Evening star., 1941-08-01
Britain Counts on Assistance
Of Nozi Victims for Victory
Close Scrutiny Maintained Of Lands
Which Now Lie Under Swustiku

iIIs. ftS niia IA LAC liza
ever-growing army and as the COM
bined American and British output
of airplanes overhauls the German
output, London keeps close eye on
this sullen anger, this grim tru-
culence.
Worse than the robberies, worse
than the bombings and particularly
in Poland and Yugoslavia) the in
Vulnerable executions, have been two
special policies of the Germans.
One is the systematic extinction OF
cultural agencies outside Of Ger
many. In all the occupied lands,
but especially in Poland and Czecho-
Slovakia, measures have been taken
to destroy both education and edu-
Gated leadership.
When Czech universities were
closed in November, 1899, it was
nominally for three years: actually,
the evidence reaching Britain shows
that the closing is meant to be
permanent. . Scientific equipment
has been stolen, destroyed, or ship
ped to German institutions. At one
time last year German soldiers in
Prague were selling fine microscopes
and similar apparatus for a song.
University professors and lecturers
have been scattered to the winds;
the luckiest are serving as assistants
in German offices, hospitals and
laboratories. The Polish universities
ard their stats have Jared worse;
the Dutch and Belgian universities
hardly better.
Press in Strait Jacket.
Everywhere, too, the press, whether
devoted to books, magazines or news
papers, has been put into a strait
Jacket. Just before I left England,
for example, the London Times
published a list of 10 rules for the
guidance" of all Dutch editors
which had been smuggled out by a
refugee journalist. Newspapermen
who broke any of the 10 command
ments, some exceedingly broad and
vague, were subject to two years in
Jail and fines of $4,000.
1t is true that treachery and de-
featism have found adherents in
wide areas of Europe. AS Norway
has it's Quislings, Belgium has its
followers of the utterly discredited
Rexist leader Leon De Grelle. The
British feel the utmost detestation
for such groups. During my half
year in the island I heard more
bitterness expressed toward the
Vichy regime than toward Hitler
himself. In April it seemed that
Darlan might swing the French
forces over 10 active cooperation in
the Mediterranean and Syria with
Germany.
I'VE British no doubt deserve q
great deal of punishment for our
sins" one man said to me, but I
can't believe that for our worst
faults we have deserved anything
like that!"
Another interesting fact has
emerged from the situation. Ref
ugees from continental Europe this
spring agreed with extraordinary
unanimity that the morale of the
occupying troops has progressively
deteriorated. I heard of this from
both B. B. C. and Ministry of In
formation men who talked with the
newcomers. The reason Is simple.
In every country the garrisons meet
a blank wall of contempt and hos
tility. The mass of the4people treat
the German soldiers and officials as
what they are-agents of tyranny
and oppression. Men will not speak
to them except under compulsion
Women will not look at them.
Nazis Treated Like Vanquished.
According to President Ger
brandy of the Netherlands Council
of Ministers, now in London, a Ger
man officer in Holland was heard
sadly remarking: Anybody would
think that we were the vanquisheo
and the Dutch were the victors.
Adroit. insults are arranged. A Naz
broadcaster complained this spring
that the same Dutchmen who would
not give to winter help because il
had Nazi associations would gladly
give a street musician several guild
ers to play national airs under q
Germans window. Where insults
are impossible, ridicule takes its
place.
The story was told in England
of a Bergen street urchin who
flaunted a copy of the London
Times under the eyes of authority
Where did you get it?" demanded a
Gestapo man. Get it?" mockingly
echoed the urchin, why, I'm reg
ular subscriber, of course!"
This is the situation which tn,
British and their Allies hope to ex'
ploit when their hour strikes