The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-04-28

Exiled Germans
May be Helpful
Following War
BY Charles p. Stewart

There are, OF course. some ciyi.
lized folk even in AXIS countries.
How many, is problematic.
Doubtless they are numerous
in the small Axis-conquered states
which the totalitarians rule fore
IDLY but which they have not con
verted and in which the natives
are afraid to express themselves
openly.
Italy seems to have Topped
pretty well out of the totalitarian
column. with the exception OF
Duce Mussolini and a small group
about him. Even Benito is some
what OF an uncertainty, il he
dared TO seCede from his one
sided alliance with Herr Hitler
At any rate, there is no question
that there is a formidable element
Of good Italians-probably a ma
Jarity.
Spain, with totalitarian govern
meHt- but a strongly democratic
population. is hollering for the
Nazis to make peace with the Al
lies on the best terms the former
can get-if any. short of uncon-
ditional surrender.
That about cleans up Europe,
barring Germany.
That does not dispose OF "a
pan, but Nippon is a separate
consideration.
The essential problem is: How
about the Germans?
Now, regarding them as a pres
ent-day nation, do not believe
that anybody would access the
bulk of the home-staying element
otherwise than as would-be con-
querors.
But there may be quite a bunch
OF Germans who are pretty good
liberals.
We have, here in the United
States, quite crew OF good, as
simulated Americans Of German
origin.
Carl Schurz, on a large scale,
was one of the aggregation-an
adopted Yankee statesman of the
best quality.
Right today We have American
commanders. against the Axis.
whose names bark back to other
than Anglo-SaXon ancestries.
How about Gen. Dwight Essen
hover. for instance? And Gen.
Carl Spaatz.
These chaps parents or grand
parents date back to a day when
they not only would not have
stood for so tough a regime as
Herr Hitler's. but ducked out
from a ksiser's and a Bismarck
comparatively mild despotism,
for a freer government.
Now, aren't there quite a few
Germans still in Germany who
would like to get rid of Adolf?
Well, a meeting gcently held
in Stockholm hints at an anirma.
tive answer.
II was a convention OF exiled
Germans (eXiled as fugitives from
Nazism) who are trying to see if
they cannot frame up a peace pro-
gram, according to their own
liberal ideas and in continuity
with the United Nations.
These birds might be corking
good friends of ours.
They appear to hate Herr Hit.
Ter more vehemently than we do,
since they are more direct vic
Tins of his persecution. Given a
chance, they might rebel against
him. forcing him TO have a revo-
luton on his hands.
The organization is called the
Friends of German Freedom. As
ISOLATED with it are similar exiles
from other Ayisly-dominated coun-
tries, notably Italy.
These Friends of German Free
DOM have an organization in the
United States. too. Mrs. Franklin
j. Roosevelt has attended one of
its meetings, and has written
about it in her newspaper column.
They seem to be a pretty cap
able and conscientious group.
Having been expstriates for quite
awhile, they probably are gen.
orally above the fighting age.
but they are likely to be exceed
ingly Influential. on account OF
their antecedents.
The query suggests itself.
How much attention will such
groups be entitled to under the
postwar world administration?
II will be hard TO disregard
them completely, in setting up,
say, new Germany. Peace plan
ners are considerably puzzled by
the prospect. The complication
has quite a bit OF weight in pre-.
liminary discussions.