Evening star., 1942-02-23
Conquered Peoples
OF Europe Expect
u. ). 10 Free Them
Uncle Sum Is Viewed
As Crushing Hitler in
One Mighty Blow
BY IVES GALLAGHER,
Wide World News.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23-Europe's
little people, trodden under by Nazi
legions, look on the United States
as sort of a mechanical Goth CEN
tury Galahad capable of crushing
Hitler's military might and reliev-
ing their suffering in one grandiose
blow.
The John Smiths of the occupied
countries respect Britain's courage
and Russia's victories, but look to
America for liberation.
Peasants in Greece, BARRIERS in
Yugoslavia, streetcar conductors in
Denmark and walters in France
have drawn for themselves a mental
picture of the great land across the
sea-"
A picture based on movies, Ameri-
can-sponsored charity organizations,
letters from cousins who have gone
to the. United States to make their
fortunes and free-spending Ameri-
cans whom they have seen touring
their countries.
If cartoonist were creating
Cy ilOO11S SoIA1kJOS1CC vi q Wllls Vi UI1COC
mental pictures, he might well show
a giant streamlined tank with
wings racing at high speed through
Germany's demoralized armies
spewing death before it, while a
funnel in the rear pours out end
less piles of butter, eggs, meat and
bread for starving civilians.
oLoL too l,-;xy Lt,
President Roosevelt, for, despite
ceaseless Nazi propaganda, his name
is known with respect even in the
remotest mountains of Albania
where Hitler's is used to frighten
naughty children.
No Long Campaign.
These little people have watched
the awesome German power butcher
their armies, but they remain SUI
premely confident that this same
Nazi army will fall apart when
America throws it's military weight
around on big scale.
They expect no long -drawn-out
campaign of bitter battles going
first one way, then the other. They
expect nothing less than master
stroke which will shatter Hitler's
power overnight-perhaps through
the use of some futuristic weapon.
Reason tells them that it is un-
likely, but their desires, coupled
with their exaggerated cinema
cleaned ideas, bolster their beliefs.
Many never have seen an Ameri-
can airplane, but even while the
mighty German air force hurled
death at them from the sky they
said, America builds them bigger
and better"
They expect the United States to
fill the sky with planes, cover the
ground with tanks.
In the cities, villages and remote
mountain farms of the starving
Balkins the question is:
When will America smash Hit
ler?"
Not will or "can." But when"
The question is usually asked by
some youth in broken England or
French, while. in the%bacKground
an elderly peasant fatherzwho has
never heard a radio nor read a
newspaper will prompt his son to
ask, What will Roosevelt do next?"
Americans Give, Don't Take.
These older peasant, particularly
In France and the Balkans, have
seen the Stars and Stripes sudden
ly come from nowhere in times of
famine and war to give food and aid,
then go away without asking any
thing in return
Others have come but to take as
well as to receive.
Politicians and diplomats forget,
but Europe's little people have long
memories
They know that America has no
political ambitions in Europe.
Somehow, after this war is over,
they expect America to see that the
conflict is not repeated, but at the
same time not to interfere with
their political life.
They don't know how is to be
done-but they expect America to
find a way.
The harder the Nazi heel crushes,
the more they take refuge in their
dreams.
The more the Goebels- s-controlled
press and radio scream hatred and
abuse at America, the more they
are convinced of her greatness.
To these millions of Europe's lit
tie people only hope is left, and