THEY DON'T MISS A TRICK

Dr. Adler, the press representative of the University of Heidelberg, recently issued the following statement, "Every attempt is being made to eliminate every vestige of politics from the Heidelberg festivities. They are merely an academic affair organized by Heidelberg University and the town of Heidelberg. Nobody can blame us for displaying the emblem of the Third Reich."

The eminent Dr. Adler was perfectly correct when he stated that no one could blame "us" for displaying the emblem of the Third Reich, but he certainly must have blushed when he said that every attempt was being made to keep politics out of the festivities. With the marvelous opportunities that the Olympics at Berlin and this anniversary at the old Neckar town present, the Nazis have not missed a chance to lecture, orate and dress Hitlerism in its very best outfit, nor do they intend to let anything which may be capitalized slip through their fingers. Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, and other Nazi functionaries will be among the hosts to the representatives of every country. Even the printed program of the festivities states that addresses will be delivered by officials of the Reich Government and of the National Socialist Party. Inexpensive tours to "centers of interest", such as new roads, new buildings and other accomplishments of the Nazi regime, will be offered to Heidelberg and Olympic guests. Somehow or other there seems to be a fairly intensive tone of political excitement and propaganda which perhaps Dr. Adler has forgotten.

Few people will censor the Nazis for publicizing any affair within the limits of the Reich, since that is entirely their own business. They can distribute "Heil Hitlers" gratuitously at every assembly where there are Europeans present, but the world will strenuously object when suggestions of propaganda and polities are vociferously denied in connection with such non-political affairs, while at the same time plans for this very activity are being made by governmental authorities. Potty dishonesty, however, has been a feature of German diplomacy ever since the nineties, and it is nothing new today. The right hand has often denied the actions of the left, when there was no need for such denial at all, and the result has been unnecessary misunderstanding and cynical smiles from the rest of the world.

Germany would make the rest of Europe feel much more cordially inclined towards her if she would abandon this foolish policy of trying to conceal the obvious, since the educated foreigner feels that someone is trying to make a fool of him and he naturally resents it. The Heidelberg anniversary celebration this summer should be an eminently successful affair, provided that tourists and guests of the University are not fed Hitler soup gratis.