HITLER’S REVEALING SPEECH

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21212, 7 September 1940, Page 8

HITLER’S REVEALING SPEECH

The fact that Hitler made an “unexpected” speech at the opening of the German winter relief campaign has caused commentators to seek the reason. Some see in his violent outburst a reflex of his anger over the transfer of 50 United States warships to Britain, and an admission that the British Air Force is striking effectively at German material resources and morale. Hitler’s anger is the more consuming because he must control it as far as verbal violence to the United States is concerned. He has already sunk so low in the estimation of the American people that he dare not risk an open breach. Therefore he vents his spleen on Britain.

The speech, however, contains more than empty bombast. It betrays that Hitler’s mind is fearfully disturbed and that the seriousness of his position is dawning upon him. ( .Of course he raves about his own confidence and his ability to crush Britain, but the speech lacked the preciseness that has marked earlier utterances. For instance, he no longer adhered to anything like a definite date for the conquest of Britain. He refrained from making any reference to that fateful August 15 which was to have been der tag. For the first time he admitted that British air raids had assumed a place of importance in the war. Most significant, perhaps, was his statement : “We will call a halt to these night pirates. The hour is coming when one of us will break up. It will not be Nazi Germany.” Hitler could scarcely fail to associate in his mind the significance of the opening of a campaign to give winter relief to German people and the oncoming of the winter’s warfare. He urged the German people to “make a renewed effort for the most gigantic social work of all time.” He harped on the contrast of the Nazi and British systems in a most tactless manner, for it must have occurred to at least some of his listeners that whatever the faults of the British system might have been, British storehouses were bulging with foodstuffs while Germany was preparing to attempt to feed and clothe her starving and poor multitudes. He spoke truly when he referred to the “most gigantic social work of all time,” for upon Germany this winter will fall the responsibility for a famine in the whole of western Europe. The task is gigantic indeed, and when the Nazis have had their share, millions will probably have reason to curse the maniac who brought them to such a pass.