Evening star., 1945-04-01
Collapse on Western Front
! Revives Quick End Hopes
Dramatic Developments During April Seen as
Nazi Armies Reel Backward but Formal
Surrender Not So Certain
By Constantine Brovn

permanently disabled. This figure in
cludes, of course, air bombardment cas-
ualties among the civilians. Some ter
ritories with an aggregate population
of about % ,0O0, 900 will be detached from
the Reich and attached to Russia,
Poland, France and other neighboring
states, while Austria will be disjoinec
from the Reich. Reparations "in kind"
asked by Russia will require the transfer
of between 100000 and 100000 able
bodied Germans to whatever parts OF the
Soviet Union their services may be
needed. It is highly doubtful that any
stable number of these PREPARATION
men" will ever return to their homeland.
Moreover, until the devastated areas
in Europe have been completely restored.
the Germans will not be allowed to work
for themselves except to obtain those
necessities to keep body and soul to-
gether. The Allied commissions which
will be placed in the Reich will see that
the bulk of the country's agricultural
and mineral output is shipped to the
countries which have suffered from Ger
man aggression and whatever industries
may be left in fair shape in Germany
wilhoe required to provide Hitler's VIC
Tins with reparations for the damage
done.
OCCUPATION to Be Absolute.
Unlike the situation after the World
War, the Allied control commissions
will exercise almost sovereign rights
over the German people and will be the
only real authority throughout the coun-
try. There will be no easygoing COM
missions like those in 1919 and 1920
which were hoodwinked by the Ger
man authorities who knew how to take
advantage of the underground" ri
valries among the victorious powers.
The military occupation of the Reich
by the Allies will be absolute After
the World War only a portion of the
Reich along the Rhine was under Allied
occupation. The new republican gov
eminent of Herr Friedrich Ebert was
allowed complete freedom of action.
German officials were in charge every
where and co-operated with the Allied
military authorities sulkily. The Allied
military missions in Berlin were a joke.
AS a whole the top men had a good
time while the men under them were
constantly handicapped by the German
bureaucrats in the discharge of their
duties.
This time the situation will be diff
ferent. German officials will function
in all areas, but they will be placed
under the stringent control of the
Allied authorities. The orders given to
the American officers are very strict
All social intercourse with the civilians
has been forbidden under severe PEN
atty. The AMG dficials have been
warned that these instructions are all
"musts" and the slightest infraction
will mean the recall and punishment
of the culprit.
British Orders Similar.
Similar orders have been issued to
the British. As for the French, the
Russians and the junior members OF
the United Nations no specific orders
are necessary. The bitterness and the
hatred of these people are such that they
will have to be cautioned against ruth
lessness rather than against show of
too much leniency.
Under these conditions there is no
question Of enforcement of the de-
mands that the Germans must work and
produce for the nations which their
armies have devastated and keep only
an Insignificant part of their activity
for themselves.
At the end of this war the German
people will be far worse OF than after
the devastating 80 Years War, and there
are many who seriously question
whether the Reich will ever be resur-
rected. 1t is quite conceivable that in
the years to come some sections of East
ern Germany might ask for their in
corporation into the Russian Empire
while other sections in the west might
attempt to integrate themselves into
other parts of Europe such as the Low
Countries and France. Hitler, the great
admirer of Richard Wagner, has sue
ceeded in making the musical drama of
the great German composer reality.