HOSTILITY GROWING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1943, Page 5

HOSTILITY GROWING

FEELING AGAINST HITLER IN GERMANY / REACTION TO BAD NEWS. PRESS GANG COMBING INDUSTRY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, February 19. The Stockholm correspondent of the “New York Times” "says it is reported from Berlin through private channels that the boys who are now being called up for the army receive only six weeks’ training. The same sources report a deterioraiton in morale on the Russian front. Where earlier in the war entire companies used to volunteer for dangerour missions, none at all volunteer today, and the officers therefore must choose men by drawing lots, it .is stated. Despondency is also increasing inside Germany. Berlin’s most fashionable boulevard, the Kurfuerstendamm, looks deserted, most of the shops having their iron shutters down, and the. informant says, “You could fire a gun along the Kurfuerstendamm at high noon without hitting anything but small boys playing football.” ' Berliners frequently discuss invasion, and a high'official told the informant. “If the Allies invaded us within the next six weeks —before the Russian offensive is spent —the whole show might- be over in three months.” Average Berliners are getting the bad news from the front by saying, “Fine! Pretty soon we will see the end of the party.” Hostility against Hitler himself and the Nazi Party is growing apace. It is reported that throughout Germany the workers’ delegates have advised Nazi Party inspectors to “make themselves scarce and move out of sight of the factory for their own good.” The Swedish newspaper “Svenska Dagbladet’s” Berlin correspondent says that General von Unruh, head of the German press gang, is combing industry for the army and causing considerable unrest among, civilians. Unruh, whose name means “unrest,” after receiving dictatorial powers from Hitler to round up all those available, travels with a staff of 10 in a special train to which, at villages, and towns, he has the local telephone connected. He ascertains by telephone the numbers of workers and clerks, and then decides the percentage that can be released for the army, after which he visits each establishment and selects the men for service. The German radio says that 17-year-old boys have been called up in Italy. The Italian schoolboys have already been under military discipline in the Fascist training corps.