Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-10-24
WaslAlngeA, .. G.

Wotu 0lcklmS bock % tno 01peoe
matte corps from Germany mdt
eateS that Hitler b beginning b
realize that the United States means
business, and that he made . tragic
mistake in not accepting the advice
of his more Conservative diplomats
who warned him Of this IN the first
place.
In fact, the inside story, which
now can be told, is one Of the most
tragic Of the war. Possibly II It had
not been for overweening personal
jealousies the war might even have
been prevented.
What happened was that when
Hans Dieckhon, German ambassa-
dor to Washington, returned to Ber-
lin in 1888, he brought back . strong
report that the United States would
enter the war eventually II Germany
became the aggressor. He was
ready to warn that Germany faced
a repetition Of 1918. But Foreign
Minister Won Ribbentrop would not
let him see Hitler.
Ribbentrop, probably the most
ambitious man around der Fuehrer
wanted to be the funnel for al ad-
vice going to Hitler. Also he was
feeding him his own kind Of aggres-
sive advice, not the cooling caution
Of Ambassador Dieckhoff.
In the same cautious school with
the ambassador were Baron Won
Neurath, recently ousted ~ COVER
nor Of Czechoslovakia because ot
his moderate views; Hjalmar
Schacht, governor Of the Rsichs-
bank, now In virtual retirement:
and Capt. Fritz Wiedemann, Hitler's
former commander and more r.
Gently consul general At San Fran
cisco. Even Field Marshal Goer.
ing was much more moderate than
Won Ribbentrop.
Czech Putsch Delayed.
It was Captain Wiedemann, who,
around May, 1888, chiefly persuaded
Hitler not to invade Czechoslovalkia.
He was then Hitler's military aide
and attended 4 meeting Of der
Fuehrer's inner advisers at which
general staff advised caution. Final
ly Hitler, exasperated, threw up his
arms and ordered them all out Of the
room. But Wiedemann stayed BE-
hind, and finally persuaded his chief
to delay the march into Cezchoslo-
valkia at least until the fall Of 1885
which was done.
Later, 1t was Wiedemann and his
moderates who persuaded Hitler to
receive Chamberlain and Daladier
nj SrH R,,kt oVv<
too late for Ambassador Dieckhofi
to tell his story.
Ribbentrop never forgave Wiede-
mann for this. Also his Wanting
ambition would permit no rival close
to Hitler. So, shortly thereafter, he
got Wiedemann transferred to 4 dis
tant and relatively unimportant
German consulate in the U.S.A.
Later when Wiedemann was deport-
ed from this country, it is signih-
cant that Ribbentrop once again
transferred him as far as possible
from Berlin-this time to Tientsin,
China.
The foreign minister Of Germany
wants no moderates around.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN
Don't be surprised il U. s. war
ship disembarks a load Of Nazi
sailors and turns them over to the
justice department to be tried on
charges Of piracy" ~
1t Is even possible that In the
''haul" may be an armed Nazi raid
er or two that had been operating
down Brazil way.
Anything may happen these event
full days since the President enun-
ciated U. S. determination to main
tain freedom Of the seas, and
branded Nazi submarines and sur
face raiders in American waters as
pirates. Armed Nazi ships are
prowling American waters and the
u. S. navy has its orders.
It can be revealed that neither
the justice nor war department
would be surprised if they had some
pirate" seamen and pirate" craft
to deal with soon. Both have been
quietly studying for a week the law
and precedents concerning such an
eventuality.
The war department enters the
picture because under the law all
war prisoners landed on U. S. soil
come under custody of the army.
However, the U. S. is not at war,
SO there is doubt over the army's
jurisdiction.
No final decision has been
reached, but the consensus of the
legal experts is that any such
pirates" should be turned over to
the justice department.
One suggested procedure is that
the Nazis be landed at 4 U. S. port
and then jailed by the Justice de-
partment as aliens without pass
ports. But most Of the legal author
tiles contend that the Nazis should
be dealt with squarely as buccaneers.
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