Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-26
Killers Ills
Exaggerated
In Stockholm
But Germans Tightening
Belts, Nevertheless
BY PAUL MALLON

bttu hlNNoNt tu III sNlbi hilpilis
II centcTS around the bar of the
Grand Hotel, a name full Of
movie spy history The nights
are long. the weather cold and
the brannvin Swedish vodka
stimulating
The hoStclry is ovcrrun with
Nali agents, bearing credentials
from remote German newSpa-
perS. unable to afford even a
correspondent at home. The
official Nazi news agency, DNB.
also preSideS there. Plenty Of
German oney is floating
around, although 1t is necessary
only to pay the bar bill in most
Instances.
Swedish officials dare not risk
the ire of the NazlS, hemmcd IN
As they are by Nazi might. The
Swedish press. likewise, fur
nlShcS fertile rumor soil as II
ranges IN interest from straight
Communist TO straight NaZl.
Hitler has even installed a press
attaChe at his Stockholm -lcga-
ton TO make his machine COM
pletc
cut Of this murky atmosphere
has noated most Of the stories
of probable German collapse and
Of the troubles between Hitler
and his generals. That is why
most officials here do not believe
this most comforting news that
has come out of this war so far.
They have full reports on the
rumor factory. and they cannot
conceive of any information dis
pleasing 10 Hitler escaping from
Stockholm.
Common suspicion is that Hit
Ter is overplaying his troubles TO
the world mot letting any Of the
rumOrS escape at home. mind
you in order TO spar for time
to prepare new offenSiveS.
NOTE Brrne. switzerland.
is another official phony-rumor
hotbed, but not as hot as Stock
holm. The Swiss feel freer 10
regulate the correspondents of
Der Dortmund Bladder, etc, and
hold them down. They have,
for instance, suppressed circula-
ton of foreign legation news
letters" which are freely dis
tributed in Stockholm
MOT through Stockholm. but
~ in more trustworthy way.
comes information of how the
German belt is tightening ever
tighter.
Some time ago, the NaziS
requiSitioned 10000 tons of
French cheese with a promise
to deliver 100000 tons of pota-
toes in return. This was three
times as much cheese as their
previous contract required. The
Nazis needed the cheese as con-
centrated food for their army in
Russia. They got the cheese,
but. before the potatoes could
be delivered, the Nazis informed
the French such a potato short
age had developed that the
French not only would have TO
forget about receiving any. but
would have 10 give the NazlS
100000 tons instead.
German potato crop this past
season was supposed 10 be %
million tons, compared with 40
millions the previous year. But
an early freeze and the labor
shortage ruined much of the
supply GrimmcSt Joke in Ger
many is about froSt-bittcn pota-
toes. but before the end OF the
winter. IT Will be no Joke
lNOTE-One thing the Ger
mans do not lack is champagne.
Weekly purchases Gin worthless
special marks, of courSeD have
run around $4,000 bottles.
French records show they had
delivered to the Germans AT the
end of last May 5O00,0 600 600
bottles Of champagne
STRONG man behind the Rio
- conference was BraZiIS
President Vargas The public
has heard more about ms for
clen minister Aranha hut II
WAS Vargas IN person who re
sisted the strongest pressure of
tho AXIS
The Italian ambassador FIRST
told Aranha January l3 that
Japan would declare war on
BralIl If She Joined Us In >cycr.
auce of diplomatic AXIS rcla-
'on> Certain ANS diplomats
came around four day, later,
fr SEQ Norga, himself With
stronger hints that Germany
auj iall would do likewise
NUga, personally showed them
Tho door
II took quite a blt of courage
Brazil is nearest Latin point for
ANS invasion and has a >ubstan.
tIal ANS population. It's preSi.
dents DO no. get elected and rur
the country freely for foul
years, but, rs they say polntcdll
below the Equator. must "kccI
on the alert
pRlTAINS insiders Calculat,
- tho Nali losses IN Russia a
1000 600 KILLED wounded. prIS
oncrl but our authorities iguT,
nIn lIl LFt4l,n.. mol,