DISCIPLINARY MEASURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22956, 7 February 1938, Page 9

DISCIPLINARY MEASURE

OTHER OFFICERS INVOLVED VON FRITSCH SACRIFICED CONSERVATIVE LEANINGS (Received February 0, 5.5 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON, Feb. 5 "Herr Hitler appears to have made the biggest purge of the German armed forces known in modern times," says the Berlin correspondent of the Times. "In addition to the resignations of von Blomberg and von Fritsch and the retirement of other Generals, disciplinary measures are reported to have been taken against a large number of other officers.

"Clearly the day when the Army made or unmade German statesmen is past." The correspondent states that the changes suggest a compromise all round, which repairs weaknesses in both the conduct of Germany's foreign policy and the administration of national defence. After the circumstances had been brought to his notice Herr Hitler had no difficulty in deciding that the Generals rightly demanded von Blomberg's resignation. On the other hand it appears that the Army had to sacrifice General von Fritsch, who, in the eyes of the public, had become identified with all that was most conservative in the force-steeped traditions of the old Beich.

The Times, in a leading article, state 9 that although the ambitions of some of the Nazi loaders have not been realised, it certainly appears that the party's control over the Army is substantially increased.

PRESS MUZZLED t MANY RUMOURS RIFE (Received February 0, fi.r>s p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 5 Owing to the crisis the Reich Minister, Dr. Franck, has cancelled his proposed visit to London. Herr von Ribbentrop also is remaining in Berlin. An Anglo-German banquet arranged for February 8 has been postponed. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the secret police have confiscated 20 foreign newspapers, thereby keeping the public in ignorance of the most serious Cabinet crisis for three years about which the German press is not publishing a word. Rumours consequently are rife' adversely affecting the Stock Exchange.