Mr. Hoover's prediction, that the Hitler regime will collapse as a result of overreaching itself, expresses a view which is held by large number of observers. Like Napoleon's, Hitler's ambitions are apparently boundless, and indeed there is a similarity of method with some alteration of timetables. The picture of an overrun Europe, of an adventure into northern Africa, somewhat of a parallel with Napoleon's ill-fated invasion of Egypt, and the onslaught on Russia strongly recalls the events of well over a century ago, while the resemblance is all the more marked when Napoleon's duplicity, every bit as great as that of Hitler's, is remembered. But Napoleon's regime did not collapse of itself. He had to endure final military defeat before it disappeared, though it is clear that the manner in which he had wasted the manhood of France had rendered his disappearance from the scene likely even if he had won the Battle of Waterloo.
The great factor which will make for the collapse of Hitler's house of cards is the enormous store of hatred he is building up for himself, his Nazis, and his people. There is not a foot of territory over which his armies have passed which is not a breeding ground of furious hate, only awaiting a favourable opportunity to burst into flame against the aggressors. Even in Italy the Germans are loathed and scorned, and the masses will welcome Hitlers defeat with rejoicing. All is not satisfactory for the Nazis in the areas they have occupied. Sabotage, guerilla warfare and murder are everyday occurrences, while in Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Holland Belgium, and France, in Greece and Yugoslavia, and perhaps, even in Rumania and Bulgaria men, who insist that they must and shall be free. are awaiting the destruction of the Nazi military machine which will be the signal for an uprising, which will mean the end of Hitler and his gang.
"The wholesale executions in which the Germans are indulging is supposed by them to be the answer to the underground agitation which is going on in every occupied. country. It may satisfy them from that point of view but the fact is that the Germans are building up such a store of vengeance that the wonder is that they cannot see that they are sowing the seed of their ultimate destruction. Mr. Hoover's belief that even if Hitler suffered no military defeat upon the Continent. his "kingdom" could not survive is probably, in the circumstances of Hitler's own making, correct. Certainly his boast that the Nazis will rule for a thousand years will not be justified. It may very well be that with modern arms he may be able to hold millions of people in subjection for a time, but the sufferings he is inflicting upon his awn people must in due course bear fruit. What he and his accomplices already appear to understand, and the ridiculous claims of success, the falsity of which has been Bemonstrated, show that already he is the problem of unrest amongst his own people.
The Allies will find themselves faced with an enormous task, when the defeat of Hitlerism comes about, in endeavouring to prevent conditions in Europe becoming utterly chaotic. It may safely be forecast that the state of Germany subsequent to the flight of the late Kaiser at the end of the last war will be as nothing compared with the conditions to be expected throughout Europe at the end of this present struggle. It will devolve upon the victorious Allies first to feed Europe from the stores which are already being accumulated for that purpose, but the necessity of restoring and maintaining order will, it is to be expected, make further great demands upon them. Doubtless the leaders of the various Allied Governments are already considering the problems which will arise at the end of the war, and will have their plans ready to put into operation, but it will not be at all surprising if it is found that the new European order will have to be built up from the very ground. Hitler has already torn down so much that the work of rehabilitation will indeed be tremendous.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.