FACTIONS CLASH

Southland Times, Issue 21647, 8 March 1932, Page 7

FACTIONS CLASH

GERMAN ELECTION

COMMUNISTS ATTACK NAZIS POPULARITY OF HINDENBURG (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Cops right.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Berlin, March 6. Numerous clashes between Nazis and Communists marked Sunday’s presidential election campaign. The most serious occurred ea'rly in the morning, a hundred Communists attacking a small group and firing point-blank, killing one and wounding four Nazis. There were many other street fights, Communists freely using firearms, even against rhe police. Scores were slightly injured! Ninety Communists and 30 Nazis were arrested. Prince August Wilhelm, whom speakers referred to as the ex-Kaiser’s son, discarded a semi-uniform jacket decorated with the Iron Cross and vigorously addressed 5000 Nazis, championing Herr Hitler. Five thousand listened in adjacent halls. The Prince spoke fluently for 40 minutes and was thunderously cheered. He declared, amid applause and laughter; that the present Government was no better than the Imperial Government. Thirty thousand Socialists held a mass meeting at Potsdam, carrying posters inscribed “Down with Hitler.” “Hindenburg is Our Man.” The Socialists’ leader, Herr Weis, issued a manifesto urging Republicans to vote for President Hindenburg and avoid civil war. Fifteen thousand members of the Republican “Iron Front” organization, demonstrating outside the former Imperial Palace, pledged themselves to support Field-Mar-shal Hindenburg for the Presidency. Y’olitical prophets refrain from mathematical forecasts, believing that the personality of the candidate Is a more important factor than party, but Colonel Duesterburg and the Communist, Herr Thalmann, may poll enough votes to prevent either Field-Marshal Hindenburg or Herr Hitler securing an absolute majority on the first ballot. Field-Marshal Hindenburg has a great asset in the personal devotion of millions of war veterans who are supporting him irrespective of politics. FORECAST OF VOTING SECOND BALLOT PROBABLE. (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) Berlin, March 7. The Cologne Gazette forecasts that President Hindenburg will get 16,000,000 votes, Herr Hitler 12,200,000 Herr Thalmann 4,800,000 and Colot.el Duesterburg 1,900,000. 'lints a second ballot would be necessary. As expected 35,000,000 would vote, so that President Hindenburg would need 17,500 000 in the second ballot. A straight fight with Herr Hitler and Herr Thalmann would certainly give the FieldMarshal a substantial majority. There a possibility tha; Colonel Duesterburg will retire from the second ballot to allow a Hohenzollern prince to be nominated, the purpose being to force President Hindenburg to withdraw. The ex-Crown Prince and three o'her Hohenzollerns attended a march of the Steelhelmets arranged by Nationalists. President Hindenburg has written to a friend stating that if he is not elected on the first ballot he will probably withdraw as he would feel that the. majority of Germans were not behind him.