The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-08-21

ians by the gift of some "unimpor-
tant" French territories.
Went on for Years
For years this sort Of thing went
on more or less in broad daylight.
During the appeasement period the
Germans were actually aided by GER
tain members of the British embassy
in Paris.
Not until two months before the
outbreak of the war did anyone dare
to take action against the numerous
German agentS-and then the vacil-
lating Daladier talked big and did
little.
A hesitant officer class brought
about sure defeat for the army; the
army's defeat frightened the army
leaders lest the soldiers seek scape-
goats among the generals. And a
majority of cynical and cowardly
politicians rushed their country into
one of the most contemplate sur
renders on record. Jus tas Adolf Hit
Ter had sadi they would
What of Hitler's fifth column" in
Great Britain? Short of the supreme
test, 1t is impossible to say for sure.
What Is evident is that during the
appeasement period, the Germans
spun a web of friendship for Nazi
Germany among the more gullible or
dissatisfied members of the ruling
class.
1t is obviously triumph in so
proud country as Britain to have
ceased even so weak satellite party
as the British Union of Fascists. Or
CARNATIONS like the Link, the Anglo
German Fellowship, the Christian
Fellowship, duped any number of
highly placed Englishmen.
British Women Attracted
Female members of British society
were induced to look kindly upon
Hitler's aims by the flattering atten-
ton Of handsome young German
aristocrats. British visitors to Ger
many never lacked congenial guides.
The fact that the British police
found 1t necessary to arrest a mem
Der of parliament, Captain Ramsay,
on the charge of having transmitted
to the German legation at Dublin
reasonable information given him
by Tyler Kent, cipher clerk at the
American embassy in London, would
seem to show that some of the many
finely spun threads from Berlin to
London still remain. One hears hints
of a persistent "pro-G ermanism" in
the London city.
But it must be stated emphatically
that the vast majority of the British,
unlike the Frencvh, underwent rad
ical change of heart after it became
apparent that Hitler had duped
Chamberlain at Munich, although
there were still appeasers ready to
try to bride the Nazis to be good
with a Hudson-Wohlthat plan for
economic concessions to Germany.
Moreover, with British patriotism at
the white heat of today under threat
of imminent invasion, the fate Of
confessed fifth columnists" in Brit
ain would be short and unenviable.
| Prepared Tor War
This time the British police were
prepared for the war. At the open
ing of hostilities they jailed some
400 of the best German agents.
Later raids tended to show that the
backbone of the organization was
broken then. The involuntary con-
finement Of over a thousand Brit
ishers, mostly followers of Mosley,
further cleared the air.
All in all, foreigners in Britain
have the impression that the several
branches Of the competent British
police are masters of the situation,
and that the British soul was never
really tainted by Nad propaganda.
Everyone listens to Lord Hawhaw
but his words arouse more laugh
ter than belief. Nation that faces
mortal peril with the grim joke:
We'll, at least Britain has reached
the finals!" seems sound.
Nonetheless, many foreigners be-
lieve that If the worst should hap
pen and an invasion Of Britain occur.
some positive and hitherto unre-
vealed fruits Of Hitler's propaganda
would appear In the shape Of a not
entirely insignificant British fifth
column" which like the French.
would ind numerous reasons why
Britain should rather come to
terms" with Hitler than continue
single-handed a desperate struggle,
the outcome Of which Is bound to
contain some social change. Whether
such Q ''fifth column" could as In
France come 10 supreme power Is