Evening star., 1944-09-17


within short time already is being OBJ
scured by reports from some Of the lib
Grated countries indicating revolution
ary undercurrent which might plunge
Europe into a prolonged civil war; Only
an extremely wise and energetic policy
on the part of the big three" can avoid
conditions as bad as the war itself. Since
Moral standards as were known before
the war disappeared. People of the same
country were divided between collabora-
tionists and groups of resistance While
Hitler was waging war against the arm
les of the various European states his
policy of bribery, threats and cruelty
divided up the peoples Of the various
countries into definitely hostile groups
harboring unmitigated hatred for one
another.
To the propaganda poison was added
the fact that certain selected groups
which were thinking more in terms of
personal comfort and advancement than
in terms Of what was best for their
country received preferential treatment
from the enemy. These quislings and
their minions were well fed, well housed
and enjoyed every imaginable comfort
Of life. In the background were the
many others who had to live on pit
tance, If they lived at all.
NeutraIs Poorly Treated.
In the Nazi-occupied countries the
"neutrals," the men who adopted pas
sive attitude, did not fare much better.
They practically joined the ranks of the
under privileged. Homes were broken up
and every member of the family had to
get out and try his best to make liv-
ing.
In the last 18 months when the un-
derground movement began to get sup
port from the outside, many men and
women-particularly the younger peo-
pie between the age of IA and 25-
joined various underground groups. They
did not have much to eat, but they felt
that they were doing their duty and also
were supplied with certain rations which
made life possible. But they all learned
quickly how to handle a rifle, a pistol,
a tommy gun, knife and a hand
grenade.
Their education in the three RS may
have been neglected. But they received
a political indoctrination which they
absorbed quickly because of the condi-
tions and times in which they were liv-
ing. The human hunt has been the
principal occupation of the youths in
all the Nazi-occupied countries. They
were taught by experience to hate not
only the enemy but also all the "collab-
orators" They respected no authority
except the authority Of the persons who
happened to be in charge Of q particular
underground group.
Groups Were Isolated.
OF necessity these groups we're iso-
lated. Only the leaders Of the indiv-
ual groups were in contact with the
principal organizers. Security demanded
that those in authority remain anony-
nous to all but a few. Under these
conditions, all respect for a central au-
thority, such as is necessary in every
of law and order, has ceased to exist in
most of the German-held countries from
France to Poland. Lawlessness was the
watchword of these young members of
the underground movements whose Job
it was to kill the enemy and the
suspected coAaborationists, to destroy
anything that may be of military value
and whenever possible, highjack trucks
with food and other supplies in order to
provide for themselves or those who
were too old to become active under
ground members.
When these things are done by mil
itary force of men who are told that
such is war, the aftermath is not lasting
Soldiers have to kill the enemy in an
orderly manner when he refuses to sur
render. But they fight in the open in
an orderly fashion. The underground
movements must fight more or less in
the manner Of gangsters. This does not
detract from their heroism and abnega-
ton. But this free life, when a young
ster sleeps one night in cellar and the
next night in the bushes and moves
about with the knowledge that tomorrow
he may be facing firing squad, has
created generation which will be diff
f1cult to handle. 1t has created a gener-
alton Of super -individualists who know
no law except their own.
We are already seeing the conse.
quences Of this situation in Paris, where
hunt for collaborationists already has