The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-12

oOAiARa lNNNAA-
~. I showed 1t to several friends
at the Army and Navy club In
Washington and they thought so.
too.
These publications have been
predicting what they call a peace
offensive" by Herr Hitler and Sig
nor Mussolini in the near future.
Nazi and Fascist editors don't
print that kind Of stuff unless
they're authorized to do so by
Adolf and Benito If they DO broad
cast anything that the two dlcta-
tors don't like, they're well aware
that they won't continue as editors
long enough to get out their re-
spective next days issues. So~it's
fair to assume that the peace Of
fensive" idea has Der Fuehrer's
and II Duces official o. k.
Now. If that pair is satisfied
with the progress Of its present
joint military campaign, why is II
covertly intimating that 1t would
not be altogether ayerse TO a peace
talk?
Seeks Breathing Spell
The Army and Navy club crowd
surmises that the Axis isn't en-
-tirely satisfied with the outlook.
It's done tolerably well, from its
own standpoint, up to date, but
the Army and Navy gangs judy
ment is it would be glad of a
chance now to pause until 1t has
had time to consolidate the con-
quests il has already made.
Otherwise isn't it liable TO over
extend itself?
Our experts. looking at the stu
alton from afar, guess that that's
the Axis complex.
Semi-overture in peace's direc-
ton are not entirely new thing.
at least from Berlin. Shortly after
the Nazis had overrun Denmark
and Norway. it was intimated
from Sweden that an armistice
wasn't an impossibility. It was
easy to understand why the
Swedes hoped so. but the diplo-
matte impression was that the
runors really were feelers from
Germany itself. Later there were
reports that Dictator Franco, in
Spain, might take the peace initia-
tive. Today's hints. nominally I'M
official, are passed out by such
journals as Herr Goebbels in Ger
many and Virginia Gaydas in
Italy They might as well come
from Herr Hitler and Signor Mus
solini themselves.
No American observer whom
I've talked with has any notion
that either Of the two has perma-
nent peace in mind. The dope is
that they sense the need Of an in
terval to masticate and digest
their meal OF thus far.
It's mixing metaphors 10 speak
Of mastication and digestion in
connection with an ak to grind
but that's the theory:
Mussolini Must Agree
That Benito's as anxious for
let-up in hostilities as Adolf is, IS
considered improbable Adolf, If
he can make. temporary terms
with Britain now, viii be in po-
sition to tell. his people that he's
won Benito can't do il until he's
acquired the whole eastern end Of
the Mediterranean, as a minimum.
Nevertheless. he's got to agree to
whatever Adolf dictates. Italy.
alone, couldn't 60 on fighting for
week. Accordingly, if it suits
Adolfs purpose to try for rest
ing spell, Benito will acquiesce
without an argument.
And there isn't the slightest
suspicion that Adolf win adopt his
policy to Benito's convenience.
There's plenty Of suspicion though,
to the effect that John Bull viii
give the horse laugh TO Adolfs
peace offensive. Much TO the con-
trary. it's the Washington Army
and Navy clubs overwhelming
consensus that Mr Bull would be
tickled half to death to get some
sort Of a peace offer from the
Fuehrer-and turn it down.
But the forecast is that Adolf
will realize this in advance and
not make any such definite propo-