 You can't do business with Hitler. We are now at war. There are about two alternatives, total victory or total defeat. There can be no such thing as a military stalemate that would result in the survival of Hitlerism. That is the opinion of a man who knows Douglas Miller, for fifteen years commercial attaché to the American Embassy in Berlin, presenting a new radio series adapted from Mr. Miller's book, You Can't Do Business with Hitler, Episode One, As They Win, Hail, Weaver. This is Douglas Miller speaking. I'll be very blunt until the point. I want to give you a picture of Nazi trade methods and Nazi business methods as I saw them during my fifteen years in Berlin. I have two reasons for so doing. First, to tell you some of the causes of this war that you perhaps have never heard of before. Second, to convince you, if you need convincing, that there can never be any compromise with Hitlerism. We wipe it out, or it wipes us out. Now let's get down to cases. In the case of James Dunning Forrester, for example, Forrester was an American businessman who back in 1937 was trying to do business with Germany. He had nearly completed a deal to sell a shipload of American goods to the Nazis. The cause of the deal, Forrester, was asked to call upon an important Nazi official at the Ministry of Economics in Berlin. And now, forrester, there are just a few things more to settle, and we conclude your business. But I thought everything was settled. Not quite everything, forrester. There is the matter of shipping. But my firm will take care of that naturally. Of course. But we expect that you will ship your goods on a German ship. I'm sorry, I'm afraid that's impossible. My company has a contract with an American line. You see, we... And the contract must be broken. I beg your pardon? I mean, forrester, that our regulations demand that your goods be shipped on a German vessel. Otherwise, your business with us must be canceled. But why should I put American seamen out of a job? Regulations, forrester. Regulations? There's nothing I can do about it, you understand? Well, I suppose it could be arranged. But I don't like it very much. Now another thing here, forrester. Are you insured with an American company? You needn't worry about insurance, Herr Schwartz. The company I'm insured with... Is it an American company, Herr Forrester? Naturally. Unfortunate. I don't understand. But our regulations demand you insured with a German company. Why, that's ridiculous. After all, I'm the one who stands to lose if anything happens. I think I should have a right to insure myself with an insurance company of my own choosing. Herr Forrester. Are you implying that German insurance companies are not dependable? I'm implying nothing of the kind. Look here, Herr Schwartz. We'll forget this insurance matter for the moment. But how many other regulations do I have to conform to? Well, when your cargo is loaded in America, it must be examined by German inspectors. German inspectors, eh? Well, that's all I was mean. Your company, of course, must pay the expense for sending these inspectors from Germany to America and back again. Now, wait a minute. Why should we pay the expenses of men who are working in your interest? I never heard of such a thing. Herr Forrester. If you wish to do business with Germany, you must do it according to German regulations. No other country has such arbitrary regulations. The great right, Herr Forrester, is not responsible for the regulations of other countries. That's some consolation. I beg your pardon. Never mind. Let's get on with it. And that's the way the Nazis do business. There's no such thing as having a purely business relation with the totalitarian state. Every business deal carries with it political, military, social, and propaganda implications. Proof? I have plenty of proof. For example, about three years ago, Gable's Ministry of Propaganda arranged for the president of the German film chamber to visit my office to discuss and exchange emotion pictures. After this high Nazi official had arrived and we had exchanged a few pleasantries, he said to me, Herr Müller, Dr. Gable is interested in buying American motion pictures. The few that we have shown have been very popular here. Yes, yes, of course. But am I to understand that the American film companies will be paid cash for these films? Cash? Yes, of course. What else? Well, isn't it a bit unusual? Usually you do business on a part of business. Yeah, but this is different. And will the American firms be able to take their profits out of Germany? That is without the usual restrictions, I mean? There will be no restrictions. Well, I'm very glad to hear it. But why are you waving a standard regulation? Ah, but we are very friendly to America. Oh, oh, I see. This is just your good will. Yeah, good will, that's it. Of course. We would expect some little favor in exchange. Oh, I see. And what is the nature of the favor? Well, the air gables would like each of the large motion picture theaters in twenty-five of your leading American cities to give one quarter of their time to act. You mean air gables would like to supply Americans with motion pictures in these areas? Yeah, that is. The Ministry of Propaganda would supply the picture. Oh, but you don't understand. The United States government has no power to force American motion picture houses to show German propaganda films, other films with America. The United States government has no power? Oh, come, come, Helmiller. You are joking, huh? No, no, seriously. American movie houses show what films they choose to show. But I cannot believe it. It's according to an old American principle, freedom of speech. I have never heard of such a thing. Helmiller, if you do not agree to our arrangement, air gables should be very displeased. Yes, but if I do agree to such an arrangement, I'm afraid the American people would be very much displeased. And after all, they're the ones who would have to look at air gables' films. So, you see, the Nazis were very willing to do business with us if they could, in exchange, flood American theaters for their Nazi propaganda. Because American movie producers refuse to agree to the Nazis outrageous demands, the Nazis deliberately set out to ruin our movie business in Germany. Proof? There you are. In 1932, we sold Germany almost three and a half million feet of film. In 1938, because of Nazi restrictions, we were sending to Germany less than a half a million feet of film per year. Anyone kind of checked these figures will find them in the publication of the United States Department of Commerce entitled Foreign Commerce and Navigation. Send for it and see for yourself. Sometime after my experience in the film transaction, air gables are close to another American official in Berlin. At that time, Germany was trying to gain the favor of American newspapers and radio stations. Here's what air gables said to our embassy official on that occasion. Sir, I am very pained that the inserts of a car leader in your American newspapers and your American radio broadcasts. I see no reason why we cannot have an understanding of what sucks things. What do you suggest? This is friendly gesture. I suggest that you select any German journalist or radio announcer who, in your opinion, has made remarks insulting the United States. I promise you that I will arrest the offending person within 24 hours. Furthermore, I should see that he is punished in any way you see fit. Now, why can't we have the same friendly cooperation and the power of the American government? Can you imagine our government permitting any foreign government to point out offending American journalists or radio broadcasts and suggesting their arrest? Yet Germany was treating us very well compared to the way she treated smaller countries who were powerless to resist. Let me tell you what happened to Swedish firms doing business with the Nazis. I called the office of the president of one of the Swedish firms. Mr. President, this letter... Never mind that now, Carlson. I called you in here to discuss something very important. But this letter is urgent, Mr. President. You must look at it rightly. Please, Carlson, listen to me. But, sir... Carlson, I want to talk to you about a personal matter. Now, will you please sit down here? Oh, very well, sir. Carlson, how long have you been working for me? How long? Let me see. 21 years? 21 years. Well, I don't have to tell you, Carlson, that you've been one of my most loyal employees. Is there something to matter, Mr. President? No, no, nothing. Well, have you thought of retiring, Carlson, on a pension? I mean... Mr. President, is this all you have to speak of my career? No, sir. I have ten good years in me yet for the company. Now, this letter, Mr. President, you must look at it. It is from the Berlin secret police. Did you stop them? Yes. They demanded we stop advertising our goods in the local newspaper. What right have they to ask such a thing? The best newspaper? We've been advertising in it for years. You don't understand, Carlson. The paper in which we advertise is pro-democratic. And this is the Nazi method of striking out at their enemies. Well, they're using us as a tool. But we won't do it! You tell them, they won't do it! I can't tell them that, Carlson. If I refuse, it means ruin. You must refuse. But you don't understand. We're in their hands. We've come to depend upon their business. They should cut it off now. If only I hadn't permitted myself to be led into such a position. One demand after another. I thought I could play along with them and still maintain our independence. I was wrong. You must make a stand somewhere. No, it's settled, Carlson. You make all necessary changes. These are all advertising contracts transferred elsewhere. Very well, Mr. President. If that's your order, I'll go back to my office. Carlson, wait. Yes, sir? This doesn't matter. It's a resignation. But I'm not ready to resign, Mr. President. I'll be very frank with you. I received another letter from the German secret police that I haven't told you about. A few months ago, they asked me to send them a complete list of all the workers here. Well, they checked that list with their spies here in Sweden, and now they demand that I discharge certain employees. Discharge employees? But why? Some of the Nazis say they're Jewish and communistic. Of course, these are the names the Nazis apply to anyone opposed to fascism. Will discharge these employees... I must, but I only... I wanted you to understand. Oh, Mr. President. No, it's not all. There's one more thing. Yes? Carlson, your name was among those the Nazis demanded I discharge. My name? Yes, because you've openly stated your hatred of the Nazis. Now, of course, you understand you'll be pensioned. Don't have to worry about your wife. You needn't discharge me. I shall save you the trouble. And any man who has worked here is a traitor to his country. Carlson, you must understand my position. Carlson, wait. Carlson, please come back here. Carlson. I have given you, in the short time available, some paint idea of the viciousness of Nazi business methods. Germany has been carrying on a war against America since 1933. A war of trade. A war of espionage. A war of propaganda. We must finish this once and for all. So that Hitler's cup-soaked business and propaganda methods will never again set our strength. We must carry on this war until Naziism is completely and finally exterminated. You can't do business with Hitler. You have been listening to the first broadcast in a new radio series entitled You Can't Do Business with Hitler. Listen for the second broadcast in this series which is entitled Broken Promises. This program, written and produced by Frank Calvert, is brought to you by the Office for Emergency Management in Washington. Thank you.