Evening star., 1939-10-08

battleships built under that treaty may
be raiding allied shipping on the high
seas today.
Next, in order to carry out Hitler's
original idea of a rapprochement with
England which would allow Germany q
free hand on the continent, Ribbentrop
was sent as Ambassador to London In
his salesman's sample bag he had a
prize package to sell the British upper
class. That was the idea that Hitler and
the Nazis were the bulwark of the world
against bolshevism. With his agreeable,
ingratiating personality. it was not at all
difficult, for his customers were only too
eager to believe this myth.
Hitler Painted as Sir Galahad.
Ever since the Russian revolution in
1917 the British ruling class has had a
profound horror of communism. This
was communicated to the middle class,
so that the little man in the provinces
saw imminent threat Of his two-seater
being taken away. With SUCH back
ground it was easy for Ribbentrop to con-
vince the British that Hitler was kind
of Sir Galahad ready to repulse the
Soviet dragon.
The Nazi Ambassador was entertained
at many of the great English country
houses. He is said to have been a par
ticular friend of Lord Derby Most of
the aristocratic members of what was
to become known as the Clveden set
listened to Ribbentrop's sales talk and
many of them fell for it. They went to
look at Hitler either in Berlin or at
Berchtesgaden and they came away
praising him.
This was the background of the whole
appeasement policy of the Chamberlain
government. Part of the story was that
Hitler was a peace-loving man who had
no designs on Britain. Because he knew
this ruling class so we'll, Ribbentrop was
able to assure Hitler in August and Sep
tember of 1888 that the British would not
fight for Czecho- o-Slovakia. AS the author
of an attitude he should have known.
Only one serious blunder had been
chalked up against him during his Lon
don stay. He had greeted the King at a
royal levee with the NaZi salute. This
aroused wide indignation and particu-
larly among those who mistrusted the
whole policy of making friends with Ger
many. But while this gesture may have
hurt Riobentrop in London, it certainly
did him no harm in Berlin.
Made Foreign Minister.
Not long after he left the Embassy in
London, Ribbentrop was made foreign
minister. He took an attractive house
in the suburb of Dahlem and there in
stalled his wife and four children. But,
like most travelling statesmen, he was on
the road more than he was at home. In
bentrop played an important part With
every new move he was close to Hitler,
advising him and encouraging him out of
boldness and daring that matches
the Fuehrer's own insouciance.
Little is known today about the back
ground of the Soviet-Na1 pact. Years
will pass before all the circumstances are
known. In all probability, however, it
was in preparation for several months
before final announcement. There were
persistent rumors that Stain had his
own representative in Berlin, presum-
ably talking trade agreements but really
talking politics with the foreign minis
ter. All through August German ON
cialdom displayed a curious cockiness.
Dark hints about Russia were dropped.
All this went on while representatives of
the hated democracies were in Moscow
striving for military agreement.
Finally came the climax. The first
vague communiques limiting the signif-
canoe of what was about to happen.
Ribbentrop's flight to Moscow. Nad
flags at the Soviet airport. A few hours
in the Kremlin and the pact announced
to an astonished world. Stain and Rib
bentrop are photographed together. The
champagne salesman has made good in
big way.
British RnttIeshin llnkaon