Evening star., 1941-01-13
World Civil War
Vital Concern 10
u. 5, Mann Says
Town Hall Speaker
Declares Nuzis Aim
To EnsIuve All

men who believe in beStiality and
high explosive bombs" and the men
who believe in the spiritual rights
of human beings, Thomas Mann,
the novelist. said here last night.
Lecturing at the Town Hall reid
in the Shoreham Hotel, Dr. Mann
warned that the battle in Europe
was not one which could be held
within national borders. For it Is
a struggle. he said, which the most
barbaric and lowest type of men the
world has ever seen are making to
enslave all humankind
"I am. IN common with MANY
Americans, of the opinion that this
war is very much Americas conIcln,
not only in the moral and ideOlogi-
cal sense, but in the most vial
sense he continued
DR. Mann said that almost
miracle is necessary today 10 save
the world, including this country,
from enslavement." and said that
Americans who were heSitant 70
take action against the menace Of
Fascism we're threatening to bttrav
the world into the hands Of tie
dictators
Warns Against Silence.
DR.. Mann opened his talk by tell
| ing of a friend who had suggested
that he steer clear of political sub
| jects in his talk because, as a Eu-
ropean speaking to an American
audience, he might burn his
| fingers"
The novelist, who left GERMANY
because he could not abide the Nazi
dictatorship, said in answer to this
contention:
| Not to speak on political prob
! lens because they might burn my
fingers? But this is a moment this
| is time, this is world situation in
which one cannot speak at all with
out burning ones fingers.
"Or should We anticipate totali-
/ tartan silence, the silence Of the
graveyard. which has spread over
! the European continent like a
shroud and will. if destiny continues
undeterred, before long spread also
over this continent and then lit
orally cover the world-a soundless
snow blanket in a world-Winter in
which not only free word, but also
not a free thought, no courage, no
pride, no high mindedness, no ridf-
cule of force by spirit. nothing.
nothing, nothing human thrive any
longer?
Isn't it a little previous for US
in this country to practice IN ad-
vance dull silence?"
No Place for Pacifism.
| Since Fascism is menace to all
men of the world, DR.. Mann con-
| tended. all men have right to speak
against it. He then warned Ameri-
cans that we must take action to
/ combat the forces of evil
| He said that pacifiSm was a con-
ception which could not be tolerated
in the present situation. Pacifsm,
| which was a noble yearning of the
average people of the world, cannot
save the world from the dictators,
he declared.
The desire for peace-the percep-
! ton that war was futile and waste
/ full thing-was milestone in the
/ struggle of the western peoples for
civilization, he pointed out. And he
! said that this very desire for peace
/ had been used by the dictators to
prey on the average people.
The dictators have never had
anything on their minds since they
came into power but war, force and
oppression" he said. Yet they claim
that they sought peace and call
everybody who refused to submit to
HitleriSm ''war-monger."
"A pacifism which supports the
enemy in his perverted insults be-
longs to the fifth column" Dr.,
Mann declared. r
Cites Nazi Arms Cost.
Others who seek reasons to ayoiG
taking action against the dictator,
are those objective ones who lool,
back on the 1918 peace and say the
countries of Europe must nov make
atonement," he said. But he argued
that the countries which had fallen
to the Nazis had been forced 10
submit to more than mere atone
ment.
That Germany has a right to
place in the sun, I know. But a
nation doesn't take its place IN the
sun by shrouding the rest Of the
world in night and horror"
DR. Mann denied the Nazi argu-
ment that Germany had 10 fight
to overcome poverty, pointing out
that Hitler had said that in the
last four years Germany had spent
the equivalent of 40 billion dollars
on arms. rs that povertv?" he
asked
Praises Growing Unity.
The idea of thrusting England
out OF Europe is an old one" he
said, pointing out that Napoleon
mao the same plan. To expect that
england, the country of Shakespeare
ana Milton, should abandon interest
IN the white race and retire to the
oouth Sea Islands is an impudence
which exceeds even anything at
trlbuted to British arrogance.
Inc most promising thing which
is taxing place in the world today,
ne declared, is the growing uni1ca-
tlon OF the English-speaking vorld:
Our goal must be a new world
confederation-a democraCy Of states
IN which freedom and equality have
reached a new balance" he con-
cluded.
On the panel which questioned Dr'
mann briefly following his talk we're
senator Ralph o. Brewster OF Name
Eugene Meyer, publisher OF Ins
washington Post; Ernest S. Grlnlln
OF the Library of Congress anu
Erica Mann, the novelists daughtei'
Dr. John w. Studebaker OF tlie
United States Office Of Educa'ioii
acted as chairman.