THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1932 THE GERMAN ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1932 THE GERMAN ELECTIONS

In spite of his leadership of tho preponderating party in the new Reichstag, Herr Hitler has reason to be disappointed with the result of the German elections. His gains have been greater than they were generally expected to be. Probably, after his marked success in the recent Prussian elections, he anticipated a sweeping victory throughout the Reich. In the rural districts he has gained ground, but in the cities, although support for his party has exceeded that given in 1930, ho has suffered a setback when the facts of the election for the Prussian Diet are considered. Where working-class sympathies have played a decisive part, that is, votes have gone rather to the Communists. This feature of the elections will be particularly galling to him. At the same time, it would be a mistake to think that Hitlerism has not made great strides. It will hold three-eighths of the seats in the Reichstag, and if the other | parties on the Right follow its lead it will control 270 votes out of the total of 592. Its progress has been phenomenal, and except for the Communists it has made serious inroads into other parties. Hitler's vigorous personality and the vim of his intensely national campaign have made an impressive appeal, not only among the upper and middle classes, prone to welcome a nationalist programme, but also among the workers. Even the relative advance of the Communists in the urban areas cannot diminish the aggregate Nazi gains. Hitler's bold and uncompromising policy has won the allegiance also of large numbers hitherto politically inert and reluctant to become identified with any party. They have responded to this new evangel, which has promised to make Germany once more independent and great. This contest has proved that Hitler commands a vast and apparently growing host, far larger than the 1 registered Nazi membership, and whatever happens in the new Parliament he will be influential, even if unable to dominate the Reichstag. A mcrre surprising thing is the progress of the Communists, with I whom Nazis are at daggers drawn. Utterly Marxian in social creed, they vehemently oppose the i nationalist aims that have made | among others so persuasive an appeal. To have increased their vote to so great an extent that they now hold 87 seats, an increase of 10, is relatively a notable achievement. Probably this gain has been won at the expense of the Socialists—Social Democrats is their preferred title—whose star seems to be waning. The younger members of this party have become more radical of late and they have not been the only ones to look askance at the policy of tacit support to Dr. Bruening and Herr von Papen. Yet they are equally scornful of Hitler's programme. So Socialist votes have gone to Communist candidates. This transference is significant of the bond between Socialists and Communists. Together they compose the Left, theoretically/ antagonistic to the existing regime but for reasons of practical expediency, in view of the Nazi alternative, preferring to keep' recent Governments in office. Their aggregate of seats in the new, Reichstag is 215, it was 220 in the last, but the drop is inconsiderable,, thanks to the Communist increase, and their combined opportunity of checking Hitlerism seems likely to be used to the full. Again there will be three main groups in the House, and neither Bight nor Left can rule alone. Hitler's remarkable success has been won chiefly at the expense of other parties on the Right, the German National People's party, often known as the Nationalists, having lost five of the 41 seats previously held, and the 106 of the others being reduced to 8. The total Right vote is therefore little stronger than before, despite the Nazi advance ; it gains in solidarity, for the minor parties of the Right were not generally averse to working with those outside the group, yet this gain is offset by the maintained strength of the Left, where between Social Democrats and Communists there is easy understanding. Hitler can hardly contemplate the position with satisfaction.

Interest turns from these extremes to the Middle group, in which the German Centre Party is dominant, both in numbers and personnel. The group holds 107 seats, having maintained its position, and is tolerably certain to keep its leadership in the lieichstag, partly because of its acknowledged possession of ability and partly because of the favourable attitude of the President, Marshal von Hindenburg, who by virtue of his office has a commanding influence in times of political crisis. Numerically, the Middle group, and of this the Centre Party, will hold the balance of power between the Nazis on the one hand and the Social Democrats on the other —each of these three parties having its associates in the respective groups —but it is more probable that, as heretofore, the Government will be manned chiefly by the Middle group, and look to outside support for its retention of office. Hitler's announcement that he will refuse to join any coalition governing by decrees has reference to the recent action of the Administration in virtually dispensing with parliamentary rule, and is to be interpreted as either a conditional promise of support or a threat to make things awkward if the practice is continued. On their part, the Social Democrats may be content to do as they have done, accepting a regime that seems inevitable in the circumstances, and if the Communists use similarly their opportunity of baulking Hitlerism the customary order will be prolonged. The compromise is beset with perils, but j German experience proves that they can be overcome..