GERMANY’S FATE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 193, 30 July 1932, Page 7

GERMANY’S FATE

A FIERCE STRUGGLE ALARMS AND EXCITEMENTS. STORM TROOPS CALLED UP. (United Press Association—By CableCopyright.) (xteceived 30, 10.5 a.m.) Berlin, July 29. Germany is in a fever of excitement over what is described, as the greatest fight for the fate of Germany since the revolution. Reports of the mobilisation oi Hitler’s Brown Shirts in readiness tor seizure of power after the election is creating alarm. Couriers on motor-cycles are reported to be leaving the Munich headquarters, taking orders to company, battalion and regimental divisional commanders ordering everyone to be alert on Sunday night. Storm troops from Pomerania and other places have arrived in the neighbourhood of Beriya, having said farewell to their families like soldiers mobilising. They are not aware why they have been summoned, but were ordered to bring three days’ lood and blankets.

ALL EYES ON THE NAZIS. REVOLUTION UNLIKELY. (Received 30, 12.45 p.m.) Berlin, July 29. With a frenzy hitherto unequalled the election campaign is closing in amazing scenes. All eyes- are on the Nazis, whose headquarters at Munich, which is guarded by armed forces, is the focus of ceaseless activity. Police patrol the streets night and day.

Cologne and the Rhineland, though outwardly calm, are excited beneath the surface.

Alarmists declare that bloodshed is inevitable, but the general opinion is that a revolution is unlikely. There is a persistent rumour that if Hitler is defeated he will not hesitate to use his storm troops, attempt a coup d’etat, and seize the reins of government. The Jews are intensely afraid of such developments, but Herr von Papen has assured them that he has Hitler’s promise to do nothing rash. General Schleicher says he will throw the whole force of the Reichswehr ruthlessly against disturbers of the peace.

It is significant that President von Hindenburg has issued a decree enforcing a ten-days’ political truce after Sunday, thus barring all political demonstrations.

Still, the general belief is that no party will gain an absolute majority. Herr von Papen, broadcasting to the American people, declared that the world did not realise that Germany had been in danger of civil war. Illegal Communist activities were largely responsible for the recent disorders, which no Government could tolerate. Order had been restored and would not be disturbed. Cabinet did not support a dictatorship. The real source of the discontent was the Versailles Treaty.

The election takes place on Sunday. Politicians and editors are full of the most varied prophecies regarding the outcome of the present campaign, states a “Sun” radio broadcast. On one point nearly everyone is agreed: that the small parties will be ground to almost the vanishing point. There is also a fairly general concensus of opinion that the Centre Party stands a good chance of increasing its number of seats, but on the main question, the relative strength of the Hitlerites on the one hand and the Social-Democrats and Communists on the other, the most astonishingly different versions are heard and believed by large sections of the people. Reports from the country districts especially in North Germany, agreed that the NationalSocialist tide is still flowing with apparently undimimshed intensity. In the cities and industrial regions,' on the other hand, Hitlerite meetings this time are, according to police returns, not so well attended as they were during the past two or three elections this year, and even Herr Adolf Hitler himself had, in some places, to speak to half-empty halls, which has encouraged the Republicans to suggest that Hitlerism is on the wane. The NationalSocialists themselves, however, claim that they are sweeping on stronger than ever, and declare that they will get from 270 to 280 seats, whereas their present strength is 107. The Social-Democrat leader, Dr. Breitscheid, in a Press interview, awarded the Hitlerites 200 seats or thereabouts.