CONVENIENT DOCUMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 23862, 17 April 1941, Page 11

CONVENIENT DOCUMENTS

MURE GOEBBELS DISCOVERIES

[By Knob-turner.]

Dr Goebbels has a meritorious passion for legal evidence. So strong in Ids Nazi soul is this passion that by hook or by crook the evidence must be found. And so, since the war started, the. industrious Nazis have been discovering appropriate official documents of an obligingly incriminating type. ' Circumstances the. Nazis’, own making have worked - against Dr Goebbels in his praiseworthy efforts to convince the world of the authenticity of his discoveries. Under'his rule, the Nazi. Department of Propaganda, even before any war began, was convicted of some blatant and very clumsy, forgeries. The Nazis displayed a remarkable enthusiasm in forging the passports of other countries. Being thorough, they often stole the official notepaper of their neighbours to make their forgeries more convincing. Their first espionage breakdown in the United States was associated with the effort to steal White House official notepaper and United States passport blanks. When Poland was invaded, the doctor of documents made his first diplomatic coup. From the United States Embassy in battered Warsaw he produced documentary proof that the United States diplomats in Europe had been working in a conspiracy to induce Poland and other nations to invade innocent, peace-loving Germany. The Americans gasped and then _ laughed, while Mr Cordell Hull dismissed the “ discoveries ” with a few blunt words. Undismayed by this lack of appreciation, Dr Goebbels tried again. When the Nazi troops invaded Norway they discovered on a small railway station documents wluch a British officer had obligingly left there. These documents, by the doctor’s prophetic soul, proved that before the Germans landed the British had prepared an invasion. Thus Hitler’s suborning of Quisling and tho despatch of troops was completely justified. But this evidence rvas greeted with nothing more than cheery, incredulous smiles. When Holland was invaded the documents were again found, this time in a consulate, proving once more that Hitler had moved only just in time to forestall a British invasion. This third happy cache of official secrets was received, especially in the United States, with shouts of joy. There was general regret that the Nobel prizes did not include one for humour so that the doctor’s feats could be suitably rewarded. But he is not deterred by the lack of academic recognition. With tho invasion of Yugoslavia the documents have turned up again. This time in France. The German announcement of tho doctor’s feat rims:— “ Documents found in Franco categorically showed how Yugoslavia, since tho outbreak of war, endeavoured to help England and - France. Although Germany had knowledge of these events, with unprecedented magnanimity and patience, she continued her policy of understanding, still hoping to bring Yugoslav policy back to the path of reason—an understanding with the Axis.”

The 8.8. C. revealed that other documents found in France by the doctor’s agents showed that naughty Greece was the cause of all the trouble in the Balkans. Adolf Hitler guaranteed that repetitition would cause any lie to be accepted. Faithful to routine, Dr Goebbels has accepted his master’s dictum; but instead of convincing people, he Ims done no more than add to the gaiety of nations. Dr Goebbels, if he lives long enough to read the history now being made, will discover that his long Hat of convenient discoveries in various countries has failed because it demands acceptance of the theory that the diplomats of other nations strewed incriminating documents all over Europe to give the X.i'/.is a ioyous paper-chase. Still, the industrious doctor is forging ahead.