RAILWAY W.E.A. CLASS

Evening Star, Issue 22353, 1 June 1936, Page 10

RAILWAY W.E.A. CLASS

•HITLER' The Railway W.E.A.’ Class had another large attendance yesterday, when the subject of the tutor’s address was ‘ Hitler.’ He outlined the boyhood of Adolf Hitler in Austria, his early restlessness and pro-German sympathies and, his youthful aspirations. Hitler had always been an individualist, and quite early in his career had shown a strong dislike for trade unionism and any form of Socialism. Frustration of his ambitions and being compelled to work as a house painter had very probably increased this egotism. His life in Munich, in Bavaria, where he went in 1912, and where he enlisted in the army when war broke out, was described by the speaker. During the war Hitler had been wounded and blinded for a time. He had also won the Iron Cross for valour. Hitler's movements after the Armistice and the events leading up to his unsuccessful “ Putch ” in 1923 were outlined in detail. It was while in prison, following this, that Hitler had written his now famous book, ‘My Struggle,’ 'which had since caused so much adverse comment. As conditions became worse in Germany, so the Nazi policy had become more popularly acceptable, eventually resulting in the Nazi coup which put Hitler in power as Dictator. The Nazi policy, with its many anomalies, was explained and brief mention made of . the social and economic life under Nazism, also the treatment afforded to Jews and trade unions. Hitler had risen to power as leader of a natural German reaction to the terms of the Versailles Treaty. The German people had become desperate with continued economic distress.

Since coming into power Hitler had undoubtedly done much to stabilise the internal conditions of his country, and his grip on power seemed to be assured for some time by his victories in the international field. Notwithstanding this, the speaker concluded, it was very doubtful whether Germany could retain this uncertain stability for any length of time while under the administration of a Dictatorship. Two papers by students were then read and the remaining _ hour was passed in questions and discussion.