Evening star., 1941-09-10

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Hitler in the front lines pinning
medals on some of his most dis
tinguished murderers. We have
seen him whizzing along in a scout
car through ruins that still smoked
from enemy shells. We have seen
him peeking through camoufage to
fondle a gun muzzle and We havs
seen him flying over enemy territory
to watch his troops in action.
At least we thought we saw Hitler
doing all these things.
Now, from Russia of all places.
comes the intimation that when
these stirring pictures were made
Hitler may have been in no more
danger than a fish in a rainStorm.
The Russian radio has reported the
capture of a German soldier who
is a dead ringer for Hitler-a double
who not only has the smudge mus
tache and rural hair-do Of the
Fuehrer, but who has mastered his
walk and talk and gestures as well.
X X
This opens the way for specula-
ton concerning Adolfs bravery. Is
it possible that he, like the Holly
wood heroes, has a stunt man who
doubles for him when the going gets
tough? I can almost hear the con-
versation between Hitler's double
and the photographers in charge of
proving how brave Hitler is.
Photographer: Der Fuehrer has
telegraphed from his bombproof
shelter in Berlin that he feels very
brave this morning and so will you
please get ready to inspect a tank
trap?"
Double: What an honor to be
brave for our very brave leader.
I am ready"
Photographer: Wear the same
uniform you did in the machine
gun nest picture last Tuesday. Der
Fuehrer said he liked the way he
looked in that"
Double: What medals shall I
wear today?"
Photographer: THE ones Stain
sent after the on-aggression pact
was signed with that country. And
be sure and give me the right pro-
file when you are firing the gun.
Der Fuehrer prefers that side
Double giving a final pat to his
mustache): LET us be off. But
don't forget to carry plenty of film.
Even the Fuehrer's bravery has
limits. And he-we-don't like to
stay under fire while you run back
for plates as you had to do last
week when we directed the building
of a pontoon bridge"
To prove that he still has some
authority left, Benito Mussollni has
decreed the death of the mystery
and detective novel in Italy. Mus
solini did not give any reason for
the ban on these books, most OF
which were by American and Brit
ish authors, but to any one who Is
familiar with the supersleuths OF
modern detective fiction the cause
is obvious.
The detectives eat too well. To
read after them is to have a con-
tinual watering mouth. They are
all gourmets, and for each clue they
unearth they sit down to a meal
where the poorest dish on the menu
Is likely to be grouse with terrapin
sauce. To an italian who has been
on lean rations Of macaroni and
potato bread for years. the reading
of a modern detectives fare would
be torture. From Philo Vance to
Ellery Queen, from Lord Peter VIM
sey to Hercule Poirot, the detec-
tives demand vintage wine, vintage
vegetables, vintage soup, vintage
catsup and vintage salt and pepper.
The detectives don't stop with
three meals a day, either. They are
always having delectable snacks be-
tween meals, and this sort of thing
makes poor reading for Fascists who
have been Tightening their belts on
a diet that doesn't include a single
item that a modern fiction detec-
tive would feed to his pup.
The Italians have been living on
official communiques for several
years now and, while an official
communique of the Axis sort makes
good reading, there isn't much in it
that sticks to the ribs.
| Distributed to McNaught Syndicate. Incl