Evening star., 1944-06-25
Free Germany Committee
May Present Peace Problem
Anti.Hitler Group Operating in Russia and to
Some Extent in U. S. May Seek Voice
in Ultimate Decisions
By Constantine Bro,vn

tine BrOVn
ally to obtain support from the west
ern democracies.
OF this Stain was not sure He hoped
that the dire circumstances in which
Britain and the United States would
find themselves after Hitler had con-
quered all of Western Europe might
induce them to support the U. s. s. r.
Those who were in Moscow and were in
the confidence Of the Kremlin in the
fateful month of June, I941, say that
Prime Minister Churchill,s declaration
that Britain would extend all her sup
port to Russia was the greatest piece Of
news ever received in the Kremlin.
Mr.. Churchilis unconcealed hostility
to the Soviet government had led the
Russian Premier to believe that Britain,
threatened with defeat, would adopt
what then appeared to him as the only
policy which might save the empire. He
was mistaken. Mr. Churchill displayed
more craftsmanship than he was given
credit for in Moscow. Mr.. Churchill ID
a western, not an Oriental politician.
and that fact made Stains fears
unjustified. Whatever unexpressed
thoughts regarding the future the Brit
ish Prime Minister may have had. he
could not switch to Hitler regardless of
what tempting proposals the Fuerhrer's
emissaries may have conveyed to him.
Needed Allied Help.
Russia, unsupported by the United
States and Great Britain, could not
have withstood the powerful military
machine Hitler had built in six years.
But Russia with an unlimited support
OF war material and food from the
United States and Britain, could look at
the future without any misgivings. In
the light OF the present developments, it
Is obvious that the Red armies had to
lose battles, but they were certain Of
victory in the end against the German
legions
The policies of Washington and Lon
don toward defeated Germany are
clear and on the record. Both govern
ments desire the dismemberment of the
Reich into number of republics This
Is not due to any vindictive spirit. But
the people Of America and Britain do
not wish to see another strong militaris-
tic Germany emerge 20 or 80 years
hence. The militaristic spirit is strong
among the German people. American
and British policy trainers have come to
the conclusion that unless the Reich
ceases to exist as an entity, as Bismarck
had established in 1871, the threat to
peace in Europe from that nation Of
warriors will never cease.
What Russia's ideas are is not quite
certain yet. Many observers see in some
of the public utterances Of Premier
Stain an indication that he does not
fully share the views OF President Roose-
velt and Prime Minister Churchill. They
may, Of course, be mistaken. The po-
Htical concessions made at Teheran by
q shs American and British leaders are
said to have been so extensive that Rus
sia may be tempted to 60 along with us.
Observers who have the inside track on
our diplomatic activities say 1t is incon-
ceivable that Russia, which has been
given the green light to extend herself
as far as the Elbe River and the Adriatic
Sea, would wish to maintain unified
Germany
There are, however, certain factors
which support the theory of others that
Russia Is willing to maintain a unified
Germany patterned after the Soviet
system.
Committee Expands.
The maintenance of the Free Germany
Committee, with leaders from all walks
OF life in Germany from the typical
Junker Gen. Won Seydlitz, Count Won
Einsidel, many preachers, ministers, for
mer industrialists who had been be-
trayed and threatened by Hitler to
actual German Communists who had to
flee their country in 1888, is not to the
liking of the American and British gov
ernments. At Moscow Foreign Commits
sar Molotov had assured Secretary Of
State Hull that this Free Germany
Committee would be abolished, since the
Moscow agreements among the three
Allies make its existence superfluous.
However, the committee has expanded
since the conference. 1t exists not only
in Russia but also in the United States.
Gen. Won Seydlitz is concerned over
the maintenance of Germany as
whole after the war. In order to achieve
this aim, he has placed himself at the
disposal of the Soviet authorities to
fight Hitler and induce as many Ger
man troops as possible to surrender and
form the Germany Army of Liberation
under the auspices of the Soviet gov
ernment Further, he has undertaken
to get the prisoners of war in the United
States and Britain into this army, which
is now said to include in Russia about
100000 officers and soldiers.
s..ssssArticles written by this assistant COM
mander Of the Nazi armies at Stalin-
grad are being sent DO America and
Britain and are being circulated in the
prison camps. Officers in the camps
deal drastically with the men who are
willing to read anti-Nazi propaganda.
But they have too much respect for
rank to interfere with the literature
signed by such high-ranking officers as
Sen. Won Seydlitz, Gen Benedikt and
other mighties of the Reichswehr.
Calls Hitler Betrayer.
The tenor of these articles is that
Germany has been betrayed by Hitler
and all the other German rulers who
have not followed the advice of Bis
marck: that the only way of salvation
for the Reich is to associate itself as
soon as possible and unrestrictedly with
Russia. The mistakes of the past mas