Evening star., 1941-02-07

CrOlleQ II z W
papers have been revealing to the
German people that the United
States is preparing to help Britain
This is the first revelation OF
Americas potential hostility to Ger
many that has been permitted tc
break through the censorship since
September, 1899.
Just why did the German censors
change their policy? If the answer
to that question could be ascertained
accurately, it would be safe basis
on which to forecast what may nap
pen to bring the war to an early
end.
Has the word of mouth discussion
and secret listening in on Foreign
broadcasts finally become so wide
spread inside Germany that the
Nazi government has felt COM
PEELED to counteract these impress
sions by saying American aid can
not arrive in time, or have the Nazi
authorities been worrying about the
fact that American aid is coming
anyway and that sooner or later
the German people will have to
know about 1t?
Discount Results.
The only evidence on the sub
ject is the inspired series of edi-
torials in the German press which
strangely enough hammer away on
one point, namely that there will
be no repetition" Of what hap
pened in the last World War when
American aid tipped the scales and
brought an allied victory. The Nazis
know. full well that the fear Of
American might is considerable and
that the average German breads
American participation because he
knows it will mean long war, with
Germany's chances Of victory
dwindling as the war drags on.
The British people, on the other
hand, need stimulus. Their morale
will be much better-as it would be
with any one struggling against
desperate odds-if there's Ger
tainty that reinforcements are on
the way. President Roosevelt knows
that even though American aid will
not be substantial in 1941, it means
a great deal to the British people
to know that if they hang on bravely
until 1912, they can expect heavy
flow Of weapons of war.
The vote on the lease-lend bill
will be watched all over the world
and will be viewed as significant
piece of encouragement to Britain.
The peoples in the conquered areas
of Europe will watch, too, knowing
that if American help is coming in
unlimited quantities, there is hope
of a possible defeat of the Nazis or
at least Of a stalemate in which the
Nazis will not be able to dictate the
peace terms.
News Filters Through.
In Germany, however, the news
of what America may do in the
present war means more than any
where else. The German editorials
of the last few days prove con-
clusively that, despite the censor
ship, news does get through to the
German people if only through the
medium of editorials which de-
nounce what America is planning
1t is the fact that the United States
is sympathetic with Britain to the
extent of rendering financial and
material aid which will make the
Germans take notice 1t is the most
unWelcome news they could pos
sibly have. About two years ago, an
important American official who
had spent many years in Germany
told a private audience here that
there were two things the average
German feared more than anything
else. One was another imitation such
as 1923 and the other was another
war in which the United States
would be on the British side.
The cycle Of another financial and
economic collapse is we'll under way.
The average German has sacrificed
a good deal already and he knows
the Nazi rulers have gambled every
thing on victory. Now, however,
comes the specter of unlimited |
American aid. The morale of Ger
many will undergo a severe strain |
this year as the news of the passage