ABSOLUTE DICTATORSHIP

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 1 March 1933, Page 9

ABSOLUTE DICTATORSHIP

German President’s Decree DRASTIC RESTRICTIONS MADE Loss of Personal Freedom COMMUNIST RISING FEARED VAST CONSPIRACY OF REVOLT (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) Received 3 p.m., to-day. BERLIN, Feb. 28 President von Hindenburg has sign eel a decree placing Germany under an absolute dictatorship. It will he supported by a police regime because the Cabinet has rejected military control m order to keep the Army out of politics. The decree rescinds the personal liberty, freedom of speech and of the Press, the holding of meetings for forming associations, and privacy of letters and telegrams and telephones. It provides the death penalty for attempts on the lives of Ministers, severe breaches of the peace, treason, poisoning, arson and damaging railways. Prussian authorities declare they have unearthed a vast Communist conspiracy to overthrow the regime. Herr Goering describes the Reichstag fire as the most monstrous act of Bolshevik terrorism in Germany. Documents discovered in the Leih necht House, the headquarters of the Communists, are alleged to include instructions for poisoninrr food and water, the marching of women and children, especially policemen’s families, as screens before terror grows during disorders and also the firing oi public buildings. The entire Prussian police ns standing to until aftei* the elections, a> s'sited. by 60,000 armed storm troops anc stahlhelms. The Cabinet decided on virtual martial law and requested th,e President to sign the emergency decree for the protection of the German people against the Communist danger, enabling extensive interference with personal liberty. It has been decided to hold the elections in any circumstances.

Among 80 overnight arrests 38 were Communist leaders. All Socialist and Communist elections posters were removed from hoardings. Herr Goering’s communique states the raid oil Liebknecht House revealed plans- of a Bol•shevik plot, including the firing of the Reichstag, which was the ‘sign;al for revolution and civil war. Those arrested include Ludwig Renn, novelist, and Ernst Thalmann. the Communist presidential nominee. Luebbe was expelled from the Dutch Communist party in 1930 as an agent provocateur. He was often imprisoned for agitation and sabotage. lie denies the authorities’ assertion that others helped him in incendiarism. It will take a year to renovate the Reichstag and the next Parliament must meet elsewhere. The Press Chief declares that Communist and Socialist newspapers will never appear again and warns foreign journalists to refrain from relying on the malignant Opposition sources oi information.