Page 110

GRUESOME HARVEST
certain advantages, apart from those gained by our attempt
to apply the sadistic Potsdam decrees, including deep German
resentment. The Russian bureaucracy with its long experi-
ence in managing economic institutions and processes has found
it relatively simple to take over control of the German econo-
my in its zone and is fully prepared to extend the control over
the rest of the Reich when opportunity presents itself. On
the other hand, our own Government and especially our mili-
tary forces are notoriously incompetent in handling economic
affairs. Conditions reached bottom early in the Russian zone,
so that what change has come has been for the better; where-
as, bad as things are in our zone, they must be expected to
become progressively worse. Germans will not fail to note
the contrast and to draw dangerous conclusions. As stated
before, the former movement of Germans from the East to the
West has already reversed. Thousands of disillusioned, dis-
couraged Germans are crossing into the Russian zone where
they will enthusiastically prepare to help drive the hateful
democracies out of Germany.
We have numerous advantages, however, which, if handled
properly, should prove decisive. German antipathy toward
Russia and Bolshevism is deepseated; in contrast, Germans
have hitherto always admired us Americans and have imitated
us in many ways, especially in economic techniques. Russia has
also compromised herself in fundamental ways. She was be-
hind the terrible expulsions of Germans from the lost terri-
tories and other places. She has been the instigator and chief
beneficiary of the slave system, having taken from three to
four times as many prisoners as all the western powers to-
gether. Germans of all classes deeply resent the cruel and
violent liquidation of the former upper and middle classes,
especially because it was carried out by foreigners and Com-
munists whose patriotism is suspect.
Our task is to formulate a new and just German peace pro-
gram-one that will give effect to our basic ideals and con-
victions and lead Germany toward, not away from, us and
our way of life. But before we can take this step intelligently
we must first face certain basic facts, must disabuse our minds
of certain gross misconceptions which have lowered us in Ger-
man esteem and misled us into the present danger.