Evening star., 1940-01-07
True Pact With German Masses
Held Europe's Sole Salvation
Ernst Meyer, Former Embassy Counselor, Sees
Decline of Old World Unless Revolutionary
Concessions Are Made
By Ernst WiheIm Meyer,
By Ernst Wilhelm Never,
Former Counselor, German Emhassx.

German Embassy.
went over there I found . longing fol-
liberty"
Nevertheless, the danger Of resurrec-
ton of the spirit of Versailles is tremen.
dous. When the first air squadron will
drop thousands of bombs over England
France and Germany, a simultaneous
spread Of worldwide hatred can be ex-
pected as certain.
Injustice for Injustice.
Hitler is the one who speaks most
about the treaty of Versailles, which he
blames for everything on earth. No
doubt Versailles had disastrous influ-
ences. Yet the injustices Of Versatile.
do not justify Hitler's present injustices,
as they would not justify any new injus-
tices to be done by the allies.
There are others who think that the
treaty was not harsh enough; 1t should
have destroyed Germany forever. They
are the most modern believers in power
policy in disguise. They speak about q
partition of Germany, about cession of
the western part Of the Rhineland to
France, about restoration Of Austria, !"
without mentioning as prerequisite that
the Austrian population would have to
determine its fate.
However, every effort to write q new
treaty Of Versailles for one or the
other reasons would only mean the re-
writing of the sad story OF the last 20
years It would mean the ruin of Ger
many, but it would likewise mean the
ruin OF Europe. There is not much dif-
ference, as far as the final consequences
are concerned. between a victory Of
Hitler and victory of Versailles.
Moreover, something else which is of
great Importance has to be fully realized:
Millions in Germany are for Hitler, other
millions are against him. But with the
exception Of only minor faction among
them, no Germans, whether for or
against Hitler, would be inclined to ex-
change immoral serfdom under Hitler
for immoral serfdom under a new treaty
Of Versailles. Driven into complete de-
spair, they might rather turn to open
bolshevism, calling tin order to avoid
civil war-national bolshevism, even as
some Of them tried to do in 19l8-19. Then
the open military and internal co-opera-
ton Of both totalitarianisms or the COM
plete swallowing up of National Social
ism by communism would make every
later work of European reconstruction
more difficult. If not impossible. There
would ultimately be peace again, but in
all probability it would be a peace of ex-
haustion and would have brought Europe
to ruin.
Victory Prime Need.
Therefore. more than a victory Of the
allies is needed-namely, a victory end
ing a war which would be as short and
bloodless as can be imagined and afford
all the more stable basis Of peace.
We come now to the consideration Of
a peace without victory through change
on both sides. Lasting peace, it appears,
can be established only through changes
Of most radical character in Germany
and the rest Of Europe.
The downfall of German democracy
was the result Of three major reasons:
Cd Of exaggerated chauvinistic national
ism, represented not primarily by the
treaty Of Versailles, which as the after
math of the greatest World War could
be excused to some extent, but especially
by England's and Frances postwar pol
icy, which from moral or even from po-
litical points of view was not awe-inspir-
ing to say the least; CD of exaggerated
economic sel1shness, which created or
stabilized international unemployment;
CD of lack of political experience of the
German massas as result of century,
old education in obedience along author
itarian lines.
So in order to guarantee stable free
dom and peace in Europe both sides,
Germany and the allies, will have to un-
dergo profound changes of their polit-
ical, economic and cultural mentality.
No help can come from telling the
German masses that the war is con-
Quoted not against Germany, but only
against Hitler. Although this might be
they were told that the war was con-
Quoted only against the Kaiser. Yet
after the Kaiser, they got Versailles and
Germany was dismembered.
Finally, no help can come from speak
ing vaguely. dryly and reluctantly about
"a new Europe" disarmament to be
achieved after many years." about con-
ference tables, democracy, human equal
ity, self-respect, mutual tolerance, and so
on. Quite the contrary, new aims have
to be defined most clearly, inspiringly
and forcefully,
Masses Main Factor.
Therefore, not even very far-reaching
administrative actions are sufficient as
long as they do not inspire the masses,
nor are resolutions of avail if arranged
for only by few outstanding intellec-
tuals. What is needed is an enthusiastic
wide and deep movement of the masses;
the arousing in particular Of the enthusi-
asm Of the youth of Europe, making
them aware for the first time in many
decades that they do not stand for old
coined phraseologies and outdated NOR
ais; and the capturing also of the mind
of the German masses in order to make
with them q most sincere, most definite,
most specific pact.
Nothing would better clarity the situa-
ton and promote peace by defeating
Hitler than the proclamation of about
the following principles: (a) no change
Of frontiers except on the basis Of self
determination for all, for Poles and
Czechs, for Germans and Austro- Ger
mans. (b) establishment of International