Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1943. DEFEATISM IN GERMANY.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 October 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1943. DEFEATISM IN GERMANY.

JN an announcement similar to a number it has macle since the ruthless and unscrupulous Himmler was placed in complete charge of the German home front, the Berlin radio, as it was reported in a cablegram received yesterday, said that in Munich aiGerman bank director was executed “ lor spreading treaeheious and seditious rumours among his employees, instead ol acting as an example to them.” This announcement and otheis like it have obviously been made in furtherance ol a policy 01. terrorism and with a view to intimidating all who may be inclined to talk in defeatist terms. A few isolated examples 01. this inclination certainly would not. be made the subject 01. national broadcasts. The enemy radio has thus supplied plain evidence that defeatism is tending to spre;M in Germany and is feared by its gangster rulers.

Neutral observers continue to declare, however, that lheic is no possibility that the German people are forming an opposition organisation. In. the words ol the cablegram aheady quoted: “There is no underground resistance movement, ret jjassive dissatisfaction is steadily growing and is slowly reducing Germany’s war potential.”

In li'dit of available information this probably is an accurate statement of fact. So far at least as the civilian population is concerned, possibilities of organisation are all but comp e e a monopolised bv the Nazi gangsterdom. At the outbreak ol war the Nazi Party had about 4,000,000 members, but membership m associations and “estates” —of Industry and liade, Geiman Handcraft, Transport and so on —is obligatory, and it is computed that “every German over ten years of age belongs to at least one. party-controlled organisation and is therefore under constant surveillance. ”

Of the position at large in the Reich, an American commentator said the other day that the people were deterred from demanding the ending of the war not only by Nazi, terrorism, but by fear of the consequences of final defeat and surrender. This can hardly be true of the mass of the German people. 1 licit present lot is one of slavery and acute deprivation, varied onl> by bombing and the fear of a coming-invasion of their territoiy. Most 1 of them no doubt would gladly end the war on any terms if they 7 were capable of action to that end.

It is no doubt true, however, that not only Hitler and his immediate accomplices, but a large proportion of the active members of their terrorist organisations are prepared to continue the war in almost any conditions rather than accept the consequences of defeat. The position of these people is that of cornered rats. In their case, surrender would be to the hangman, or perhaps to more summary retribution. It has been said, for instance that of the 700,000 SS men —members of the socalled Elite Guard —there is hardly one who does not fall in the category of war criminals and has to expect the severest punishment in the event of an Allied victory.

Continued military disasters may weaken the grip of these atrocity-mongers, but it is to be taken for granted that they will not voluntarily end their terrorism while any hope of resistance continues. One suggestion that lias been made, however, is that “some day the German people will crumble under this grip and collapse suddenly, silently and completely.”

Revolt against the Nazis, as distinct from exhaustion and' collapse, could hardly come elsewhere than in the Army—not at the bidding of the generals, who for the most part are Nazis themselves or arc hand and glove with the Nazis, but in the subordinate masses. There v are some ten million Germans in the armed forces and there are said to be indications of a weakening of army morale, caused by defeat on the battlefront and apprehension and concern about happenings and conditions at home. A stage possibly may be reached at which German soldiers will conclude that unconditional surrender is much to be preferred to the fate otherwise in store for them and for their country. That stage has not been reached yet, however, as may be seen from the fact that no very large haul of prisoners has yet been made by the Red Army in its swift and victorious advance in South Russia.