Typescripts of two articles on 1.Hitler and the invasion of the Rhineland (1936) and 2. the Japanese invasion of Manchuria (1931)

 5 page typed article with cover letter signed by V(iolet) Searman, dated April 1st 1936. ‘Dear Mr. Hillman, Sent herewith a copy of Mr. Churchill's article for the Evening Standard. It is possible that there may be a slight alteration tomorrow when Hitler's reply is known, but in that case I will let you know.’

“It is a mistake to suppose that the problem of averting another European or probably a world war depends to any important extent upon the reply which Herr Hitler has made the Locarno Powers or to staff Conversations now decided upon between great Britain and France or Belgium. Herr Hitler is continuing his efforts to separate Great Britain from France, and also to separate British public opinion from the British Government and House of Commons. The British Government on the other hand is anxious to comfort France in view of the great restraint which France, largely in deference to British wishes, has observed in presence of the German breach of Treaties and military re-occupation of the Rhine zone.“

Published: the basis for Chapter 2, “Stop it Now”, April 3 1936” in  Step by Step, 1936-1939 [London: 1939]

Together with:

8-page typed article with hand corrections in ink, “Not to be published before Sunday December 18th (1931)”

“The grave situation which has arisen in Manchuria and will be, an increasing source of world preoccupation, It is evident that deep—seated causes of quarrel are open between the three great Asiatic powers. Together Japan, China and Russia comprise nearly a third of the human race, All three are remote iii outlook from the ordinary established conventions of Europe and the United States. They have their own distinctive modes of thought, their own outlook, and individual willpowers not likely to be influenced by external public opinion. In China we have the most numerous branch of the human family, capable of the highest developments of thought and industry; but plunged in Asiatic conditions of political confusion and philosophical acquiescence. In Japan we have a powerful island empire which, though modernised and equipped with the weapons of modern science, still retains as its mainspring the heroic conceptions of a feudal aristocracy of mediaeval times. The soul of Japan is still the Samurai; the mind of Japan is still fortunatly for Japan- the Elder statesman.”

Provenance: William Hillman (1895-1962); with a Litchfield auction house (c.1997-2005); purchased by the present owner.

William Hillman was born in New York City in 1895. His career as a journalist started in 1915, and from 1926 onwards he worked as a foreign correspondent for Universal Service and Hearst Newspapers in Paris, Berlin and London. From 1934 to 1939 he was Chief of Staff, Foreign Correspondents, for Hearst Newspapers, also reporting directly to Mr. Hearst.

He subsequently did a lot of work for President Truman, and the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum in Independence, MO, have a large holding of his papers (but largely concerned with this latter part of his career from 1951 until his death in 1962 , with a few items going back as far as 1934). See https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/personal-papers/william-hillman-papers

Yale also have some of Hillman’s papers, part of the Than Vanneman Ranck papers (see https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/12/resources/3673 ). These are probably more relevant as they concern the workings of the Hearst organization.

Hillman stored his files and papers in a barn that was ‘local’ to his New Milford, Ct. property. In effect these ‘disappeared’ when he died and only ‘re-surfaced’ in the 1990s. The dispute over their ownership was not sorted out until 2005, and they were subsequently put up for auction in Litchfield, Ct. The present lot is from this ‘New Milford group’.