DARK THREATS FROM GERMANY

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 21981, 9 March 1943, Page 2

DARK THREATS FROM GERMANY

Germany is preparing a “ terrible sharpening ” of the methods of warfare and threatening to “ use new weapons until Britain and Russia ask for mercy,” according to the Berlin correspondent of a Swedish newspaper. It is nothing new for the Germans to make such threats. Indeed it is usual when Germany is particularly hard pressed to hear promises of dire revenge. A Berlin spokesman is credited with the statement that “Britain makes warfare against international rules, and that she will be given a corresponding answer.” The correspondent asserts that before using the “ new weapons ” Germany will denounce all international rules. The public mind will immediately turn to thoughts of poison gas as perhaps the only one of the “ new weapons ” to the use of which Germany has not already resorted in breach of all the rules of humanity. But there are reasons to believe that Germany will hesitate to invoke the aid of poison gas. Germany’s complaint that Britain is adopting terroristic methods is a case of Satan rebuking sin. Terror has always been Germany’s first weapon. Goering was given the task of evolving the world’s mightiest air force with terrorism as the prime objective. The fact was never disguised. Now Germany finds that a greater terror of the same kind is raised against her, and Goebbels howls of the injustice of the raids on Berlin. Since it is from the air that the most deadly use of poison gas could be made, Germany will hesitate to unleash the new terror, when she knows that the United Nations have gained unquestioned superiority in the air. Knowing the Germans, the Allies have made preparations to counter any methods that the enemy might employ. Mankind will fervently hope that Hitler’s madness will not drive him to employ this foulest of all weapons. It is too late for Germany to descend to gas warfare with any hope of gaining victory by such means.