MILITARY COUP?

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1934, Page 5

MILITARY COUP?

SOME TALK OF CIVIL WAR POSSIBILITIES IN GERMANY BERLIN FULL OF WHISPERS NAZI CRISIS IS INEVITABLE TROUBLE WITH STAHLHELMS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 7.0 p.m. London, June 27. “Next year Germany may be engaged in a civil war,” states Mr. Vernon Bartlett, well known international commentator. “Hitler’s personality is still an enormous factor but the period of hysteria is passing.” Mr. Bartlett, as the result of a visit to Berlin, has begun a series of articles in the Chronicle propounding the questions: “Is Nazism endangered?” “Will there be a military coup?” “Will youth go Communist?” The first article declares that a serious crisis in the Nazi movement is inevitable, though it would be unwise to join the French view that Nazism is about to collapse, even as the result of financial difficulties. Berlin is full of whispers of the need for a Reichswehr coup in order to turn out Nazism before it becomes Bolshevism.

“Von Papen,” says Mr. Bartlett, “who is neither clever nor courageous, would never have made his famous speech at ‘the Harburg University unless President Hindenburg told him to do so.” There was a storm in the Cabinet following the speech of Herr von Papen, Vice-Chancellor, at the Marburg University, in which he declared that the enthusiasm for the Nazi regime was 'declining. He also attacked the Government’s campaign against carpers and critics, declaring that the Government ought to be strong enough to stand decent criticism.

He added that patriots should not be branded as enemies of the State. The German people knew that the situation was serious, and knew of the existence of the economic crisis.

A Cabinet crisis was averted following a discussion between Herr Hitler and Herr von Papen, the latter agreeing that his speech was unsuitable for general publication. President Hindenberg is stated to have approved of von Papen’s speech. Germany continues to be a bubbling cauldron, says the Berlin correspondent of the Sun. Nazis, however, scoff at the possibility of an explosion, though the strife between the Steel Helmets and the Storm Troopers reached a head with the issue by the Storm Troopers Command of a declaration that a further existence of the Steel Helmets is intolerable. The Steel Helmets regard this as equivalent to decree of a dissolution. They are unlikely to brook disbandment without a protest. Nazis attach importance to the prophecy of the Deputy-Chancellor, Herr Hess, that a new election may be necessary to prove that Germany is still supporting Hitler. The event which caused the threat of the dissolution of the association, comprising tens of thousands of war veterans under the leaderhip of the Minister tor Labour, Herr Seldte, was a fight Between a member of the Steel Helmets, Erich Kummerow, and a Storm Trooper, Moltzahn, at Quetzingen. The Nazis assert that Kummerow interrupted Moltzahn’s speech, and abused the Brown Shirts. They allege he belaboured Moltzahn, drew the latter’s dagger and stabbed him in the stomach. Steel Helmet supporters declare that Kummerow acted in self defence. Both were wounded and sent to hospital. i