Evening star., 1943-10-20
By GUNNAR T. PHIL.


many's only effective answer to
Allied air raids is fighter aircraft
and antiaircraft artillery. The
swltch-over of German aircraft
factories from bomber to fighter
production shows how clearly the
German command appreciates this.
The hundreds of night fighters
which protect Berlin are a formi-
dable foe to challenge, and will not
be beaten until the Royal Air, Force
begins to mount heavier armament,
such as that carried by American
planes in the rear turrets.
FLAX is much less dangerous,
though it is loud and flashy. The
batteries are mainly served by bov
soldiers Tin factories by crews of
German workers.. who have not the
accuracy of the old regulars.
Here I may say that the use of
these boys in the armed forces is
undermining the whole educational
system in Germany-but more of
that later.
Secret Service Efficient.
1t was fax which first gave me
an insight into the efficiency of the
British secret service, which is much
dreaded by Germany.
Time after time I had heard of
cases OF factories being attacked lust
day after flax batteries protecting
them had been removed elsewhere
In Cologne I saw for myself how
lght bombers came over and leis-
urely attacked strategic point from
which l had observed batteries be-
ing removed by rail some hours
before.
Berlin is always nervous
grumbling, temperamental city, and
lts people do not stand up to bomb
ing as we'll as Western Germans,
possibly because they are not so
accustomed to it.
You see in Berlin none of the
gay, gamin humor exhibited bv
Londoners in 1910, no comic signs
or slogans Chalked up outside shops
and houses the day after a raid.
Berhners are sullen and apathetic
but not rebellious. They grumble
necessarily in the shelters and
sometimes the grumbling emerges
into the open.
After the raid on the capital on
March l, I watched DR.. Goebbels
inspect the demolished Pragerplatz
with his suite. People stood around
watching him sourly, then somebody
shouted: I'VE thank our Fuehrer."
Goebbels Driven to Flight.
Soon all the spectators were
shouting the same words in chorus
ana Goebbels was literally driven
to flight.
But reports of disturbances and
riots IN Berlin are nonsense. There
will be only one riot in Germany
the last.
Morale has, above all, been affect
ed by the housing shortage and
mass evacuations.
Taking case in point. the evacu-
alton of Berlin began on August 3.
when so trains left daily for the
east with women, children and aged
people. Since then 100000 people
have left the capital.
Their hosts in country districts
receive them unwillingly: they
themselves dislike their new sur
roundings and the cramped living
conditions, and quarrels, discomfort
ard depression grow apace.
You have only to read constantly
recurring articles in the German
press dealing with these problems
to realize how serious they are be-
coming.
Goebbels, Goering and Hitler. him
self, have tried and are still trying
TO bolster up morale with promises
Of revenge on England
A whispering campaign, spread
cunningly as only the lame doctor
can spread it, has told the German
people that new secret weapons will
shortly repay the English terrorists"
in their own coin. Hitherto these
promises have been received skep-
tlcally by the German people.
Secret Weapons Actually Exist.
1t Is strange fact. however. that
these secret weapons do actually ex-
lst. England has already been told
by Prime Minister Churchill of
new bomb being used against Brit
ish shipping, but they have only
heard whispers hitherto of the So
called rocket gun
1 know for positive fact that
these guns do exist, not only singly
in the experimental stage, but al
ready installed in batteries along the
French Channel coast.
They are gigantic guns with bar