ENTHUSIASM LACKING

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 23, 21 October 1944, Page 7

ENTHUSIASM LACKING

Himmler’s Home Guard Candidates

POLITICAL RELIABILITY (Received October. 20, 7 p.in.) LONDON, October 10.. Hundreds of red posters appeared in Berlin today calling on the • people to join the Volksturm, or People’s StornG troops, says the “Daily Mail’s” Stockholm correspondent. Huge headlines dominate the front pages of the newspapers calling the whole nation to arms. But according to all reports the Germans are stupefied and not exalted. The news of the forming of the organization for all male civilians between 16 and 60 has brought home as no other news had done the weakness of the Reich and the imminence of an Allied onrush. Even more depressing has been the brutality with which the issue has been put to them. Scheppmanu, the inspector of rifle training for the Volksturm, today declared: “Those who won’t tight will be treated as infidels, cowards, traitors and irresponsibles.” The German Press is trying to stimulate enthusiasm for the Volksturm with lurid stories of Allied ill-treatment. Goebbels said: “The history of mankind shows that there have never been such devilish plans for the systematic slaughter of a great civilized nation as those for the annihilation of the German people which the Allies are cynically propounding.” Berlin radio said that recruiting for the Volksturm will begin on Sunday. The recruits will serve only near their homes or working places. The training will be mostly carried out. on Sundays, and formal parades will be kept to a minimum. Great emphasis will be placed on political reliability.