The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1932. GERMANS UNDER DISCIPLINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 207, 1 September 1932, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1932. GERMANS UNDER DISCIPLINE.

for ffte cause that lucks assistance, For the wrong tJmt needs resistanot, For (he future in the distance, Af.d the good that we o«n do.

Discipline is still strong in Germany, as is shown by the docile manner in which the Reichstag received the fulminations of "Red Clara," the aged Communist who presided at the opening. For three-quarters of an hour Catholics and Hitlerites, German barons and industrial magnates listened to this fiery female denouncing the President, the Government, the capitalists and expressing the hope that some day she might live to open a German Soviet Congress. The Nazis present listened in frigid silence, so as to give no excuse for enforcing Hindcnburg's dissolution decree. It shows that Hitler has his followers well in hand, and that he does not intend to risk the future by any unconstitutional action. Indeed, he has little cause to do so. His following has grown steadily, an dalthough he cannot command an absolute majority he has by far the strongest individual following in the House. If the President should decide to dissolve the Reichstag, Hitler will be able to pose as the champion of constitutional government against a virtual, dictatorship. This would be a new role for him, but he has proved so versatile in the past that he would doubtless know how to turn it to advantage. He would attract to his side many friends of democracy, who have hitherto opposed him on the ground that he was aiming at becoming a second Mussolini. He might in such case become independent of the Catholic Centre and secure an absolute majority. Herr von Papen is determined to push through his plans for economic reconstruction, and has. documents signed by the President empowering him to dissolve the Reichstag if any attempt is made to counteract his policy. The Nazis in such case would appeal for the aid of the Socialists against any attempt to break the Constitution, and von Papen, not Hitler,, would fi'gure as the dictator opposing the will of the people. An appeal to the country might well result under these circumstances in an absolute victory for the Hitlerites.

The Chancellor has issued a challenge to the system of representative government. It is improbable that the Reichstag will surrender, and in that case it may be shortlived. The Chancellor has no party following in the House, and he cannot hope to conciliate the different political interests opposed to him. His programme for the revival of industry and the absorption of the unemployed, has many dubious points, and has already evoked violent hostility from different quarters. He prefaced his speech outlining his proposals with a bitter attack on the Nazis. He challenged Hitler's claims to leadership on the ground that he was putting the minority who followed his flag in the place of the German nation. He denounced the violent methods of the Nazis. Hitler can now show that his followers can be as restrained as any, that he is willing to abide by the Constitution, and that it is von Papen who is claiming absolute power over the Reichstag. It may be merely a tactical move on the part of the Nazis, but it is a clever move, and it shows that Hitler now has hopes of coming to power by constitutional methods. A cable received to-day indicates that the Reichstag may be dissolved, and in that event Hitler may find his hopes realised.