AN ASTOUNDING STORY.

Evening Star, Issue 23686, 20 September 1940, Page 2

AN ASTOUNDING STORY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —There appeared in your paper some few nights ago a report alleging that a disastrous attempt-at invasion of England had already taken place. This persistent story has been “ confirmed ” by a statement made by American doctor on his arrival at New York. I wish to express my annoyance and disgust that such a colossal fabrication should over have found its way into the columns of New Zealand papers. .The vrhole story simply stinks of Dr Goebbels. fn the first place, the invasion story is culled from a letter written by a French liaison officer with the German forces. Suah a source of information should, of coarse, be looked on with gravest suspicion, since such an individual must be a Nazi sympathiser, to have stooped to occupy so scoundrelly a position. In . any case, his correspondence would be strictly censored by the Nazis themselves. This information must be regarded, therefore, as having been deliberately circulated by the Germans themselves. A further reason for my as to the veracity of the “ Frenchman’s letter ” is the sentence, “ Paris is full of German officers having a wonderful time.” I find it impossible to believe that the citizens of Paris could so degrade themselves as to give their conquerors a “ wonderful time,” having been led to believe that the French prefer death to such dishonour. I consider it more probable that the “ wonderful time ” of many German officers consists of a knife in the back. Then again 'the testimony of the worthy doctor can be disregarded. Of all the pilots who have flown over the enemy coastline, none has reported the sight of hundreds of bodies afloat in the sea. Only this obscure medico has been privileged to see this wondrous sight. Lastly, permit me to appeal to the readers’ common sense. If -any attempt at invasion had been foiled, surely even the dunderheads of the Ministry of Information would have bellowed the news from every radio at their disposal. The detrimental effect of such news on the German morale would have been equalled only by its uplifting effect on the spirits of the British people. ft would have been an opportunity not to be neglected. However, the Ministry of Information has been silent. One is forced to the conclusion that no invasion attempt has been made at all. Hence, it is finite obvious that the Gormans themselves are responsible for the circulation of this plausible, stupendous lie. . \Vbat. then, is the idea in the Nazi head? It is apparent that a state of

misplaced confidence is equally as dangerous to the national well-being as a defeatist attitude. The German notion is eeemirigly to sow the notion in British heads that any attempt at invasion of England is doomed to failure without our lifting a hand against it. Fortunately, this plan, thanks to tho mighty blows of the R.A.P., has miscarried. We have lifted our hand against the invasion before it commenced.

lu conclusion, I wish again to express my disgust that such an obvious and harmful, soul-destroying piece of lying Hun propaganda should ever have found its way into our newspapers. In these times, when a single feentence is sufficient to stampede a nation, it is surely the duty of news editors to consider carefully every scrap of overseas news. Anything prejudicial to the national welfare should be unceremoniously tossed overboard, and this applies to alarmist and defeatist reports as well as to sheer downright lies of the type of the “ invasion failure ” report. The German technique should bo well enough known by now. Our unfortunate tendency to view everything through rose-coloured glasses is carefully encouraged by the cunning Hun propaganda machine. Then, when the time is ripe, a crushing series of blows is delivered, the moral effect of which is doubled by the disillusionment that inevitably ensues. This happened before Norway, and before the defeat of France. Let us make certain that it does not happen again.—l am. etc., Bertie Wooster.

September 19. I [Our correspondent may be right, but he is guessing, and nobody at this distance can do more than guess the explanation of reports which we publish under the non-committal headings of “ Astonishing Story ” and “ Persistent Story.” The reports purported to be based on “ letters to French residents [in America] from independent sources in Paris and occupied Prance.—Ed, E.S.]