cover up
proposed acts of aggression. Italy wanted to "civilize the Ethiopians"
by dropping bombs on defenseless women and children. Germany and Italy
openly sent aid to Franco "to keep Spain from being Bolshevized." And
so on. The broad "moral issue" on the international field to cover up
aggressions by the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis is "Communism." The axis,
announced as having been formed "to exchange information about
Communism," is really a military alliance now generally recognized.
With the same issue, the axis is now boring into the Western
Hemisphere. Actually the reasons seem to be military and not
missionary.

Germany, especially, has sent and is sending agents not only to carry
on espionage but to organize groups for political pressure upon the
American republics. I very much doubt, from all I have been able to
learn, if the motive is primarily to win the Americas over to the joys
of totalitarian government or to the theory of Aryan supremacy. The
money and the effort seem to be expended for more practical reasons.
The Bunds can exert not only political pressure, but can develop
natives with fascist leanings into the spies and _saboteurs_ so badly
needed in war time; for this reason it is worth the enormous effort
and money it is costing the aggressor nations.

When the long expected war breaks, neither Europe nor the Far East
will be in a condition to supply war materials and foodstuffs to the
warring countries. The chief sources of raw materials will be the
Western Hemisphere. A strong foothold in the Americas means a
tremendous advantage in the coming struggle, since materials are as
important to an army as is man power. And, should the fascist powers
be unable to get these raw materials for themselves, secret agents can
at least sabotage shipments to enemy countries--as did German agents
in the United States during the first years of the World War, while we
were still neutral.

Mexico, because of its enormous oil supplies, plays an important part
in fascist military strategy. Consequently, we find intensive efforts
by the axis, and especially Germany, to overthrow the Cardenas
Government because it is avowedly anti-fascist. A fascist government,
helped into power by the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis, could be depended
upon to supply much needed oil in war time.

The United States, as one of the world's greatest sources of raw
materials and foodstuffs, is an even more important factor. Germany
has not forgott