Evening star., 1939-12-04
Nazis Restrict Press
And Radio 10 Avoid
Confusing Public
Government lnstructs
Editors How People
Should Think
(20th of a SerieS.)


SUtL W " SC' sCoI
By WILLIAM L. WHITE.
ROME-BERLIN EXPRESS EN-
ROUTE: (By airmaiD We are out
of Bavaria and the train rolls on
ward through North Germany to-
ward Berlin. As it stops at station
I buy three newspapers, including
the official Nazi party organ.
Their leading articles are all about
the American neutrality bill. None
of them like our neutrality bill. The
five German businessmen who are
with me in the compartment also
are reading or have laid aside these
papers.
They know I am an American,
because before I bought the German
papers I was reading an American
one. If the atmosphere in that COM
partment is chilly, it is not because
the German trains lack heat. Sup
pose, oh. gentle reader, that you
were a Japanese, travelling IN
America while our newspapers were
full of accounts Of the Panay In
cident
Conversation Stops.
When 60 out for smoke in the
corridor they talk. When I return
conversation stops and all look
stondly ahead, none of them catch
ing my eye. All stolid but one; and
suddenly see that the shabby,
round-faced little man opposite me
is stealing friendly, furitive glances
at me-almost shy grins-from time
to time.
And Just as suddenly I see that
the shabby little man who is so
furtively friendly to the American
stranger is probably a Jew. smile
back-we Americans not yet hav-
Ing absorbed the National Socialist
viewpoint that Jew is vermin to
be exterminated. But this frightens
him-he glances quickly around at
the other stolid Aryan Germans IN
the compartment to see II they have
noticed it, and then his face be-
comes a blank as he stares at my
luggage in the rack above with the
American labels on it.
Wearing of the grimness, I walk
up the train to the dining car. sit
down next to a neatly dressed blond
young German. AS I struggle with
the menu it develops that he speaks
English and is most helpful both
with this and with the number OF
food tickets each course requires.
It also develops that he has
Travelled in America for the chemical
firm for which he works. He ex-
plains that it was a marvellous
country, the technical development
astounding, the hotel service un-
equaled, and now he understands
why it is that so many Americans
say, when they visit Europe, "Oh.
but we have much bigger and
better things in America" because
It Is true.
Newspapers Confusing"
Then I also politely say that per-
haps this is only because America
has so many raw materials. Then he
politely says some more pleasant
things about America and asks why
I come to Germany. I tell him for
an American newspaper.
II have seen your American news
papers, but it was very confusing. SO
many papers-so many opinions! l
did not know what to think. In
Germany there is no such confusion.
The government first decides how
people should think and instructs
the newspapers. It is much better
that way Then people are not con-
fused"
smiled politely and said in
America we enjoyed the confusion.
Then I ask him if maybe few
people in Germany might not have
been for a while confused when
Hitler made the alliance with Stain.
"Oh, not at all confused. You see
England forced us to do that-by
encouraging the Poles. OF course
our Fuehrer was at first very much
against the Bolsheviks, but since
those days Bolshevism has COM
pletely changed. We know this Is
because the Russians have listened
to our Fuehrer's criticisms and cor
rec+od their mistakes"
will Help Russians.
So I said Herr Hitler must have
been very helpful to them.
mo doubt of that" said the young
German. And now the alliance will
be a wonderful thing for Germany.
Next spring when this war has been
forgotten we will begin helping IN
the industrial development Of
Russia For the Russian is lazy
he cc-,-ct think we'll of technical
thing We Germans as you can see
are industrious-we can do much to
help them"
I said there was no doubt of this.
Then asked If he thought 1t would
be possible for me to get in Berlin
q short-wave radio so that I might
listen to American stations. Here
his face clouded
For you foreigner I think yes.
but it is not permitted for us Ger
mans. becuase If we would listen to
the British and French, all the
things they say, our people would be
confused and not know what to
believe and it would be bad thing
for Germany"
He was very polite and anxious to
repay the many kindnesses he had
been shown in America, and gave me
his card and helped me get taxi.
So the first thing I shall do is to
apply for permit to rent short
wave radio because, in this land
where there is no confusion, have
decided that I will remain a con-
fused American.