Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-06-08
What's
New?
By
Eduard Duck
With The 10Th
Regt. in
Germany
INTOLERANCE

OF appreciation or the otner
fellows point of view is at the
back of most of the worlds
trouble today.
Here in Germany, intoler-
ance has been bred into a
generation, forged into the
character of a nation made up
of 80 million strong-willed
people to degree never be-
fore reached in modern his
tory.
War in Europe has ended
with Germany surrendering
its weapons, but it has not
surrendered its mind. 1t has
not surrendered its intoler-
ance, its philosophy of life,
its staggering, domineering
militaristic fascist thinking.
"Alles Kaput" does not neces-
sarily m n the complete
capitulation of the Germans.
No mere announcement of
surrender could mean that
Fritz or Brunnhilde or even
little Joseph were willing to
agree that the French, Poles,
Belgians and other nationali-
ties were as good as they and
had the right to live in peace
and share the fruits of their
labor.
Could it be possible that
these people who are now so
docile in the presence of
American troops, and who
would be much more docile
had the Russians moved a few
more kilometers westward
could have any love or even
respect for any other race? To
say this could not be might
sound intolerant, but no Amer
ican soldier who has met them,
lived with them, had occasion
to talk with them-or fought
them-could say otherwise.
THEIR CREATION
American soldiers give the
German people credit for turn
ing out three of the fastest fir
ing guns and a terrible, death
dealing SO nm shell. We give
the German soldier credit for
being a dogged determined
fighter of Spartan stamina,
fighter to the last, but he will
not claim the slightest degree
of mercy, compassion, humil-
ity, humaness of tolerance
exists in the real dyed-in-the-
wool 'Nazi, as a group.
There are some individual
instances where better, milder,
and decent people are found,
but these people are not the
ruling force in Germany and
have not been for a long time.
Militarism and tolerance do
not walk together. FasciSm
and tolerance make strange
bedfellows. But fascism and
militarism are kindred spirits
which are complimentary to
each other and which depend,
one upon the other to insure
their existance.
This pair went to Germany,
to Italy and Japan and in their
wake has follo wed war,
ruined homes, death, disease
famine and poverty.
APPRECIATE AMERICA
To appreciate America you
would need to see wartime
Europe. To appreciate Amer
lea, you should try living un-
der fascism. To appreciate
peace and fellowship, dwell
with the militaristic for a
time. To appreciate tolerance,
60 where there isn't any.
Don't say to yourself lit
can't happen here" 1t most
certainly can. Fascism is moth
ing more or less than rule by
force, political control of the
and by the military.
vigilance is the price
of liberty.
When unscrupulous politi-
clans fortify themselves and
use troops of any kind-that
is fascism. When minorities
are denied the right of voting
in free elections because of
the color of their skin or un-
able to pay a poll tax, that is
a step toward fascism. In a
community of people where
good will and understanding,
or at least an attempt at
understanding are to be found;
where the four freedoms are
and uphe d.;
where education is open for
all who desire it; where there
is no price tag on the ballot
and force is not used for con-
quest or aggrandizement, fas-
,ism cannot take root.
America has got something
Germany lacks but which she
needs. We can improve on
what we have if each will take
,ognizance of the other fell
ow's viewpoint, give him his
day in court" and respect his
opinion. We don't have to