GERMANY VOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 268, 13 November 1933, Page 7

GERMANY VOTES.

STRANGE election.

REFERENDUM TAKEN.

Disarmament and Withdrawal From League. REICH POLL MERE FORMALITY. (Onited P.A.-Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 11.30 a.m.) BERLIN, November 12. "Do you, German man, and yon, German woman, approve the policy 0 f your Government, and are you ready to recognise it as an expression 0 f your own views and "will, and solemnly to pledge yourself to it?" ■svas the actual form of the referendum on which Germany to-day was asked to approve the attitude towards disarmament and the departure from the League of Nations. Voters on another paper were asked to choose a new Reichstag, which is a mere formality in the absence of the competitive "clement. However, this did not affect the intensity of the Government's propaganda. Every town and village •tfas beflagged, and there were long queues outside taverns, which were used as polling booths, while elaborate arrangements were made for the votes of Germans living abroad. Polling Reaches 100 Per Cent. The Nazis polled 14,866,950 votes, representing 92.8 per cent of votes counted till 10.30. The invalid votes totalled 1,150,550, or 7.27 per cent. A total of representing 94.1 per cent, replied "Yes" on the plebiscite and 708,000 "No." There were 251,950 informal votes. Early returns showed that the polling had exceeded the most optimistic expectations. In several instances 100 per cent went to the poll in rural centres, with almost a 100 per cent "Yes" vote, even in centres which formerly were Socialist and Communist strongholds. Hitherto 85 per cent was the highest poll recorded in Germany.

In the Bavarian palatinate where the Nazis last election secured only 47 per cent of the votes cast, 99 per cent voted in favour of the Government's policy. All but 673 of 77,871 entitled to vote in the palatinate, went to the polls.

Although the poll was open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., at least 50 per cent of the electorate votes by 11 a.m. To counteract any disinclination to vote Nazi volunteers went from house to house inquiring whether the electors had dona their duty. Special facilities were given invalids and cripples, many of whom were wheeled to voting stations. President Hindenburg, after voting early, was given a great reception as he drove to church. Free Tickets from Britain. Electors were given no opportunity to forget to vote. Squads of Nazi youths and girls traversed the streets, of Berlin in lorries and on cycles carrying megaphones and shouting exhortations to vote. Thousands wore emblems signifying that they had already voted. Apart from this propaganda, the atmosphere was quiet, contrasting with the tenseness and excitement of former elections. The ex-Kaiser did not - avail himself of the opportunity to vote but other Royalties voted at Potsdam. The election questions were transcribed in Braille enabling the blind to vote. Train loads of Germans from Austria, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland and Holland voted, some from Britain taking the advantage of the Government's free ticket to the nearest frontier station. Danzig Germans chartered a special steamer and voted outside Polish territorial waters. Similar arrangements were made in Italy. The occupants of the Frankfort concentration camp were allowed to vote. It is perhaps not surprising that 79 out of 88 of .them recorded "Yes" on their ballot papers. The electoral system provides for one member to be returned for every 60,000 votes. This prevents a voter expressing a preference for any particular candidate. Dr. Hugenberg, Nationalist leader, Dr. Albert Hacklesbeger, Centre Catholic party, are almost the only non-Nazi candidates. There are no women on the lists. President Appeals for Support. The President, Marshal von Hindenburg, seated before a radio microphone in the library of his residence in the Wilhelmstrasse, appealed to his millions of listeners to support the Government in the elections and praised Herr Hitler for his courageous policy. He enlarged upon the text "peace, honqur and international equality."

"For the first time after years of disruption," said the President, "Germany stands before the world united in the will for peace, but demanding honour, equality and respect. It is lies and slander when foreigners attribute warlike intentions to us. Those who, like me, survived the war regard the maintenance of peace as the most serious duty to Germany and the world.

"We left the Disarmament Conference and the League of Nations to demonstrate that the differentiation between victors and vanquished must cease. Germans at the polls must loudly and positively announce that Germany must never again be treated as a second-class nation and acknowledge with me and Herr Hitler the principles of equality, and peace with honour."

LATEST FIGURES.

OVERWHELMING NAZI VOTE. (Received 2.30 p.m.) BERLIN, November 12. The voting as shown by the count up till ix p.m. resulted as follows: — Reichstag election, 23,583,575 in favour of Xazis, invalid votes 1,794,326. Plebiscite, 24,205,90S "Yes," i;i57,935 "No," ■with 417,208 invalid votes.