Evening star., 1942-01-26
This is the fourth OF q series
by q foreign correspondent just
returned from Europe.
By DAVID NJ. NICHOL.

BY DAVID M. NICHOL.
CORRESPONDENT Of The Star and chieaso
Daily News.
To explain to American readers
that Germany Is strong-immensely
strong-is one Of the most difncult
assignments a correspondent can
have.
Unfortunately for the world, 1t is
true. And Germany cannot be de-
feated until the world is prepared
not only to match this strength but
to overpower 1t.
Germany has been bombed. but
the bombings have not crippled its
industry nor destroyed its cities.
Germany has been blockaded. but
Germans still eat as well as any
other people In Europe, with the ex-
ception of the tiny neutral islands
that remain.
German morale-that indeflnable
and vague quality-is not good and
Is getting worse, but there Is no
sign Of imminent collapse. The Ger
mans are sick of war, but they will
60 on until its finish, for there are
but two choices-complete victory
or complete defeat. Anything else
would be but a slight breathing
spell In the worlds history, the pre-
lude to an even greater struggle.
Nazis AmoraL Not Immoral.
What Is most difncult to under
stand is that modern Germany and
its reactions cannot be judged by
any of the standards that human
beings normally apply. Hitler and
his Nai leaders are neither moral
nor immoral. They are without
morals. The government Of the
Third Reich is not means by
which people can live, but an end in
itself to which every human and
material value must be subordi-
mated, an organism with one single
purpose-war and conquest.
Hitler, the uneducated Austrian,
often finds difficulty in translating
his thoughts and ideas into precise
language. German of1icials ponder
for days after each Of the Fuehrer's
speeches, attempting to decipher his
meaning, phrase by phrase. Some
of his ministers are more explicit,
however
Bernhard Rust, who, as Minister
Of Education, has brought all the
schools and colleges Of the Reich
securely into the NaI fold. spoke
last year at the opening OF a new
institution dedicated to training
Germany's future leaders in the
tenets of national Socialism.
1T is the will of the Creator"
Rust said, that the earth should
be a battlefield. 1t is Hitler's deep
est conviction that war is the full
fillment Of the laws of God, and
that only that people which fulfills
these laws can expect the blessings
of providence.
The Germans Believe 1t.
Rubbish, you say! Propaganda!
How can people believe it? More
important, but less generally real
lied, is the fact that people do be-
lieve it-believe 1t in sufficient num-
bers to make OF Hitler a diety with
the additional attributes Of Genghis
Khan, Frederick the Great, and Ma
poleon, believe it by millions and
are prepared to sacrifice everything,
including their lives, for their be-
lief.
I saw Hitler on a number Of oc-
casions, before the robot Reichstag:
in a sickening ceremony at the
grave of Germany's unknown SOL
dier; on the balcony of the Reich
Chancellory with grinning and cagey
Matsuoka. But Hitler's hold on the
German people was never so force
fully demonstrated as in one Of his
annual appearances in the Sports
palast, q huge stadium with $4,000
of the faithful for sounding board.
For an hour and a half he spoke.
He threatened, he cajoled, he almost
cried. His voice went hysterical.
An American audience would have
reached for the tomatoes, but when
it was finished and $4,000 arms went
out in stiff salute, when 5000 voices
joined in the stately national an
them, 1t gave a new and grim mean
ing to Deutschland, Deutschland
Uber Allies" 1t was more than just
line in a song.
Privations-to One End.
Translated into daily life, it means
that the German housewife will
spend almost her entire day trying
to find something for her family to
eat. There Is suhicient bread Of
poor and steadily worsening quality,
most Of the time sufllcient potatoes.
Other vegetables are dificult to find
Meat is carefully rationed to less
than . pound . week. There u
y