DRASTIC MEASURES ORDERED BY HITLER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 175, 26 July 1944, Page 5

DRASTIC MEASURES ORDERED BY HITLER

TOTAL MOBILISATION Hundreds Of Officers Killed In Nazi Prisons N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, July 25. : New measures have been ordered : by Hitler affecting the everyday : economic life of the German home front. A decree issued from Hitler's headquarters for the territory of Greater Germany and annexed and occupied territories declares:— "The war situation enforces the ' mobilisation of the last ounce of strength for the Wehrmacht and the armament • industry. Hitler has ordered Goering to adapt the entire public life of Germany and occupied territories to the demands of total warfare. Goering is to_ erfeuue that all public events are in line with the aim of total mobilisation, and is to re-examine the position of railways, postal services and all other public undertakings with the view to freeing the maximum manpower. To this end Goering may demand explanations from the highest authorities in the Reich and give them instructions. Bormann, head of the Nazi party chancellery, will support the measure by mobilising the party in accordance with the full powers which he has been given. Reich Minister Goebbels has been appointed 'Reich trustee for total mobilisation for war.' " Purge Started a Month Ago Earlier, the Wilhelmstrasse announced that powerful new military reserves are being created. A Foreign Office spokesman referred to strict new measures which would profoundly affect the economic life of the German home front. He said that lively co-ordination is already progressing between Germany and her south-eastern Allies, and added: "Germany's foreign policy must be based on the assumption that the war can be won in the military sphere. It is wrong to assume, now that the military situation happens to be unfavourable, that means other than military must be adopted." The Swiss newspaper, Journal de Geneva says Himmler began his blood purge of the German Army a month ago. - Hundreds of officers of all ranks have been executed in prisons in Vienna, Munich, Koenigsberg, Magdeburg, Igolstadt and Berlin. In the Vienna prison executions have been carried out twice weekly in specially-constructed cells. 1 The paper reports that units of the German Air Force were used m an attempt to crush anti-Hitler forces in the German Army. Himmler seized control of the Air I 1 orce from Goering and ordered it to attack military formations led by rebel generals. _ German newspapers say that Himmler has decided to decrease the number of German regular Army troops inside Germany and replace them with Storm Troopers.