Greymouth Evening Star. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1943. CHOICE FOR GERMANS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1943, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1943. CHOICE FOR GERMANS.

JTIE Allies’ propaganda front in Germany is continuously active, by radio and leaflet, but whether the results, so far, have been worth the effort and cost, cannot be yet known. In the 1914-18 campaign, the British propaganda was said to have sapped German morale so much that when the heavy military blows came, German resistance on the home front crumbled, and all was over. The Nazis, from the outset of the present war, took special care to prevent a similar British propaganda triumph, using counter-meas-ures as well as threats and harsh regulations. Nazi propaganda failed utterly in Britain, being ridiculed even in the early worst days of the struggle. Whether the German people are influenced greatly by British radio and other propaganda must be left for events to disclose.

It is often reported that German morale is nearing breaking point, but this estimate must be taken on trust. This is the type of story that gets renewed publicity each time there is an absence of welcome news from the various fighting fronts. A section of the London Sunday Press may always be relied upon to supply such comments by “Diplomatic Correspondents” and other specialists. Mostly, the obvious and trite is served up in interesting manner, but the amount of revelation is rarely great, and fact is not always the basis of the contribution. The latest story that the Germans may be offered a choice between “surrender or take the consequences,” when Messrs Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin meet, is an example of the really empty “information” often cabled Overseas. Such a choice has been offered throughout the past three years to the Germans, and is now routine-procedure.

Considerable interest is taken in Britain as to tvhat is happening in Germany, and this prompts Press enterprise in an endeavour to satisfy the public curiosity. Leading men also air their views as to what the German masses will do, and also as to how they should be treated, the latter suggestions ranging from very stern restrictions, popularly termed Vansittartism, to “forgive and forget” generosity, making the way easy for the present enemies. One unusual view is that of Lord Latham, leader of the London County Council. Writing in the London News, London Labour party journal, he says: “Goebbels’s propaganda about the sufferings of the people of the Ruhr; his lie that Germany did not start the bombing of civilians; his new-found hypocritical love for the things of beauty and of the spirit —these are all part of Germany’s preparation for a third world war, which, I believe, is already being planned by her officers, her Junker class and big industrialists.”

Lord Latham also considers that when the civil population in Germany cracks “rivers of tears of self-pity and disclaimers of responsibility on the part of the people of Germany will flood the world. Signs of such flood are not lacking, and if the Germans believe that these protestations will be accepted, they are unlikely to be in a hurry to take active measures against the Nazis. On the other hand, if severe repression is threatened by the Allies, the Germans in desperation, will

support the Nazis. There will be many post-war problems, and one of the most difficult to solve will be how best to deal, with the Germans, to prevent their future aggression, and yet give them the opportunity to survive as an influential nation.