The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-03-22
SATURDAY, MARCH %, 1871
GERMAN REPORTS

GERMAN REPORTS
A new move toward some degree
OF frankness in acknowledging
casualties and damage inflicted ~
British bombings Of German cities
IS becoming evident in Berlin re-
ports, coincident with the present
resumption of intensive air often
si1es. The British policy from the
start Of the war has allowed to-'
cign cores ondents much freedom
in describing the destructive re-
suits OF German air attacks and I
row is apparent that Hitler IS BE-
ginning tentatively 10 follow the
enemy example.
The Official German news agency
las described great and small fires
at Kiel following Royal Air Force
raids. with an inference that some
damage was caused to military OBJ
jcctives. II also was admitted that
81 persons had been killed.
Berlin likewise has been a5-
normally flank in permitting some
indications to be sent abroad CON
terniug casualties and damage IN
the capital, tselh as well as in
other German centers. The men-
lion. even, OF cities subjected TO at
tack. has previously been largely
concealed,
The world was allowed to know
OF the desttuctiy, fire aboard the
liner Bremen. While the origin OF
the fire was not described, no de-
Iisl was made Of the natural infer.
once that the conflagration might
have been the result OF a British
bomb.
No such frankness in admitting
losses IN the past has found its way
into German news reports. On the
contrary. British air attacks have
been dismissed as of no cons p
uuence except that an unusual num-
Der of hospitals have been men
TONED as being bombed, as though
IN reply to charges Of German in
humanity.
II would not realistic to con-
Clude that the change in the
character OF the German reports
is due to sudden accuracy In British
hombings as though previous At
lacks really had been resultless.
There have been too many Royal
Air Force assaults on German
cities for that explanation to be
acceptable.
One possible reason for the
change in German publicity meth
DDS is the skepticism created
abroad regarding the accuracy %
Nazi reports. The Germans are
sensitive TO foreign opinion when
it reflects on their efficiency and
IL is scarcely efficient propaganda
always 10 claim great damage 10
obiectiyes in enemy territory and
none to ones own.
The British reputation for frank
ness in admitting losses to them
selves, increases belief In reports
OF their own successes. The .Gex
mans have been deficient In not
realizing The importance OF obtain.
ing a reputation for truthful re.
porting
World public opinion is much in.
fiuenced by the degree OF trust
that can be placed in oflclsl com
muniques The world knows that
the German people are not allowed
70 know all that is going on out
side their own land, for heavy pen
altes including the death sen
tence, are imposed on German
citizens listening to foreign broad
casts But IL Is not TO Germany
advantage 10 pretend 10 the worit
that German cities have a mrBcu
lous immunity from falling bombs
Another reason that may e.
plain the more open policy Of al
hitting losses is the lmpossibilit,
Of concealing The consequences .
air attacks Indefinitely. from tn
German people, themselves. Sucl
news inevitably spreads and vhei
It does so by word Of mouth. tn
natural tendency is for the origins
story to grow.
People in a bombed German cit,
know what has happened, in seu
eral and they cannot be prevcnte
from telling their tale as tho
travel. That Is a condition not ad
yantageous 10 maintaining HON
morale
The Fuehror cannot afford {
permit his followers to obtain Al
imp. ession that he Is decelvin
them. With the tempo Of BIRTHS
air raids over Germany now In
creasing, more and more damage {
certain 10 be inflicted.
To continue TO tell the peopl
OF Germany that the results ar
unimportant and inconsequentia
would be poor moral strategy. Tn
facts must circulate within Gel
many in some form or other, and
would seem wiser for Hitler I
allow the government 10 make tn
sad admissions rather than 10 tr
TO fool the people against thei
own knowledge