Merten's Message

For 52 years Herman Merten led an unexciting life. A naturalized U. S. citizen of German birth, he had dabbled in journalism in Portland, Ore., picked up an American wife from Seattle, finally wandered back to Germany. There he plodded along for three years as a translator in the

U. S. Embassy. Suddenly he resigned, became a man with a message. Steaming back across the Atlantic aboard the refugee ship Excalibur, he prepared a four-page, handwritten document for his adopted country. Last week he presented it to newsmen in Manhattan. It was an enlightening commentary on the beliefs and translating ability of an aide in the U. S. Embassy. Excerpts: ^ "European democracies have outlived themselves because true democratic principles have vanished." ^ "There is no chance for the morale of Germany being shaken. . . . Germans are not disappointed with the delay of the invasion of England, knowing that Germany will unexpectedly defeat England.

. . . The new idea of socialism is much deeper founded than we wish to believe, and therefore no power now will stem the avalanche." ^ German reaction to U-boat successes is falsified in the British press. "Actually the good German people do not shout with joy or say 'That's good news.' What they say is 'Oh, those poor British people, think of their families.' " >-"Let us avoid getting into tight corners and above all quit experimenting and trying to pull ourselves by our bootstraps with anesthetic, money-wasting measures, only to get from one hole into a bigger one. ... It will be futile 'for the U. S. to enter the war for she will be too late." ^ The U. S. must prepare to cooperate "economically and spiritually" with Germany on a "barter basis--the only basis Germany now knows, because she was forced to employ the barter system." Added Prophet Merten on a hint from wife Zelah: "I beg, after consideration, that you mention my connections with the American Embassy in Berlin only on your social pages, in a separate story, rather than in this interview which I dictated." Still on the Embassy payroll for two months' accumulated leave, he announced he was off to the Capital to expound his new gospel.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.