The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1942-05-14
Hitler Changes
u. S. Relations
Americans, Who Fed Post
War Reich, Alienated
By Nazi Rule.

WASHINGTON. German -Ameri-
can relations since the last war have
been divided into two distinct Sec
tons by the advent of the Nazi re-
CINE. For more than decade after
the signing of the Versailles peace
treaty, Germany and, the United
States maintained the best of rela-
tions, with Americans contribut-
ing a great deal of money to try to
help the German people back on
their feet. The policies and &C
tions of the Hitler government,
however, were so repugnant to
American ideals, that rapid de-
terioration of relations set in, culmi-
mating eventually in Germany's dec
laration of war.
After the last war, the United
States made no distinction between
friend and foe in its humanitarian
effort to alleviate suffering in Eu-
rope. Its ally, Belgium, its former
enemy, Germany. and the still un'
known quantity, Soviet Russia.
shared equally in relief program
sponsored by Americans. The Qua
kers set up soup kitchens in Ber-
lin and in other large cities in Ger
many. The Hoover Food Relief or
ganization came along later to dis
tribute flour, bacon and other es-
sential commodities to the hungry.
This program continued for several
years after the peace treaty had
been signed.
Then Came Hitler.
During the early postwar years,
Germans never talked about Amerl-
cans as they did about their other
World war enemies. Even after the
Nazi regime came into power, many
of them, remembering the friendly
American "doughboys" in the Rhine
area and the help rendered by
American relief organizations, con-
tinued to hope that the German gov
eminent would not involve the Unit
ed States in the present war.
For much of the decade follow
ing the Versailles peace conference.
Americans poured money into Ger
many by buying German securities,
not only government bonds, but
also those issued by states, munich
palities and private concerns. Aft
err the French had occupied the Ruhr
industrial area and the PREPARATIONS
question came to head, Prime
Minister Baldwin of Great Britain
appealed, to the United States to In
vestigate Germany's capacity tn pay
and help settle the problem.
In the meantime, American tour.
lists fiocked' to Germany and became
the favorite foreign visitors in tina,
country. The German merchant ma
rine continued to expand, and many
visitors Travelled on the crack liners
of the North German Lloyd ano
Hamburg American Lines in pref
erence to American ships. Mos
Americans felt that the German EN-
pire had been forced into the wal
by it's kaiser and that the German
people, on the whole, were nice folks
who had not wanted war.
But as Adolf Hitler's party slowly
came to power, Germany's rela
tons with the United States became
worse. The democratic American
people could not stomach the anti
Jewish pogroms, the curtailment o
all freedom Inside Germany.
Treaty Breaking Factor.
Germany's lack Of respect for In
ternational treaties also alienatet
the friendship of the people OF TIT
United States.
Although the feeling of the ma
iority of the American people to
ward Germany was by this tim
plainly clear. the propaganda or
gans of the German government
continued their efforts to WOO ad
herents to the Nazi scheme O
things. Finally this year Presiden
Roosevelt ordered the prominen
leaders of the propaganda outlet
expelled as well as all German cor
suls. Germany again retaliated b.
expelling all American consuls 1
Germany and German-occupied tel
ritory. An exchange was effecte
by sending the expelled Germans t
| Lisbon on the United States nav
transport West Point on July 1:
which returned with the expelle
Americans. t..&
When Japan attacked the Unite
States, it became evident that a Gel
man declaration Of war would 500
follow.