NAZIS' CRIMINAL MINDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23489, 28 October 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

NAZIS' CRIMINAL MINDS

Menace to Whole World.

By KOTARE

Mil. EDGAR HOOVER'S analysis of the criminal mind, based on an experience probably unparalleled in human history, is of exception.-,! interest in the light of the actions of Hitler and of Germany during the last year or so. The leader of the G-men might have had affairs in Europe in view in every "word he has written, so exact is the correspondence between the mind of the criminal and the mentality that for a second time in a single generation has plunged the Eui ope an world into the? horrors and miseries of Avar. It is not possible to place all the blame or the leaders and absolve the people where, a nation deliberately adopts courses contrary to every law-abiding instinct of civilised communities. A nation always has the government it deserves, as Plato pointed out over two thousand years ago. Mr. Hoover notes that the hall-mark of the criminal within the State, is his indulgence of predatory habits' and seizure of what does not belong, to him, plus inherent instincts to escape the consequences of his selfish and lawless behaviour. Always in the 1 back of his . mind is the belief that he is clever enough to escape retribution. In time he comes to believe that he is sure to escape, that the stars in their courses, the very constitution of the universe must be on his side. bottom has fallen out of his v/orld . when the iorces of justice and right and honour exact from hiip the ful-j - penalty of his lawlessness. Absence of Principle The criminal, as Mr. Hcc;/er lias found him, can always "change his viewpoint to suit his desires." You can never pin him down. He will declare his ideas and principles to-day, and if it suits his convenience wili affirm the exact' opposite to-morrow, and this with no sfense of contradiction. He knows very- clearly what he wants. Any method that will give him the desired object is justified by its results. Mr. Chamberlain has once fpr all shown that nothing Hitler says can be relied upon. He will promise anything at the time to secure the object coveted. But that has no binding force once he has secured what he wants. A pledged word exists only as part of the'technique to win a certain goal. It' has fulfilled its part when it has bluffed others. It never meant anything else. It can then be scrapped, thrown into - the discard, as an instrument that has served its turn. "Since there are certain traits necessary to crime," says Mr. Hoover, "such as selfishness, ego, the easy ability to. regard as persecution anything that conflicts with his personal desires, he is almost invariably self-centred enough to regard anything as fair as long as it attains his desired object." Hitler sees in British and French interference with his plans a deliberate attempt to annihilate .Germany. Envy of German greatness is the only thing that can explain such unwarrantable challenging of Germany's right to do whatever she considers in her interests. Hitler made that charge last week; His wild accusations of persecution are simply part of the .perversion of his mind. He is running true to the criminal mentality as Mr. Hoover has'found it everywhere in America. Taking What He Wants To follow Mr. Hoover further in his analysis: "A criminal, docs not look-; upon himself as a criminal. His viewpoint is this—he wants something, that ends the matter. Wanting it, Jie feels he should have it. No ideas of, justice enter his mind; if they do, they are quickly swamped by selfishness. Hitler wanted Austria. He took it. That he wanted it was the complete justification. He wanted Czechoslovakia. He took that. He wanted Poland. He took that. His .mind being what it is he cannot conceive /fc/ anyone having the temerity to disagiee with him. ■ \ .„• Unfortunately lie has infected a whole, powerful nation with _ Ins own ideas."The criminal mentality is dangerous enough in an individual. When a whole nation assumes, it there is. disaster ahead. The criminal can work ' up a terrific intensity of indignation against the forces of law and order. He really comes to believe that lie is being badly treated when his desires are curbed in the interests of society. "To understand the criminal, adds Mr. Hoover, "dispel all thoughts of responsibility. You owe nothing to an>nnc but yourself. You must have no sense of lovaltv, even to your best friends. Be 'willing to throw them to the wolves the moment their- interests interfere with yours." Itaiv has become uneasily conscious these last weeks of this aspect of the Hitler mentalitv. Hitler can fall on Mussolini s neck to-dav, but if it suits his purpose he will put a rope round it to-morrow. Stalin is "the big bad wolf" for years and overnight becomes a trusted ally. The Baltic Germans are assured that their interests are paramount in Nazi nolicv. and then are uprooted to satisfy Moscow and dragced across the sea to colonise the looted Polish corridor. Tinland is promised full support when it suits, and cvnically abandoned to Pussia to fit into the latest change of policy. Virtue in Deception "Adopt the attitude," goes on the relentless analysis, "that it is smart to delude others into .helping you by. deceiving them." a recognised . part of the sickening technique. It; is clever to cheat. The world is crowded with fools who will believe your word. Human faith in the pledged word is one of the criminal's easiest paths to his <joal. If people believe your svord the hiore fools they. If you can got others to believe your 'hokum' about honour and your promises of reform, use that human weakness for your own advantage. That is written large across the history of Europe during the last years. But not again." _.. , There is only one conclusion. It air. Hoove*' has correctly ■ summed up the criminal, then criminality is the outstanding mark of the German mind as Hitler has formed it. Nazism is the resurgence, on a nation-wide scale, of the criminal mentality. The onlyanswer to such a desperate menace in the mobilisation of the forces of and order and* decency till the emui»al is brought to sanity again, or. placed where his criminality can do no harm except to himself. I The address given a few weeks aso by the eminent Indian leader, oir Sarvapalli Padhakrislian, puts t>o matter in a nutshell: present, world situation is a spiritual challenge.. We must either accept that challenge or perish. It is not, s«ifp to he immoral Evil svstems inevitably destroy themselves by their own greed and cgotjspK Against' the rock" of moral '- law part i s conquerors and exploiters hurl tlio.i - selves entirely to. their own destruction." . . .. .. .• '