PRELIMINARY STEPS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 25, 31 January 1933, Page 7

PRELIMINARY STEPS

HOPES AND FEARS

NEWS FROM BERLIN

(Received 31st January, S a.m.)

■■■■"■'-'■ LONDON, 30th January. The ."Daily Express's" Berlin correspondent says that President Hindenburg entrusted Herr yon Papen with the negotiations for forming a new Cabinet. Herr yon Papen offered Herr Hitler the with himself as Vice-Chancellor and Commissioner for Prussia, but as the Comniissionership carried control of twothirds of the German, police, Herr Hitler refused, considering a Hitlerite must be selected for the post. The "Express" adds that a yon Papen. dictatorship is now the President's only alternative, and it is expected that the Socialists thereupon will proclaim .a general strike. ■ The commander of the Eeichswehr also warned the President that yon Papen's return would mean civil war.

The- "Daily Mail's" Berlin correspondent says that the opinion is growing that the Nationalists 5 negotiations for the formation of a Parliamentary Government will fail, forcing President Hindenburg either to break' with the Constitution or Tesign in favour of Herr Hitler or the ex-Crown Prince-.

General yon Sehleicher's resignation has thrown the nation into a state bordering on panic.. Almost the whole nation opposes Herr yon Papen. The newspapers declare that a clique of landowners have overthrown yon Schleicher and are now planning a dictatorship.