Evening star., 1940-08-25
Chile Looking to u. S. for Help
In Combating a Fifth Column
Conditions in Nation Are Similar to Those Existing
in Neutral Countries Before They Became
Victims of Aggression
Rv EEvnbe Roroe efox1
By Elizabeth Berestord.

Today the fifth column in South Amer
lea draws Its strength from a set OF con-
ditions similar to those that existed in
most of the neutral countries of Europe
before they became the victims Of Ger
man aggression. Each Of the Southern
republics has Germans living within its
frontiers; each has economic difnculties;
and each has subversive forces that are
working for the disintegration Of the
state.
As the Latin American country possess
ing one Of the largest German minorities.
Chile offers striking example Of fifth
column activity in the New World.
In Chile, as in most of Latin America,
the nth column is composite of four
others Of varying sizes: The Fascist, the
Falangist, the pro-German National and
q heterogeneous mixture of Communists,
refugees" and Orientals. Az of these
are the substance of larger fifth column
dominated by local Germans and con-
trolled from Berlin.
This Tower of Babel of confused
creeds and aspirations exists in every
country where Germans, Italians, pro-
Franco Spaniards, agents of other totan-
tartan powers and a "Quisling- class" give
financial, propaganda or organizational
support to the enemies of democracy. 1t
is a revolutionary entity that works both
under and above ground, and it is amply
equipped with all the weapons necessary
for the conduct of moral, material or
even military war against the Western
Hemisphere
Two Principal Objectives.
Since the outbreak of hostilities in
Europe, the fifth column campaign in
Chile has had two principal objectives:
The disunion of the Chilean people and
the creation of elements favorable to
German imperialism. For this it has
had the help of influences originating
almost 100 years ago.
From the middle of the last century
to the present time, large numbers of
German immigrants have colonized the
rich farming provinces to the southwest
of the Andes. AS cultivators of the land
and contributors to the general prosper
ity of their adopted country, they have
enjoyed all the rights of citizenship and
have been recognized as factors IN
Chile's internal development Now, how
ever, as an outpost of Nazism, some 200
600 strong, with control not only of the
greater part of the agricultural region,
but of most of the industry, commerce
and transportation in that area, they
constitute danger to the integrity Of
the Chilean state.
The National Socialist party in Chile
has no public Office as it did after Hitler
came into power, but its activities are
directed from the German Embassy and
consulates, and from German CONNER
cial houses. The majority of German
Chileans have an association of their
own, the 'Opferring," which is affiliated
with the party and supplies ITS financial
needs. This is done by collecting funds
from German and German-Chilean
firms, at a rate said to be 20 per cent
of all salaries and receipts. Walter
Boettger, commercial attache to the
German Embassy, is in charge of these
funds
Refugees Plan Vital Part.
Also a vital part in the Nazi organi-
zation in Chile is played by the "refu-
gees" A large number of those who were
accepted as genuine exiles from Ger
many. Austria and Czecho- -Slovakia have
since become spies or public defenders
OF Hltlerism; others are merely disguised
German agents. With this web of work.
ers, the German fifth column is able to
operate not only outside. but also within
itself, with the object of keeping a close
watch on its members.
Offenders are denounced and dis
ciplinary measures are taken, either by
threats of boycott to business or of re-
prisslS against relatives in Germany.
OF late, the tactics of coercion have
been used by the Germans against some
purely Chilean enterprises, an instance
of which was the semi-official warning
received by one of the leading news
papers in Santiago, for publishing pro-
ally articles. The editor was visited by
Nazi official who said that he had been
delegated to point out that Germany
was winning the war and would soon
be in a position to dictate the policy
of the paper and that it would there
fore be in the best interests of those
at present responsible for it to cease
printing anything unfavorable to the
Reich. If the present policy continued,
he added. the consequences would not
be pleasant.
The fifth column in Chile is especially
active in all matters of military nature.