Evening star., 1945-04-20
Letters to The Star
Agrees With MIR. Kent That Nazis
Must Rehui1d Eurone

NuSt NeDullQ Europe
To the Editor Of The Star:
was much impressed with Frank r
Kent's recent column on the use OF Ger
man labor to rebuild the European
nation. He always is sound in his
analyses, and always enjoy reading
his column.
Without doubt the matter of repara-
tions is paramount in the minds of
Allied statesmen. One thing is certain:
Reparation must be made by Germany
The military occupation and policing
Of the Reich must be supplemented by
such an adjustment of its economic
organization as to reduce the possibility
Of the initiation of third world war
However, the Morgenthau suggestion to
change Germany from an industrial
nation to one predominantly agricul-
tural was impracticable and unsound
In this case, desirablility has to give
way to reality.
Germany always has prided itself on
Its alleged superiority in medicine and
science-an allegation which is open to
challenge. However, having that pride,
it should be willing-or at least it can
have no sound objection-to take its
own medicine, at least In modified form.
For some time German industry must
be devoted primarily to the manufac-
ture of building materials and like op-
erations, with female labor principally
when practicable, while large portion
of the male population must be sent
to the devastated countries to clear
debris and rebuild. However, instead
Of feeding them one-half or one-third
the normal amount of calories per day,
as the Nazis did to others, the other
countries should give them a normal
caloric ration and shelter in barracks,
with a very nominal amount to spend
for incidentals or for remittance to their
families. That, to some degree, will
offset the disturbance of the normal
birth rate in the occupied countries,
brought about by the removal of the
male population to Germany for slave
labor on war projects. 1t will be re-
versal, but to a humane degree and for
rebuilding for peace. of the Nazi con-
scription of labor for the prosecution
of war.
The German people should be told
daily, by press and radio, what their
leaders did, and that they must atone,
and that the resumption of manufac-
ture and the selection of suitable indi-
viduals for "atonement employment" in
other countries will be under the con-
troll and supervision of an Allied repa-
rations commission and its representa-
tives. Properly managed by a COM
petent Allied commission, Germany,
sometime within the next SO years per-
haps, may be made to realize that war
does not pay.
The present war began in fact in 1881,
when Japan invaded Manchuria Mr..
Stimson, our farsighted Secretary Of
State at that time, sought European
cooperation to halt the move, but was
unsuccessful Seeing what Japan had
done. Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, but
the League of Nations was impotent or
disinterested. France and England fool
ishly allowed Germany to remilitarize
the Rhineland. Let not these mistakes
be repeated.
To return to the subject of Mr.. Kept's
column: Whether or not labor, or the
extreme left-wingers, or the liberal ele-
ments in this country dislike the terms
slave labor" or "manpower repara-
tions," the fact remains that this Ma
ton officially must acquiesce, in COM
pliance with public opinion on the sub
ject, in the European demand for
"atonement employment" or whatever
it may be called, of Germans in the
countries which have been devastated.
AS Mr.. Kent says, "the words make lit
tie difference" nc. GAUSS,