Herr von Ribbentrop, according to reports which I give as
they reached me, not claiming to be able to vouch for their veracity, is in a quite incredibly exalte mood, more firmly convinced than ever that Great Britain will in no circumstances fight, and resolved to strengthen Germany to the point at which she will be able to demand—and will demand—the surrender of the British Navy as a guarantee of British acquiescence in all German designs. The report, true or false, is singularly consistent with the impression created by von Ribbentrop's references, in his article in the Popolo ditalia of Tuesday, to " half-baked degenerate democrats," " degenerate democracies," " half-baked, petti- fogging and carping jurists," and so forth. Nothing brings war so near as a conviction on the part of Herr Hitler and his light-headed Foreign Minister that Great Britain would never fight. We are in fact fast being driven into the position of only being able to demonstrate our readiness to fight in certain circumstances by fighting.
* *
Previous page
