Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-10-21
Retaliation in HitIers New War Of Atrocities
Furnishing Only Those Truly Guilty Is Urged

the United Nations would differ
entiate between ordinary Ger
mans and those guilty of atroc-
tiles in the enemy countries
obviously has been effective. The
German propaganda for do
nestle consumption has had
one consistent line-namely, that
Germans must all stand or all
perish together; that defeat
would mean the determination OF
the Germans as a nation and a
race; that the war was against
the German people, not the Nazis.
The Presidents statement came
at a critical moment-When there
was great unrest and even defec-
tons from German ranks in the
occupied countries. There recently
have been reports from France,
Belgium and Norway to this
effect. So it seems that among
the German common soldiers
there are many who are trying
to find a personal way out.
Hitler, therefore. wants to Gre
ate situa ton where he can say
to all Germans: IF you fall into
the hands of the British, your
life will be endangered. For there
are no prisoners in this war" In
other words, his threats against
British prisoners is really whip
against his own people.
War of Atrocities.
The second motive is an act of
terroriZation.
He is saying to us: IF you
insist on continuing to fight and
won't negotiate peace, you are
in for a war of atrocities. Do
you want that kind of war?'
1t is the introduction of a new
weapon into the war, namely
terrorism and personal brutality,
with the double object of awaken
ing the horror of mankind for
peace at almost any price, en-
phasizing to his own people that
they must fight and win, or perish,
promising the German people
some kind of revenge for the
bombings which he promised
them never would happen and
against which he cannot retaliate,
and, finally, putting the guilt for
the whole thing on the Allies.
Punish Only Truly Guilty.
If this is the true explanation,
and it is the only logical one that
I can think of, then the Allied
governments must be very careful
not to fall into a trap. 1t has
been acknowledged for centuries
that the only protection against
breaches of international law is
retaliation. But if one is dealing
with enemies who are systemati-
cally trying to create retaliations,
then one must think twice.
There is real dilemma here.
For the Allies to refuse to retail
late will be interpreted in Ger
many as weakness, and will be
bad for the morale of our own
soldiers. But to retaliate will be
good for the morale of the Ger
mans and play into Hitler's
hands.
There may be, however, a solu-
ton. Whatever reprisals we take
must be reprtsals that will divide
the German nation and illustrate
our policy of Furnishing the truly
guilty. In the camps of German
prisoners there are those that
are Nazi and those that are not.
In many many cases these Nazls
have made life uncomfortable for
other German prisoners. The
virulent and sadistic Nazis might
be sorted out now, put into sepa-
rate camps, and the world told
that if any atrocities are COM
mitted against Allied prisoners.
these Nazi prisoners, and these
alone, will suffer.
There may be some other an
swer but before we act we should
see the situat alton clearly-and we
should certainly publicize our ex-
PLANTATION of it in the widest pos