THE CHURCH OF ‘MEIN KAMPF.'

Evening Star, Issue 24056, 1 December 1941, Page 6

THE CHURCH OF ‘MEIN KAMPF.'

It is an interesting manifesto that has been circulated in Germany emphasising the religious programme of the Nazi Party. The essential feature of the programme, we are told, is tlio establishment of a National Reich Church with absolute pow'er over all Churches throughout the Reich. The new Church would serve exclusively, first, the nation as an ethical unit, and, secondly, the “ Aryan race.” All other Churches and churchliko bodies, especially those of an international character, would not bo tolerated in Germany. The manifesto demands that all the property belonging to all Churches should be confiscated immediately, the printing and sale of the Bible in Germany must cease immediately, and the importation of Bibles and other Christian literature must he ruthlessly prohibited. ‘ Mein Kampf ’ is declared to he the greatest written document belonging to the German people, “ because this is not only the greatest, hut the purest, ethical guide for the present-day- life of onr people.” The gorge of even many of the German people may be expected to rise against this. From the churches has come more opposition to Hitler’s attacks upon their freedom than from any other section. Applied to themselves, it may not bo easy for them to accept the justification that is laid down in ‘ Mein Kampf ’ itself for such high-handed-ness. “ The masses would sooner be dominated than supplicated, and feel more reassured tby a doctrine that brooks no fival than by one which offers a liberal freedom of choice. ... Of the barefaced intimidation practised upon their minds or the violent outrage committed upon their human liberty they are no more conscious than they are of the whole doctrine’s fallacies. They see only the ruthless force and brutality of its determined assertions, to which in the end they always submit.” The morality of Germany’s “ purest ethical guide ” may be illustrated by two other extracts. “ The pacifist and humanitarian idea is a perfectly good one on the condition that, first of all. the highest human type has conquered apd subjugated the world to an extent that renders it sole lord of the earth.” Then let the others ihe pacifist. And again: “ An alliance whose aim does not involve looking forward to a war is senseless and valueless.” Has any people in the past ever pre-eminently held the idea of a single, superior race which should he unmixed with others andl inseparable from its religion? Long ago the Jews did; the Arabs added the idea of conquest.

It is this last ambition, no doubt, which covers up all defects and immoralities of their “ purest ethical guide” for the great majority of Germans. There is nothing new in this world-threatening ambition, or in ‘ Mein Kampf.’ In his latest speech, Mr Eden refers to “ the horrible doctrines which have led to five attacks on other nations and for 150 years have built up and find final expression in Nazi tyranny.” Mr William L. Shirer, an American, who was in Beilin till tho present year, in his new book, ‘ Berlin Diary,’ flatly rejects the idea that “ Nazism is a form of rule and life unnatural to the German people and forced upon them against their wish by a few fanatic derelicts of the last war.” In September, 1939, he sets down in his journal; “ I have still to find a German, oven among those who don’t like the regime, who sees anything wrong in the German destruction of Poland,” That is what threatens the greatest problem of the future.