to be unreasonable
and doesn't give Germany what it
deserves"
We are driving along a Reich
autobahn-the motorists dream OF
a highway-and Ludwig punctuated
his remarks by pointing to this and
other massive building projects
which we passed These, he said
pridefully, were examples Of what
Hitler is doing for Germany. We
had to admit that specifically the
country seemed the most prosperous
We have known; that everywhere
people are busy and that nowhere
is there a sign Of unemployment.
But these marvellous things VIII
be destroyed if war comes"
Ludwig shook his blond head in
vehement denial: Not at all. Ger
many won't lose the next war; we
shall win because we are right"
Would you win even if you
should have to fight America as
we'll as England and France?'
Thinks America Won't Fight.
"Oh, we're not bothered by Amer
lea: she won't fight. But you must
understand that hate war. that I
don't want to kill-no German wants
to kill. But if our leader--ne said
the word with the reverence every
Nazi uses when he mentions Hitler's
title-"But if our leader said we
must fight. then as German I
would naturally fight"
do you ever question your leaders
words?"
"Why should 7? Our leader is a
German and always does what Is
best for Germany: I know that
from what he has already done.
And I know that he hates war be-
cause he has seen it. Roosevelt,
Chamberlain and those other poll
ticians know nothing about war,
but our leader does because he was
a common soldier in the last war
And he would ask us to fight only
if our enemies forced him to: so as
d oeIHldll ~ WOulo NC lily Outy w
follow"
"In America we don't accept the
word of our leaders so blindly.
There are many young people there
who hate war like you say Hitler
does. They have resolved that the
only way to prevent it is to swear
that they won't fight"
"Oh, we know that and 1t is the
reason we are not afraid of America.
A nation can never be strong unless
it is willing to obey and fight"
We persisted that America might
become involved in war with Ger
many and reminded our friend of
the good times we had had to-
gether in his home where we had
been staying for week. We asked
him if he understood that his obedi-
ence to Adolf Hitler might require
him to kill us.
Yes, I realize that. AS Ludwig
Muller I should want to refuse. AS
German I would obey my leaders
command even to killing you."
(copyright, 1e3eJ