Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-12-09

The German people have felt for
4 the mast wear or longer that war
: was inevitable and they went into
the present conflict with the belief
that II would last at least two
wears. according TO J. A. Cords Of
Butte, who returned recently from
a visit to his native land.
The Germans did not want 70 fight
but they feel 1t is in defense OF the
fatherland," Cords SAID. 1ney Ieel
that they have been mlStreateu III
past years and that they cannot af-
lord to be deprived of the opportunity
to gain a better standard. Many Of
them undoubtedly feel that If they
lose the war they shall be no worse
off than they were few years ago.
They feel that the war was necessary.
While Cords IS not in sympathy. with
Hitler he found no expression OF dis
approval for the leader in Germany.
Apparently Trust Hitler
THE German people apparently
haze faith in Hitler" he said. There
NAV be groups opposed to him, but /
/ heard nothing of them during my
visit
"TIitler certainly has restored order
4 out of chaos. He stopped the lootlng
caused by dissatisfaction and hunger
which was prevalent in so many Ger
man cities. He provided work and did
MANY things for the German people
But it is unfortunate that better
man could not have been chosen TO
do the Job, for without doubt Hitler
is an odd character"
Cords arrived in Germany on Aug.
30 a matter of hours before the Ger
man army moved into Poland.
1.-THE German people were told-and
believed-that Polish soldiers were kill
ing Germans on the border" he said.
Mobilization was started and moved
like clockwork-just as 1t would IN any
country.
People Take 1t Calmly
THE people took it calmly. They ex-
pected war. Mothers saw their sons
off with the troops with the feeling
that it could not be avoided. Women
took over the jobs of the men, running
streetcars and doing other work, and
life in the country went along IN its
usual channels.
There may have been those who be- I
lieved that calling up the troops at I
the end of August was merely for ex-
ercise or maneuVers, but nearly every /
one knew that war had come. Many, |
however. believed that it would take
much longer time to conquer Poland I
and when that was accomplished, /
peace would be realized"
Regarding the reports that food was
being rationed for civilian Germans,
Cords said the people did not look on
it as a hardship but as necessary to
conserve" the supply.
IAN luxuries have been cut out" he
said but the Germans do not feel
that they are being deprived of any
thing. They recall times when they
had much less and speak of the days
in the tWenties when they had moth
ing to eat but rutabagas week after
week"
He said in the early days of the war
there was some comment on the effect
the entry of the United States might
have.
Minimize Help of U. S.
Most Germans were of the opinion
that it would make little or no differ
ence whether or not the United States
entered the war on the side of the
Allies" he said They expressed the
belief that it would be difficult to
and a sufficient number of men or
4 large enough amount of materials
70 have any important bearing ON the !
outcome"
Cords also visited Finland, Norway
md other northern countries and re- 9
ported that the City of Flint incident J
,aused considerable excitement there
when a German crew brought the ship 9
nto Norwegian port for oil '
THE people in Norway and Finland :
we're afraid that the Russian bear +
would come over to devour them" he /
aid. In Germany itself heard no I