The Lexington advertiser., 1939-09-21
Current Comment
BY HENRY WILLIS
rhe New. Of cooperative Friendship


The News of Cooperative Friendship
between Nazi and Communist is blood
chilling. Add a hundred and seventy
million Russians to ninety million Ger
mans and Europe is helpless before
them. We have long suspected that
there was small difference between
Communism and National Socialism but
neither Stain nor Hitler is likely to
accept for long an inferior role and so
may we not hope that they will fall
Into q family row. Neither has any re-
gard, apparently, for any pledges ana
the Soviet now throws the Chinese COM
munists to the Japanese wolves. Ihere
can hardly be much doubt they have
agreed to partition Poland and that the
little. impossible Baltic states-Lith-
uania, Latvia, Estonia--are to be swai-
lowed by the Bear. Quite likely the
Roumanian province of Bessarabia VIII
be seized by the Soviet and Transyi-
yania and the Banat returned to hun
gary, German ally. If they stick to-
pether every state in the world will have
to ask for terms and accept what they
can get. Perhaps it is wishful thinking,
hut one may be permitted to hope that
under stress Russia will go to pieces
even as it did in 1917. Meantime the
Japs will be free to resume the face
stopping Of American women and Brit
ish. We will do nothing and the Brit
ish can't, for the moment.
Polish Bravery Is Not Lacking and
they have put up very brave right.
II is to be remembered that Hitler has
prepared this war very carefully. Look
at the map and notice that East Prussia
occupies almost the whole north shore
Of what should be Polish territory.
Thinks to the surrender of Munich and
the subsequent seizure of Slovakia, the
Hitler army has an easy road into the
south of Poland. Along the west side
German railways and auto roads are
built so as to best move and supply
their armies. The Polish lands border
ing Germany are rather flat and are
ideal for movement by tanks" and
trucks and artillery and the Germans
are going down grade all the time
The autumn rains that would have made
the lands impassable for the heavy ve-
hicles of Hitler have held off--another
example Of the Hitler timing or Hitler
luck, as you please. And yet, surround
ed and attacked from three sides by
greater forces much better armed, those
Poles have stood up and still stand and
fight. They deserve a country of their
own.
German Atrocity Stories have a hol-
low sound. 1t will be recalled that be-
fore Munich the German newspapers
broke out, as with rash, with stories
of the dreadful things the barbarous
Cxechs were doing to the poor Germans
in their country--so our papers and ra-
dio commentators told us. The stories
with only change to Polish names APP
parently. have recently filled the Ger
man papers with the same stuff, this
time about Polish atrocities. Hitler in
his speech from Danzg this morning
says they are just too terrible for him
to mention. How hollow such charges
are may be sensed by little COMPARE
son Imagine yourself, dear reader Gf
any, standing before Jack Dempsey in
very strained relations--think you'd
reach out and slap his wife? The dis
parity in fight ability between Germany
and Poland is no greater than that be-
tween you and Dempsey.
To Critics of British-French War Con-
duct: Just what would you expect them
TO do? They have shut up the German
border TO the west and on the North
Sea. IL is not to be forgotten that Ger
many has q "West Wall" of fortifica-
tions that Is practically impregnable.
practically" because il would cost so
many men to go through them rapidly
that il is not to be thought of. France
tried such tactics early in the World
War and again along the Chemin des
Danes. Another such try then would
likely have cost the war The French
are realists and they are highly trained
in strategy and tactics. They may be
relied on to put the greatest possible
pressure on the Seigfried Line. AS for
the British, they have not earned the
name Bulldog" by being entirely pas
sive. Rather famous they are too, for
losing every battle in their wars--ex-
cept the last.
Sorrowfuily But GrimIy the British
and tho French enter into this wal
against lntolerapie DanultTy. ihsre ar
no songs, no flags, no heroics. But will
settled determination the youth and tn
aged accept the challenge of the preda
tor and take up the grim, bloody busi
ness of war. At this minute (Tuesda
morning) the cultural, rasping voice
Hitler comes from Danzig, into whie
city he has just made triumphful en-
try. A city he might have had freel
and without bloodshed by guaranteein
to Poland the free and continued rigf
to use of the Vistula River, her con
mercial outlet to the sea. That woul
not do. The Poles have dared to stan
up and talk back to the Fuehrer; sue
insolence cannot be tolerated. So tw
million perfectly armed Germans ro
over million not so well armed Pole
A hundred thousand young German
are killed but twice that many Pole
so the lesson for the smaller nations
that they had better do as Hitler ss!
and do ii at once. German ACultur'