Evening star., 1940-08-01
Eliot Sees Nuzis Breukinu
Blockade by Appeal to U.S..
Observer Calls for Realistic View to
Save Briton's Weapon Despite Fomine

things are but the beginning. II
they are happening now, in July,
what will be the state of Europe
when snow flies, and what when
spring comes around again?
Inspires Peace Talk.
That the Germans are thinking OF
all this is very certain. It is re-
Election upon these matters that lies
behind the present peace talk,
emanating from Berlin and from
German controlled sources else
where. If the Germans decide that
they cannot hope for success in an
attack on Britain by direct means,
or if such an attack Is made and
fails, they would like nothing bet
ter than to make temporary peace,
to open the sea lanes, replenish
their stocks of food and oil and raw
material. consolidate their own po-
litical and economic positions and
thus prepare with renewed strength
to pass on to the next phrase Of their
career Of world conquest.
To obtain sucn a peace, or to OBJ
tain at least some amelioration of
their condition during the coming
winter. the Germans are counting
very strongly on the big-hearted
suckers of the world-the American
people.
If peace is northumberland
there is no suggestion that it can
be obtained from the British on any
terms that Germany can offer-then
we shall begin to hear about the
need for relieving human suffering
in Europe. We shall be told that
we control the food-surpluses of the
Americas, and that those food
surpluses must be freely given to
the starving peoples of the con-
tinent. 1t will even be suggested
to us in devious ways, but with all
the appeal to our sentimental hearts
that can be brought to bear, that
the Demonstrating raked up by
force all the odd crumbs in Europe
are eating, anyway, but that the
good people are starving all around
them. In other words, we shall be
besought and wheedled and shamed
If possible-into bringing pressure
to bear on the British to let us
send food and supplies in vast
quantities to the continent of
Europe.
Requires Realistic Thinking.
1t is at this point that we must
think realistically and think in terms
of our own future and our own in
terests. Most of us already have
come to the conclusion that it is to
our interest that the British shall
win this war, or at least shall not
lose it. If they win it, they will win
it with their sea power and with
the weapon of blockade. They have
no other weapon of equal potency.
What the Germans will be asking
us to do-and what many of our
own well-meaning citizens will be
urging us to do-will be to reduce
the efficacy of that weapon in the
hands of our friends. The appeal
will be made in the name of
humanity, but it will in fact only
another example of the ingenuity
with which the Nazis can use the
feelings and ways of other peoples
to achieve their own ends-a new
testimony to the patient study of
foreign ways of thought, which has
already paid them such rich
dividends.
We shall have to consider then
and we had better start considering
now-whether the cause of humanity
will be better served by causing the
burdens of the enemies of every
human decency and right, or by
destroying them at whatever cost of
temporary suffering.
Copyright 1910, New York Tribune. 1nc.)