A MINUTE CHECK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1941, Page 7

A MINUTE CHECK

HESS'S STATEMENTS

REPORT TO MR. CHURCHILL

RUGBY, May 18,

A full report of all statements made by Herr Hess since his landing by parachute in Scotland has been sent to Mj. Churchill. The examination of Herr Hess has been carried out in German and a translation prepared. The contents of the report are being kept a close secret. Everything recorded is being carefully examined and minutely checked by intelligence officers, to test the value and reliability of Hess's statements.

While the German radio, for the home audience, still keeps its silence, Dr. Goebbels appears at last to have decided on the version of the affair that he is going to hand out for foreign consumption. This version, which contradicts Goebbels's previous accounts, was given in a talk by Dr. Gerhardt Dohm to Portugal.

Contradicting the original official communique on Hess, he said: "Hess is not a man of confused ideas. He is not the victim of hallucination. He is a fanatical idealist who believed he could persuade England to make peace and prevent the break-up of the British Empire and the elimination of the English nation."

Dr. Dohm further denied that Hitler appointed Hess as his successor in the speech of September 1, 1939. For this and other reasons, it is clear why the German radio dare not give this account of the matter to their home listeners.

The next point in Dr. Dohm's talk is that the incident is now closed. "One cannot speak," he said, "of any shock among the German people. This is proved by the fact that the affair is no longer discussed." That in fact the German authorities know that the matter is by no means closed is shown by their attempts to discount in advance Hess's statements. Thus, a German commentator, speaking to South America, said: "We can expect sensational statements which the English radio will attribute to Hess. But you should all remember his status as a prisoner of war, and that his declarations cannot be tested." In fact, as the head of an organisation with agents everywhere, Hess knew more than anyone else of the condition of the Nazi party, and as Hitler's confidant he is bound to be well acquainted with Germany's plans.— 8.0. W.