Evening star., 1940-02-25
Germany Preparing
To Welcome WeIIes

Germany Preparing
To Welcome WeIIes
BY. LOUIS p. LOCHNER,
Associated Press Foreign CORRESPONDENT.
BERLIN, Feb. 24-Nazi Germany
tonight placed a strict official ban
on publication of news of the i'm
pending visit of United States
Undersecretary of State Sumner
Welles, but nevertheless, put its best
foot forward to welcome President
Roosevelt's fact-finding emissary.
Although it was emphasized that
the program for the visit-which
includes an audience with Adolf
Hitler next Tuesday or Wednesday,
would be carried out without the
press getting so much as a peek at
it, authorized sources disclosed the
schedule was complete.
There is little doubt that the
American will get a dignified and
hearty welcome.
Attacks on U. S. Cease.
AS the war goes on, German
statesmen see more and more that
the United States neutrality law has
many good points to it, and Ger
many is ready to go long way to
help keep the United States in the
neutral column.
Attacks on the United States
virtually have ceased. Some papers
even, from time to time, have COM
mended American neutrality legis-
lation to European neutrals as
worth emulating.
There has been criticism in the
press and in circles close to the Gov
eminent of the sale of eight United
States Line vessels to Belgian
firm, but this has largely taken the
line that Belgium, by "tolerating"
the deal, compromised her neutral
ity. The ships are to touch at
French and English ports.
Offices Ready to Supply Data.
All departments of the Govern
ment have been put on the qui vive
to supply any information which, in
the course of Mr.. Welles' visit, it
will become necessary or desirable
to have at hand
Mr.. Welles himself ranks in the
mind of German officialdom Cargely
as a result of the reports of Ambas-
sador Hans Dieckhoff, long back in
Berlin as man with photo
graphic mind" who will take back
to Mr., Roosevelt and Secretary of
State Hull an absolutely true, trust
worthy and unretouched picture of
what Hitler, Foreign Secretary Joa-
chin Won Ribbentrop and other
leaders disclose to him.
Before the lid was screwed down
on publication of information re-
garding the visit, and applied to the
foreign press insofar as information
from German sources is concerned,
1t was learned that Mr.. Welles' first
official contact would be with Won
Ribbentrop. The foreign secretary
then will take the American visitor
to see Hitler.
Protocol Difficulties.
1t appears there were some proto-
col difficulties about the arrange
ments, for the question arose as to
whether Germany's chief executive
should receive a man representing
an administration which has, since
late 1888, maintained no ambassador
in Berlin.
This technicality was waived, how
ever, in the interests of developing
the best possible relations with the
United States.
There was no authoritative eX-
planation of the decision to keep
details of Mr.. Welles' visit from the
press, beyond a suggestion from a
United States Embassy spokesman
that it might have been suggested
by the German Embassy in Wash
ington. Mr.. Welles, himself, does
not expect to make any public state
ments until he reports to Mr.. Roose-
welt.
Hitler Charges Expected.
Judging by his usual tactics Hitler
in his audience with the American
will take the offensive and present
Mr.. Welles with long list of griev-
ances against Great Britain and
France, heading the dossier with the
charge that Britain provoked this
war.
The British breach of Norwegian
neutrality in the rescue of the Alt
marks prisoners at Gjossingfjord
will be supplemented by a list o1
other alleged violations Of neutral
ity by the western powers.
In a nutshell, Hitler's thesis is
likely to be that Germany, power.
full nation of 8G,000,0O0 intelligent
and industrious people, is entitled tt
'Lebensraum"-living space-whicf
the western allies have refused her