MAD CAMPAIGN OF ALL AGAINST ALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 30 March 1936, Page 5

MAD CAMPAIGN OF ALL AGAINST ALL

WILL STAND BY TREATIES CONCLUDED VOLUNTARILY NOT ANOTHER INCH OF LIBERTY TO BE YIELDED TERRIFIC ENTHUSIASM GREETS SPEECH (United Press Association—by Electric Telegraph—Copyright) COLOGNE, 28th March. Terrific enthusiasm greeted Herr Hitler when he arrived here to make his final speech of the election campaign, in the city which only three weeks ago German troops re-entered for the first time since 1918. The city was in gala dress. Flags flew from every house and official buildings were covered with garlands and swastikas. Street lamp standards bore placards inscribed with a huge J. Crowds from all parts of Germany began to arrive at dawn, merrily picnicking on the route along which the Fuhrer was driving. Stands hastily built to accommodate 25,000 people were immediately sold out. Loudspeakers gave out the news and the music of bands further entertained the assembly. Storm Guards and Brown Shirts led the procession to the famous Cathedral Square, in which is situated the historic ■ Gurzenich (a former meeting-place of the diets of the Holy Roman Empire), from which Herr Hitler spoke. Eighty flags of the old Rhineland regiments, escorted by guards of from the new army, followed; then marched delegates from the remilitarised zone who had luncheon at the Hotel Excelsior. A special badge was struck in honour of the event in the form of a swastika, inscribed: “Fuhrer in Cologne, 28/3/1 936. The Rhine is free.”

Herr Hitler, standing in a motor car moving slowly along the principal streets, was pelted with flowers by a crowd estimated at two millions. The Fuhrer, attending a reception of Rhinelanders, unexpectedly made a, speech in response to an address of thanks for the liberation of the Rhine. He said:

OPINION IN UNITED STATES SCRAPPING OF TREATIES AND DEBT OBLIGATIONS DISCUSSION IN THE SENATE WASHINGTON, 27th March. For the first time since Herr Hitler remilitarised the Rhine the Senate engaged in a general discussion of the European situation to-day, and several senators took occasion to compare morally the Allies’ repudiation of war debts with Herr Hitler’s scrapping of the Locarno Treaty. The Naval treaty recently signed, in London was also ! criticised for its limited scope, Senator Robinson terming it “disappointing, adding, however, “there is a measure of gratification in the fact that Britain, France and the United States were able to reach even very limited accord.” Senator Borah, as is customary, took a strong stand against Allied debtors. “There is not a contract or treaty involved in the chaotic conditions which now embroil Europe which entails any greater obligation than the obligation to pay these war debts,” he said. Mentioning Herr Hitler’s violation of the Versailles Treaty and Signor Mussolini’s violation of the League Covenant, he said: “There is no difference in law and in morals between the net of Germany and the act of Italy and. the acts of tliose nations which repudiated the debts they contracted to pay.”

“I thank the fifteen million Germans you represent for all the miseries they suffered for the sake of Germany. On behalf of the German nation, I am happy to welcome you once more on free ground. The German Army is now your protection. We promise never again to renounce our freedom and always to defend it. May God help us in this.” The Fuhrer'a closing speech was again heard by radio throughout Germany. He emphasised Germany s internal decay after the war and present resurrection, saying Germany had lost all confidence and hope. “Among those despairing was myself, lying half-blinded in hospital, but men lived who refused to believe the nation could perish, although Germany had lost everything, even sovereignty over her own soul. It was clear 1918 could not he the last page of German history. My task was to find a way to the hearts of millions, demand sacrifices, teach everyone to completely forget the past and free himself from ties of origin, upbringing, party, State and creed and be nothing but German. 1 had, to hurt millions of patriotic Germans and millions of international Socialists if the nation were, not to waste all its energies in murderous internal struggles. The nation could he rebuilt only by idealists.” "MAD CAMPAIGN” Turning to foreign relations, HenHitler declared the hope that the mad campaign of all against all would ended and old prejudices overcome. “It is useless speaking of the sanctity of treaties, made under the menace of rifles. Treaties can only be regarded holy if they were concluded by equals. The question of whether the Germans can observe the sanctity of treaties is misplaced. We waited vainly for seventeen years for others to observe treaties. We stand by all treaties concluded voluntarily, but we cannot build up a new world on the sterile views of senile statesmen and jurists, only on the common-sense of peoples. What would the statesmen who demand-sym-bolic gestures say if we declared we would come to an understanding with France only after she had symbolically bowed three times? It is unthinkable. This united nation of sixty-seven millions stretches a hand to the world, and others have nothing to say except to talk about phrases and gestures. If the world does not wish to understand our offer it will have to understand our constancy in not abandoning honour and equality and our determination not to yield an inch of liberty. I stand for right and freedom and ask you my people to support me and show the world that Germany’s desire for peace is not the desire of a single man hut of the whole nation. We have become a better people in distress during the past three years, and now we kneel before our Lord and ask Him to permit us to survive to fight for a better world.” THANKSGIVING HYMN A roar of cheering greeted the Fuhrcr’s peroration. When it died down an ancient Dutch thanksgiving hymn, the words of which were printed in all newspapers in order to make them available to everyone, was broadcast. Millions clustered about thousands of loudspeakers erected in towns and villages, and a. multitude of listeners indoors joined ill tin* final verse, which praises the “Lord of Battle” and pleads for safety from enemies, and concludes, “Lord make us free.” Then church bells throughout the country, which joined the hells of Cologne Cathedral heralding Herr Hitler’s arrival for his speech, pealed for a quarter of an hour, according to Herr Goebbels’ instructions, “for the honour, peace and free dom of the German people.”