Evening star., 1941-03-04
VII. THE WAR AS I SEE 1T
BY LELAND STOWE.
(Lust OF q Sertes.)

BY LELAND STOWE.
After II months Of reporting the
second World War, working in or
travelling through 81 countries, you
naturally reach some conclusions. I
have tried to outline much of the
essential background for my own
conclusions in the previous seven
articles. Certainly I am no more
infallible than my colleagues, Amer
ican correspondents in all parts Of
Europe, of whom I am proud to say
7 have never known one-not a
single one-whose personal integ-
rity could be questioned.
In their battle for the facts of
this war, American correspondents
use all the brains, initiative and ex-
perience which is theirs to apply.
Sometimes we are misled. Some
times we cannot tell all that we
know or believe to be true. When
1t comes to Interpretation and judg-
ment we are like everybody else,
we have to do the best we can with
whatever logic and perception we
have been endowed or have accu-
mulated. These, then, are my con-
clusions-based upon the most care
ful analysis of what I have seen and
observed and upon the most meas
ured consideration I am capable Of
making at the present time.
believe that Hitler will have
to invade the British Isles, and in
wade them successfully, within the
next six months at a maximum-or
Hitler will surely lose the war.
I believe that the British defense
forces and the British people can
and will repel the Nazi invasion,
however terrifically close 1t may
come to succeeding-provided only
that America supplies Britain with
all the war materials 1t Is capable
of producing, capable of getting
along without and capable of send
ing during this period.
Two More Years Of War.
I believe that a moment of enor-
nous strain and acute crisis will
probably come when the fate of
Britain-and the fate Of free, parlia-
'mentary government throughout the
remainder of this world-will be
decided, more than anything else, by
American craftsmanship and Amer
ican nerves.
believe that the war will be won,
for the freedom of the German
people and for the freedom Of hum
dreds Of millions of all five conti-
nents of the world-unless the
American people are stampeded into
q blind ostrichiSm and fatalistic
resignation when the hour for IRON
clad firmness and complete compre-
hension comes.
I believe the war should last for
two or three more years. But II it
continues that long, I believe it will
bring the inevitable effacement OF
both the Brown Bolshevism of Hitler
and the Red Bolshevism of Stain.
If he fails to conquer the British
Isles, believe Hitler will shatter or
destroy the Soviet system or take
over part of Russia before the con-
fiict ends-and still lose the war.
This is saying a very great deal
and I may be mistaken on several
points or--heaven forbid-on most
of them. But this is what believe
Defeatism Deplored.
Now to a few things which are
more concrete than one observers
considered opinions. To begin with
there is the matter of the extraordi.
nary amount of defeatism which /!
current in many parts of the United
States about Britain's chances.
have been home less than month
and travelling constantly. In my
first five days in America I hearc
more defeatism about Britain thar
I heard in four Balkan countrie:
throughout the entire month O
October. These Balkan peoples wer'
living under Hitler's heel or under
his bootstraps. To me the defeatisn
among many Americans doesnH
quite make sense.
Perhaps we ought to consider the
testimony of some persons who are
very closely concerned with Hitler
victory or defeat. Here is one bii
of interesting testimony which
can vouch for. Last October two
German businessmen went to Buch.
Arrest. like many others, to take
over" Jewish-owned concerns. Tht
Nazis were occupying Rumania ano
the Bucharest government was ex-
tremely anti-Semitic. The Jewish
proprietors didn't dare ask for any,
thing more than a moderate price
for their business, but they were
surprised when the Germans i'm
mediately said the price was per-
fectly fair and closed the deal with.
out bargaining at all. When every
thing was settled, one OF the Ger
mans turned to the Rumanian Jews
and said:
well, we have lost the war. But
that's not the worst of it. The
terrible thing is this: When thi!
war is over, the German people viii
take the place of the Jews all ovel
Europe. We will be the only per-
secuted, hated race in all Europe
Wherever German troops are nov
stationed, Europeans will shoot
them. Wherever Germans appear
people will want to destroy us. That's
the thing that is worse than losing
the war"
Japanese Officer Doubts Success.
No, don't know how many Ger.
mans feel this way today, but
know why this German businessman
spoke as he did. 1t reminds me Of
another bit of testimony from
Japanese naval commander who hat
been stationed for some years II
Germany. After France capitulatec
he was one of a select group of pro-
Nazi naval officers who were taker
on tour of all Dutch, Belgian anC
French seaports. The Nazis showed
them what they were doing ant
eyplained how thew were going tt