Evening star., 1942-06-07
Bidd|e Says Germans
Are on Suicide Trail
By Following Hitler
Attorney General Holds
Dictator Has Launched
Invisible Revolution
B, the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHATTANOOGA, June 6.-Con-
fronted by an absolute, personal
dictatorship, the German nation is
on "the home stretch of suicide
trail" Attorney General Biddle as
serted today.
Speaking at the scene of the Gov
ernment's first sedition trial of the
war, Mr.. Biddle said he could not
predict open revolt in Germany at
this time, but added there is
kind of invisible revolution of which
men are capable"
Two days ago the Government won
a conviction against George w.
Christians, commander of the Cru
sader White Shirts, who was charged
with attempting to incite insub-
ordination among members of the
armed forces.
Telling the Tennessee Bar Asso-
citation the Government is now "over
the hump" in controlling enemy
aliens, Mr.. Biddle turned to Hitler's
assumption of life and death power
over the German people.
Invisible Revolution.
He said the seeds of an invisible
revolution" might spring from "a
corroSion, moral surrender, which
can creep into the back of msn's
minds even while they are outwardly
stimulated by reports of military
victories"
How long the German people
may be able to bear up under this
offensive from their own govern
ment is as much one of the unpre-
dictables of this war as the military
engagements"
Later Mr.. Biddle said in an in
terview that he could see no "in-
consistency" in separate Govern
ment actions in the case of Earl
Browder, leader of the Communist
party of the United States, and
Harry Bridges, West Coast labor
leader.
Mr.. Browder'S four-year sentence
on a passport misuse charge, re-
Gently was commuted by President
Roosevelt to the time served and
Federal penitentiary at Atlanta.
Mr.. Biddle himself has issued an
order to have Mr.. Bridges returned
to his native Australia under an act
OF Congress providing for the de-
portation of aliens who are or have
been members of party advocating
the overthrow of the Government
by force.
Answered Two Questions.
"Browder was released by the
President on the grounds he had
received a sentence far too long for
the offenSe on which he was con-
victed," the cabinet member said
Il believe the President felt that
the sentence might have been in
fiunced by Browder's political con-
victions for which he was not on
trial.
II had only one duty in the
Bridges case. Congress had ex-
pressed its policy, and I had only
to determine the answers to two
questions of fact: Was Bridges at
one time member of the Commu-
mist party? and Was that party one
OF the parties covered in the statute
Of Congress?
I answered both in the afirma-
tive after lengthy study of the
records in the case. I was merely
carrying out the mandate of Con-
gress."
Mr.. Biddle added that carrying
out our internal policies" was not
inconsistent with the United States
present relations with Russia,
which Is waging a gallant" battle
against Germany.
Commenting on the conviction of
Christians, Mr.. Biddle said he felt
the case was tried with great fair
ness and great sympathy"
But, he emphasized: I'VE are
cracking down on real sedition-I
don't mean barroom opinions-and
, 1t will be stopped