Allied Commandos raid Slav islands
By Astley Hawkins, representing combined Allied press
…
Perkins: Independent union to do business with GOP and Democrats
Turndown for recognition by U.S. agencies leads them to work both sides of street
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
Buffalo, New York –
A new labor complication appeared here today in the presidential campaign when the executive board of the Confederated Unions of America decided to go into politics on both sides of the fence to see what recognition they can get in governmental agencies for workers’ organizations not affiliated with the CIO or the AFL.
This followed the announcement by Donald F. Cameron, CUA secretary-treasurer, of the recipient of a copy of a letter by President Roosevelt denying the Independents’ demand for representation in War Labor Board membership, on the same basis as the AFL and CIO.
The confederation leaders, headed by Matthew Smith, under whose direction the Mechanics Educational Society closed down about 50 war plants last winter in strikes protesting what they called “official favoritism” for the CIO and AFL sent a telegram to Robert Hannegan, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, in Chicago, criticizing the President’s stand and asking that some attention be given to the controversy in the party platform.
Speak for three million
They also authorized negotiations with representatives of Governor Dewey, the Republican nominee, aimed at having that party take up the fight of the Independents.
Mr. Cameron said:
We speak directly for a membership of 700,000 and indirectly for more than three million members of independent unions which do not desire to be a part of the CIO or the AFL. In a democracy, these people are entitled to their choice of a union, and they are guaranteed the right under the National Labor Relations Act.
But when labor membership on the War Labor Board and other federal agencies dealing with labor questions is restricted to the organizations with which we are in competition, there is certainly a case of discrimination against the independent unions.
Mr. Roosevelt’s letter was addressed to Senator Elbert Thomas (D-UT), chairman of the Senate Education and Labor Committee, who presented the Independents’ plea after saying “these people have a cause the justice of which it is impossible to deny.”
Informed of hearings
The President’s letter said:
I am informed that the War Labor Board has held a series of conferences with representatives of some of the independent unions… and announced a five-point program intended to eliminate some of the disadvantages which independent unions have claimed to experience.
This program includes the designation of staff members at the National and Regional War Labor Boards to serve as liaison officers for independent unions and also provides that independent unions may have representation on tripartite dispute panels and on the sub-board committees which present cases to the national board for final determination.
The board also has reiterated its policy of equal treatment to all unions, whether affiliated or independent, and promised to take prompt and appropriate action whenever unfair organizing tactics based on the claim of preferred treatment are brought to its attention.
Record consistent
The President’s letter continued:
I am likewise informed that the board has found no evidence in its records of discriminatory treatment of cases of independent unions as compared with affiliated unions. Such a record is consistent with my designation of the labor members as individuals representing all labor, including workers in unaffiliated unions and workers not organized at all.
Under these circumstances I am not persuaded that any change in… the membership of the board is required at this time.
America Firsters to back Wheeler
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
Gerald L. K. Smith, self-styled “America First crusader,” predicted today that a meeting of nationalists he has called for tonight would go on record favoring Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT) for the Democratic nomination for President.
Mr. Smith, who has organized his own America First Party in Michigan but is seeking to influence both the Democratic and Republican nominations and platforms, said that if the major parties fail to accede to nationalist demands, he will call a national convention of his organization in August.
Candidate goes voteless in own district
Salem, Massachusetts (UP) –
Ellsworth Y. Blenkhorn, a war worker, beaten, 936–21, for Republican Congressional nomination in Massachusetts’ 14th district, was considering demanding a recount. He’s sure he had more than 21 votes, he said. Returns from his own precincts showed 0. And he knows of at least two ballots cast for him – his own and his wife’s.
Farm leaders urge adequate price plank
Foreign policy session may start Wednesday
Democratic Convention program
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
The schedule of the Democratic National Convention (all times CWT):MONDAY
10:00 a.m.: Platform hearings begin.
3:30 p.m.: DNC meetings.TUESDAY
More committee meetings on platform and other matters.WEDNESDAY
11:30 a.m.: Organizational meeting of convention to appoint committees and temporary officers.8:15 p.m.: Addresses by DNC Chairman Robert E. Hannegan, Director of the Women’s Division Mrs. Charles W. Tillett and Oklahoma Governor Robert S. Kerr, temporary chairman and convention keynoter.
THURSDAY
11:30 a.m.: Address by Permanent Convention Chairman Senator Samuel D. Jackson of Indiana. Adoption of platform and other committee reports.8:15 p.m.: Addresses by Mrs. Helen Gahagan Douglas (movie actress and vice chairman of California State Democratic Committee), Quentin Reynolds (war correspondent). Nomination of presidential candidate.
FRIDAY
11:30 a.m.: Selection of vice-presidential candidate.8:15 p.m.: Final session – adoption of resolutions of thanks to the host city (although it is unofficial, it is expected that President Roosevelt will address the closing session by radio).
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
Farm leaders today urged the Democratic National Convention platform committee to adopt an agriculture plank calling for the development of an economy of plenty with employment for all.
Witnesses rushed their presentations on the insistence of Committee Chairman John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, who was determined to finish all domestic business by Tuesday night so Wednesday may be devoted exclusively to the vital foreign policy plank. In fact, the essence of the platform has already been drafted in a form agreeable to President Roosevelt.
Urging adequate farm prices and “an economy of plenty that makes full employment possible,” Albert S. Goss of the National Grange told the committee that “we must avert the tragic error of allowing abundance to destroy its producer.”
Pressure groups cited
In addition to asking a full share for farmers in the post-war economy, James G. Patton of the National Farmers Union hit at Congressional action which has limited lending functions and the tenant purchase program of the Farm Security Administration.
Mr. Patton charged that FSA functions were curtailed because it “has been vilified and misrepresented” by “pressure groups” profiting at the expense of the family type farmer who is the backbone of the nation’s economy.
W. Kerr Scott, North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture (representing the Agriculture Commissions’ Association), asked the committee to recommend legislation setting a definite formula “to determine agriculture prices in relation to wages of labor and prices of consumer goods.” He asked that the legislation specify that jurisdiction of the price formula be under the Secretary of Agriculture.
News rights requested
Kent Cooper, general manager of the Associated Press, asked that the Democrats declare themselves in favor of a “worldwide right” of news services and newspapers “to gather and distribute news without government interference.”
The Platform Committee was also urged to favor reducing the legalized voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, and to give residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote.
Rep. Jennings Randolph (D-WV), chairman of the House District of Columbia Committee, said the Republicans had failed to heed the pleas of District residents at their convention and urged the Democrats to take advantage of this oversight.
1,000-word platform
Although Party Chairman Robert E. Hannegan denied he had brought from Washington a platform draft with President Roosevelt’s okay on it, there was little doubt that the sort of document desired by the President has been pretty well settled on.
It will be short – perhaps only 1,000 words; its domestic sections will be largely a pointing-with-pride to the administration’s record and most of it will be devoted to war policies and pledges for international collaboration to maintain peace.
Chairman McCormack said the group will meet tonight to hear all who want to appear, go over statements, and whip the party declaration into final shape.
Other scheduled to be heard today or tonight are Mrs. Emma Guffey Miller of the National Women’s Party, Miss Bertha Van Hoosen of the American Medical Association for women, and Miss Agnes Nestor of the National Women’s Trade Union League, on the proposed Equal Rights Amendment for women.
Negro rights next
After them will be witnesses on advancement of Negroes, which will bring up the proposal to create a permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee – a red flag to many Southerners.
The National Negro Council yesterday voted to demand an equal rights program with teeth in it that will include struct enforcement of the Supreme Court decision in the Texas case giving Negroes the right to vote in primaries, a permanent FEPC, anti-lynching legislation, repeal of poll taxes by constitutional amendment, and a “G.I. Bill of Rights” for Negro war veterans to protect them from lynching, discrimination and assure equal civil rights.
Stokes: How strong does Roosevelt go for Wallace in letter?
That’s the $64 question that nobody can answer because that missive is ‘missing’
By Thomas L. Stokes, Scripps-Howard staff writer
…
Allen: Dewey’s eye on President’s chair, but look what Roosevelt has on it
By Gracie Allen
Chicago, Illinois –
Well, here I am back in Chicago to report anther political convention. This time, the Democrats are going to meet and try to figure out how to keep Mr. Dewey out of the White House.
The Democrats I’ve seen so far don’t seem to look very worried. I guess they figure that if Dewey has his eye on that presidential chair… look what Roosevelt has on it. I asked someone if the Roosevelts owned the White House and they said “No.” Too bad – think of the rent they could have saved.
And, by the way, this time my husband, George Burns, is with me. I was afraid George might object to my working as a newspaper reporter. The average husband doesn’t like his wife to work. But then George always has been above average in that respect.
I’m awfully glad George is with me. He can give me wonderful political advice. You see, back in Los Angeles, George ran for the office of second assistant substitute city councilman from the 3rd district, and he only got one vote, so he can sort of give me the Republican outlook on things.
I was shocked when I arrived in Chicago to see some Republicans still here from their convention. At first, I thought perhaps they had been left behind to fight a delaying action – plant booby traps, etc. But upon questioning them, I found they just haven’t been able to get train reservations out of town. One Republican finally got a lower berth, but meantime he had sent his laundry to be done. He’ll be lucky if he gets home in time to vote.
I only hope the Democrats send as many handsome men to Chicago as the Republicans did. My, those Republicans were good-looking. Still, I guess a 12-year vacation would put any man in the pink.
Now, as I told you before in my column, I don’t pretend to know anything about politics. I’ll just report what I see and hear. I heard one man say that Roosevelt undoubtedly would be the Democratic candidate for the Presidency, but that they might have trouble finding him a running mate.
Well, my goodness, I don’t know where you could find anyone who does more running than the mate he has now. She’s always on the go.
That’s all for now – more political news tomorrow.
South’s revolt not as violent as expected
Rebels not likely to disrupt convention
By Marshall McNeil, Scripps-Howard staff writer
Chicago, Illinois –
As convention week opens here, dissident Southerners seem somewhat less belligerent than had been expected.
The revolt in the South is the No. 2 topic in the hotel lobbies beginning to fill with delegates (No. 1 is the vice-presidential contest).
But with the renomination of President Roosevelt assured, the objections of Southerners seem less important. It may turn out that the rebels will furnish merely the color and the noise, and not seriously disrupt convention proceedings.
What happens will depend in part on a caucus tonight of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and perhaps Georgia and Florida delegations.
Platform demands
This caucus will work out its platform demands, then return to the respective state delegations for ratification. Failing ratification, they will take the issues to the committee themselves, perhaps even to the floor.
Their first demand will be restoration of the two-thirds nominating rule. Secondly, they want a platform plank on state’s rights to govern elections (to protect their poll tax laws), third, they want a plank which upholds their segregation laws. They don’t like to have this called a “white supremacy” plank.
In Texas and Mississippi, presidential electors are to vote in the electoral college against the party nominees unless these demands are met. But peace feelers are out to stop such a bolt.
Texas situation
Dan Moody, former Governor of Texas and chairman of the state’s “Regular” delegation to this convention, discussed the situation yesterday.
The right of his delegation to seats will be opposed by pro-Roosevelt rump delegates. But, with the Texas national committee having recommended the seating of the Regulars, it looks as if Mr. Moody’s group will be in. Middle-of-the-road Texas politicians think this would take a lot of wind out of the anti-fourth-term sails there.
Mr. Moody explained that the Texas Regulars’ convention admonished their electors on three scores:
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To vote against the party nominees if the rump delegation were seated here.
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They were not morally obligated to vote for the nominees if the two-thirds rule were not restored, and would be morally obligated to vote for some other Democrat who favors the two-thirds rule.
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They would not be obligated to support the nominees if the segregation-state’s rights planks were not included in the platform, and may vote for any Democrat who shares their views.
Conformity with constitution
Mr. Moody pointed out that what the Texas electors do depends upon this convention. He insisted that all the Texans were requesting was conformity with the constitution, return to an ancient nominating rule of the Democratic Party, and the seating of the legally-qualified delegates to this convention.
He said he was personally opposed to a fourth term, but added that he did not “hate Roosevelt,” that he admired him, but doubted the wisdom of a fourth term.
Democrats told: No Southerner!
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
The Democratic Party “can kiss the Negro vote goodbye” if it nominates a Southerner for Vice President, Walter White, executive secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, warned yesterday.
Mr. White told the association’s wartime conference that his prediction was based “not on the opinion of a single individual or even of the NAACP’s 400,000 members,” but is something “deep in the hearts of the thoughtful Negro citizens all over this country.”
He asserted, however, that Negroes are not fooled by the “dishonest and stupid” platform of the Republican Party, which “reached the height of double-talk” on the Negro and contained “a weasel-worded plank on post-war international relations.”
And, he said:
Negroes have reason to be grateful for much during the Roosevelt administration. We have keen respect and affection for the courage and integrity of Mrs. Roosevelt.
We may have to submit to the temporary defeat of seeing Tweedledum replace Tweedledee. We cannot run the risk – so desperate is our plight – of an anti-Negro figure as heir-apparent to the most powerful position in the world today. We are finished in the world today. We are finished with being treated as nitwits and dolts.
Lonesome Jim Farley back to oppose Roosevelt again
Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
The lonesome man of this Democratic Convention – politically speaking – is genial Jim Farley.
Twelve years ago, here in Chicago, eight years ago in Philadelphia, Mr. Farley was Democratic National Chairman and ran the show for Franklin D. Roosevelt. But eight years of Mr. Roosevelt were enough for Jim. He fought the third-term nomination here in 1940 and is back again to line up some delegates to go on record against a fourth.
It’s lonesome business, politically, because when the roll is called Thursday night, there aren’t going to be many anti-Roosevelt votes. Possibly there won’t even be a roll call, but Mr. Farley aims to prevent the fourth-term nomination from being made by acclamation, if possible.
It is a matter of principle with Jim, and the certainty that he can’t stop Mr. Roosevelt hasn’t erased the old smile or stopped him from quipping with callers like this: “This is Jim Farley. Remember me? I used to be in politics.”
He has no organization this time – just he and his lanky young son. Jim Jr., in a three-room suite at the Blackstone Hotel across the street from convention headquarters in the Stevens. But many people have visited his suite.
Some called for old times’ sake, because they still like Jim personally, even though they aren’t going along with his anti-Roosevelt ideas; others were canvassing the situation with him.
Some Democrats want to present Mr. Farley’s name to the convention to provide a rallying point for a fourth-term protest vote. Mr. Farley, however, was still uncertain whether he would permit the presentation of his name.
“When I decide what I’m going to do about it, I’ll let it be known,” he told a news conference.
He was less hesitant about his opposition to the renomination of Vice President Henry A. Wallace.
He said:
While I’m not going to become involved in any vice-presidential contest, I was rather amused to read about many Democrats apparently now opposed to Wallace who worked for him in 1940, when I voted for the late Speaker John Bankhead.
First WACs reach France to work 20 miles from front
Group carries shovels to dig foxholes ion case of air raids by Germans
Somewhere on the Cherbourg Peninsula, France (UP) – (July 16, delayed)
The first WACs landed in France on Bastille Day, July 14, and have gone to work with a forward communications unit 20 miles behind the battlefront, it was disclosed today.
Trained, as one WAC put it, “to shoot sort of mildly” and carrying shovels to dig foxholes in event of enemy raids, the group of 49 enlisted girls and six officers arrived on a troop transport.
The group is under command of Capt. Isabel B. Kane of Tacoma, Washington, a former dancing teacher.
The first to set foot on French soil was Sgt. Nancy Carter of Charlottesville, Virginia.
‘Morale builders’
The G.I.’s greeted the WACs with cries of “here come the morale builders” and French villagers cheered as they drove through flag-decorated streets.
The girls have three ambitions, Sgt. Claire E. Dickman of San Francisco, said. She said:
We want to help until the war is over and then we want to buy a Paris dress and a bottle of French perfume.
The girls bivouacked in parks and were warned against picking roses or knocking at strange doors as a precaution against booby traps.
Practice shooting
They practiced shooting in case of emergency, but they were not equipped with firearms.
All are clerks or secretaries with the exception of one jeep driver, Sgt. Lee Boyman of College Point, New York, and Capt. Selma Herbert of New York City, who is the only WAC attached to civil training.
Cpl. Aurelie Durkin of New York City is the only one who had visited France before, but nearly all of the girls have been taking French lessons.
More ‘chivalry’ asked by Nazi chief
New Allied landings expected by Kluge
London, England (UP) –
Field Marshal Günther von Kluge, new German commander-in-chief on the Western Front, admitted today in an interview broadcast by Berlin that Allied air bombardments in France had put his men and his command under an “extremely heavy” strain and he pleaded for a war fought “according to high standards of chivalry.”
He intimated that the German command expected new Allied landings on the West European coast at any time.
Kluge made his admissions in boasting that he would deal the armies of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower “blows which they will remember as long as they live.”
The German Transocean Agency broadcast the interview, the first given by Kluge since he took command from Field Marshal Karl Gerd von Rundstedt.
Kluge said that the Germans were adapting themselves to the methods of Gen. Eisenhower’s troops and promised:
The world will see in good time the success of our methods. Our enemies have planned and executed their operations against our continent on a purely scientific basis. We oppose to this the knowledge that this fight is being fought for “to be or not to be.”
Kluge insisted that the Allies had not caught the Germans napping on D-Day. He said:
We had been expecting the enemy. Now again, when we are reckoning at any moment with a new onslaught, I can again say: “We shall receive them accordingly.”
Since Pearl Harbor –
Million business firms close doors
541,000 enterprises are reorganized
…
Money conference extended three days
…
Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
In Normandy, France – (by wireless)
Tank commander Martin Kennelly of Chicago wanted to show me just where his tank had been hit. As a matter of fact, he hasn’t seen it for himself yet, for he came running up the street the moment he jumped out of the tank.
So, when the firing died down a little, we sneaked up the street until we were almost even with the disabled tank. But we were careful not to get out heads around the corner of the side street, for that was where the Germans had fired from.
The first shell had hit the heavy steel brace that the tread runs on, and the plunged on through the side of the tank, very low.
Kennelly said in amazement:
Say, it went right through our lower ammunition storage box! I don’t know what kept the ammunition from going off. We’d have been a mess if it had. Boy, it sure would have got hot in there in a hurry!
The street was still empty. Beyond the tank about two blocks was a German truck, sitting all alone in the middle of the street. It had been blown up, and its tires had burned off. This truck was the only thing you could see. There wasn’t a human being in sight anywhere.
Then an American soldier came running up the street shouting for somebody to send a medic. He said a man was badly wounded just ahead. He was extremely excited, yelling, and getting madder because there was no medic in sight.
Word was passed down the line, and pretty soon a medic came out of a doorway and started up the street. The excited soldier yelled at him and began cussing, and the medic broke into a run. They ran past the tanks together, and up the street a way they ducked into a doorway.
Lot of dangerous-sounding noise
On the corner just across the street from where we were standing was a smashed pillbox. It was in a cutaway corner like the entrances to some of our corner drugstores at home, except that instead of their being a door there was a pillbox of reinforced concrete, with gun slits.
The tank boys had shot it to extinction and then moved their tank up even with it to get the range of the next pillbox. That one was about a block ahead, set in a niche in the wall of a building. That’s what the boys had been shooting at when their tank was hit. They knocked it out, however, before being knocked out themselves.
For an hour, there was a lull in the fighting. Nobody did anything about a third pillbox, around the corner. Our second tank pulled back a little and just waited. Infantrymen worked their way up to second-story windows and fired their rifles up the side street without actually seeing anything to shoot at.
Now and then blasts from a 20mm gun would splatter the buildings around us. Then our second tank would blast back in that general direction, over the low roofs, with its machine gun. There was a lot of dangerous-sounding noise, but I don’t think anybody on either side got hit.
Then we saw coming up the street, past the wrecked German truck I spoke of, a group of German soldiers. An officer walked in front, carrying a Red Cross flag on a stick. Bob Capa, the photographer, braved the dangerous funnel at the end of the side street where the damaged tank stood, leapfrogging past it and on down the street to meet the Germans.
First, he snapped some pictures of them. Then, since he speaks German, he led them on back to our side of the invisible fence of battle. Eight of them were carrying two litters bearing two wounded German soldiers. The others walked behind with their hands up. They went on past us to the hospital. We assumed that they were from the second knocked-out pillbox.
Don’t always have tanks to help
I didn’t stay to see how the remaining pillbox was knocked out. But I suppose our second tank eventually pulled up to the corner, turned, and let the pillbox have it. After that the area would be clear of everything but snipers.
The infantry, who up till then had been forced to keep in doorways, would now continue up the street and poke into the side streets and into the houses until everything was clear.
That’s how a strongpoint in a city is taken. At least that’s how ours was taken. You don’t always have tanks to help, and you don’t always do it with so little shedding of blood.
But the city was already crumbling when we started in on this strongpoint, which was one of the last, and they didn’t hold on too bitterly. But we didn’t know that when we started.
I hope this has given you a faint idea of what street fighting is like. If you got out of it much more than a headful of confusion than you’ve got out of it exactly the same thing as the soldiers who do it.
Völkischer Beobachter (July 18, 1944)
Neuer britischer Trick:
Franzosen sollen wieder für England bluten
Well die Invasionsstrategie festgefahren ist
ka. Stockholm, 17. Juli –
Schon seit längerem kann es der englischen und amerikanischen Öffentlichkeit nicht mehr verborgen werden, daß die mit einem so großen Aufwand Menschenmaterial in Szene gesetzte Invasion zwar furchtbare Opfer angefordert hat, aber nicht im entferntesten die erwarteten Erfolge bringt.
Der Observer, der versucht hat, den Gründen für die unbefriedigende militärische Entwicklung an der Invasionsfront nachzugehen, kommt ganz richtig zu dem Schluss, daß die Hauptursache für das langsame Fortschreiten des Angriffs in dem begrenzten Gebiet zu suchen ist, über das die Alliierten verfügen. Die Frage sei darum, wie das alliierte Oberkommando mit diesem Problem fertig werde. Solange man von dem Brückenkopf aus keinen Ausfällen mache, bekomme man nicht genügend Raum für die Entwicklung eines Angriffs.
Diese Feststellung des Observer umschließt die für die Briten und Amerikaner sehr bittere Erkenntnis, daß die bisherigen militärischen Operationen in der Normandie im wahrsten Sinne erfolglos geblieben sind, da sie nicht einmal dazu führten, daß eine wirkliche Angriffsbasis geschaffen werden konnte, die dem gigantischen Einsatz von Menschen und Material entspricht. Die Zeitung läßt diese bittere Betrachtung in die Frage ausmünden, ob denn die Langsamkeit der militärischen Entwicklung wirklich unvermeidlich sei. Die Antwort, die der Observer sich selber gibt, ist bezeichnend für die englische Mentalität und für die alte, im englischen Volk wurzelnde Vorstellung, daß militärische Entscheidungen nicht aus eigener Kraft, sondern nach Möglichkeit zu Lasten anderer Völker erreicht werden sollen.
Anstatt die Frage nach der weiteren Entwicklung der Invasion unter dem Gesichtspunkt des eigenen militärischen Einsatzes zu prüfen, will der Observer nämlich die französische Bevölkerung zum Vorspann der englisch-amerikanischen Angriffspläne machen.
Eine gewisse Revision der bisherigen Invasionsstrategie, so meint das Blatt, sei durchaus zu begründen. Der Observer denkt dabei an die innerfranzösischen Terroristen, die man unterstützen und mit allem Notwendigen ausrüsten müsse, damit gewissermaßen vom inneren Frankreich her die Voraussetzung für eine schnellere Entwicklung auf dem Invasionsbrückenkopf geschaffen würde.
Damit wird wieder einmal Englands bewährte Strategie in den Vordergrund gestellt, andere die Kastanien aus dem Feuer holen zu lassen. Die französische Bevölkerung, die ihren „Befreiern“ mit einer so unmissverständlichen Geste der Ablehnung begegnet ist, wird sich freilich schwerlich dazu verleiten lassen, bei dem Aderlass, den die Invasion für die alliierten Truppen bedeutet, das eigene Blut zu opfern, um vielleicht am Ende eine zweite englische Massenflucht nach Dünkirchener Muster erleben zu müssen.
So zeigt sich also heute, nach über einem Monat, nach den eigenen Berichten der Engländer und Amerikaner die Invasion als ein Unternehmen, das nicht nur zu den blutigsten Opfern geführt hat, sondern bei dem man auch voller Zweifel ist, ob es aus eigener Kraft zu einem entscheidenden Ende geführt werden kann.
Terrorbanditen als Gralshüter
Briten und Yankees fühlen sich in ihrer angeborenen Selbstgefälligkeit besonders dann bestärkt, wenn sie sich als besorgte Anwälte des Wohls anderer Völker aufspielen. Sie lassen unbedenklich Inder und Italiener hungern, tun sich aber viel zu gute darauf, wenn sie gelegentlich einige Almosen verteilen, und sie sind groß darin, Entrüstung zu markieren, um die Verantwortung für ihr Tun und Lassen einheimischen Behörden der betroffenen Gebiete zuzuschieben. So bringen sie es auch ohne Erröten fertig, gleichzeitig durch ihren Luftterror alte Kulturstätten zu vernichten oder Kunstschätze räuberisch zu verschieben und der Umwelt den Hokuspokus vorzumachen, Kommissionen für den Schutz von Kunstgut einzusetzen.
Es kann daher auch niemand verwundern, wenn jetzt die Bildung von Feuerwehren bei den Invasionsarmeen unter anderem mit dem lapidaren Satz begründet wird: „Vor allem sollen die vielen Kulturdenkmäler in Nordfrankreich gerettet werden.“ Bomben und Granaten der Alliierten haben die meisten Städte und unzählige Dörfer der Normandie in Trümmer gelegt, unter denen 50.000 Einwohner den Tod fanden, und diese planmäßige Verwüstung nimmt pausenlos ihren Fortgang. Das gleiche Schicksal haben viele andere Städte Frankreichs gefunden – ganz im Ungeist der Harris und Genossen, für die ja auch die schönsten Baudenkmäler Deutschlands und Italiens nur „Postkartenkitsch“ sind. Dieses Bekenntnis zu bestialischer Verwüstung aller hohen Werte Europas hat aber immerhin den Vorzug, ehrlich zu sein. Es spiegelt offen die Schlächter Instinkte und die ungehemmte Brutalität wider, welche die anglo-amerikanische Kriegführung bezeichnen. Sie atmen blindwütigen Haß, der Haß erzeugt und nach Vergeltung schreit. Was uns jetzt aber mit süßlichem Augenaufschlag als Aufgabe der Militärfeuerwehren in der Normandie genannt wird, ist einfach ekelerregend. Es zeugt von einer Verlogenheit, die selbst bei diesem Feind einen ungeahnten Rekord bedeutet.
Hierzu gehört auch die erneute Versicherung der Amerikaner, sie wollten das Kloster von Monte Cassino wieder aufbauen. Wenn der Engländer H. G. Wells die barbarische These vertrat, man sei heute in der Lage, zerstörtes Kunstgut durch prima nagelneue Kopien zu ersetzen, so kann man sich nicht wundem, daß die Yankees der Auffassung sind, man könne alles und jedes mit Dollar gutmachen. Während ihre Bomber eines der berühmtesten Bauwerke des Abendlandes in einen Haufen Schutt umwandeln, haben deutsche Soldaten dort an Kunstwerken gerettet, was fortgeführt werden konnte. Da die Engländer und Amerikaner es von der eigenen Diebesgewohnheit her nicht anders kannten, haben sie damals mit frecher Stirn behauptet, die Deutschen hätten die Kunstschätze von Monte Cassino geraubt. Daß sie im Vatikan in Sicherheit gebracht wurden, hat die Öffentlichkeit in England und Amerika auch nach der Besetzung Roms selbstverständlich niemals zu wissen bekommen und natürlich ebenso wenig, daß deutsche Soldaten sich bemüht haben, die Kathedrale von Rouen, das Ziel alliierter Terrorbomber, vor der völligen Vernichtung zu retten. Stattdessen lügt man ihr vor, die eigene Militärfeuerwehr habe derartige Aufgaben zu erfüllen, was zugleich glaubhaft machen soll, daß die Zerstörungen in der Normandie durch die Deutschen erfolgten. Es würde im Charakterbild dieses Gelichters geradezu etwas fehlen, wenn nicht auch bei dieser Gelegenheit der hundsföttige Versuch unternommen würde, einem ritterlichen Gegner die eigene schamlose Gemeinheit anzudichten.
Bezeichnende Antworten –
Was US-Gefangene meinen
Paris, 17. Juli –
Der Führer der Französischen Volkspartei, Jacques Doriot, erhielt auf Fragen, die er an amerikanische Kriegsgefangene richtete, eine Reihe bezeichnender Antworten. „Wissen Sie, daß Sie für die Juden der Wall Street kämpfen?“ fragte Doriot einen Neuyorker Dockarbeiter. Dieser antwortete: „Ich will von den Juden nichts wissen, mein Vater hatte ein Uhrmachergeschäft, und Juden haben ihn zugrunde gerichtet.“ Einem anderen amerikanischen Kriegsgefangenen stellte Doriot die Frage, ob sich unter seinen Kameraden Kapitalisten befänden. Er erhielt die vielsagende Antwort: „Kapitalisten können nicht kämpfen, sie müssen zu Hause bleiben und unser Geld verwalten.“
Doriot berichtete weiter folgenden Vorgang:
Einem verwundeten amerikanischen Fliegeroffizier wurde von Doriot die Frage gestellt, weshalb die anglo-amerikanische Luftwaffe ständig Gebäude und Wagen bombardiere und beschieße, die deutlich die Kennzeichen des Roten Kreuzes tragen. Der Offizier bestritt dies energisch. Zwei Tage später wurde das Lazarett bombardiert, in dem er selbst sich befand. Der Offizier bat daraufhin den deutschen Chefarzt um die Möglichkeit, über das Internationale Rote Kreuz sofort bei seiner Regierung in Washington protestieren zu können.
Nach Aussage anderer amerikanischer Kriegsgefangener lehnt die normannische Bevölkerung im Brückenkopf die für die Invasion gedruckten Geldscheine der Amerikaner als Zahlungsmittel ab.