HITLER AUTOCRACY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18066, 18 April 1933, Page 5

HITLER AUTOCRACY

NEW POWERS PROPOSED CONTROL OP STATES BERLIN, April 8. An extension of the autocratic system of government, now in force in the Federal sphere in Germany, is to be extended to the States through appointed regents. The Hitler Cabinet is considering a new law which will empower the Reich Government to nominate regents, or administrators, and dispense with Parliamentary elections. The regents will have authority to appoint their Prime Ministers who, again, will designate their own colleagues. A single exception is made in the case of Prussia, where the Chancellor himself will assume the regency and appoint his own deputy. The duty will be imposed on the regents to ensure uniformity of policy with that of the Reich.

It is also reported that the Hitler Government is considering the reintroduction of orders and titles which were abolished after the war. The bestowal of these new distinctions will rest with the President.

With the promulgation of the decree empowering Hitler to appoint the Governors of the Federal States, the Chancellor’s writ runs now, without possibility of challenge, not only through the length and breadth of Germany, but morally also beyond it. The decree spells the end of German Federalism. There can be no'further State resistance to Reich policy. Indeed, Herr Hitler’s arms reach beyond the furthest corners of the Reich into Danzig, and Austria, where strong Nazi organisations exist. He also commands the sympathy of the German population of Czechoslovakia.

The Austrian Nazis last night shared what the Minister of Propaganda, Dr. Goebbels, called the “greatest roll call the world has ever seen,” when stormtroops throughout Germany and Austria paraded inresponse to Hitler’s broadcast. The new State Governors will exercise towards the States all the authority of the former German Princes while they themselves will be dependent on Berlin. The boldness of this measure, which concentrates power in Berlin, and gives an appearance of unity and strength, has deeply impressed the public. . Many years must pass before it can be judged whether this re-build-ing of the Reich is a great stroke of constructive statesmanship or not.