(4 of 4)
"It is equally impossible that such a conference, which is to determine the fate of this continent for many years to come, could carry on its deliberations while cannon are thundering or mobilized armies are bringing pressure to bear upon it. . . ."
Only at the finale did Adolf the Former emerge from the Reichstag speech: "If, however, the opinions of Messrs. Churchill and his followers should prevail, this statement will have been my last."
"Maybe It's Me." Nonspecific as Mr. Hitler's peace talk was, it was peace talk of sufficient weight to send that arsy-versy peace barometer, the New York Stock Exchange price index, down a few points. Coming from almost any other bigtime warring statesman, the Reichstag speech would probably have caused the general worldwide jubilation of another false armistice. That there was no such manifestation (see col. 2) was simply the result of Mr. Hitler's past record for having such a singular deficiency in those simple old-fashioned virtues of honesty and candor. In spite of his new mantle of humanitarianism, he seemed to sense this, remarking almost pathetically at one point that "in my previous speeches to the Reichstag I made proposals with this [peace] end in view. At that time they were rejected—maybe for the simple reason that they were made by me."