German People are Bewildered

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21963, 15 May 1941, Page 5

German People are Bewildered

Nazi Leaders Fear What Hess May Say Conference With Foreign Office Official By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, May 14. UERR RUDOLF HESS who made hi* sensational landing in Scotland on Saturday night, is now in a hospital somewhere between Glasgow and London. He has been busy reading and writing and ha* talked freely with Mr 1. A. Kirkpatrick, of the Foreign Office, who was formerly attached to the British Embassy in Berlin. He is still with Herr Hess who is in excellent spirits. The Berlin correspondent of a Swiss newspaper states that there is complete bewilderment among the German people over the arrival in Britain of Herr Hess and this has been increased by the many different stories told by the German wireless. The “Daily .Mail” says the Nazis threatened that Frau Hess and her child will be treated “according to the use which the British may make of Herr Hess for propaganda purposes.” It is officially denied in Berlin that Frau Hess has arrived at Ankara.

A message from Berlin states that Hitler held a meeting of all Reich leaders and gauleiters. Gpering was present. The meeting after listening to Hitler accorded him “an overwhelming demonstration of their determination to go on to victory.” -Officials declared: “We will not recognise any statements which Herr Hess may make in England. We know that the British rulers will make every crude misuse of this situation. Who knows by what , ugly means some sort of confession may be extracted from him? We cannot even be certain that he made any of the statements attributed to him.” They added that no formal steps had yet been taken to dismiss Herr Hess from the Nazi Party, “but obviously such a man was unworthy to be a party member.”

Hie arrival of Herr Rudolf Hess In Britain is one of tile most fantastic episodes in history, says the “Dally Mail.’’ “Big men like him do not desert a cause which is sound at heart. He must know within himself that Germany’s prospects are not good or be would not come to ‘beaten’ England. Nevertheless we must not lose our sense of proportion. Because Herr Hess has come over it does not mean that a split In the German facade Is imminent, or that Germany is going to crack.”

greeted his capturer with the words: "I have come to save humanity.” According to a usually reliable quarter, Herr Hess’s statements have indicated that he has undergone a change of heart. He believes that Germany is headed for disaster. He believes 'that he was misguided, and he talks like a mail with a guilty conscience. Herr Hess is eager to dissociate himself from the Nazi policy in order to escape responsibility for it. The Government, it was emphasised, will not attempt to force Herr Hess to talk. He would be treated as an honourable prisoner of war. It is understood that Herr Hess has been -taken to a quiet spot in the country, where the tranquillity of the surroundings might put him in the mood to speak more fully. Nail Partnership With Soviet Herr Hess, in his first interviews, talked generalities, indicating that the question of Germany’s full partnership with Russia might be the chief motive of his behaviour. He appeared to be affected with almost religious fervour. The German radio to-day announced that as far as the letters left by Herr Hess have been Investigated, it seems that he had a fantastic idea that by personal contact with certain Englishmen he could readily achieve an AngloGerman understanding. Herr Hess has been a siCK man for years, and recently sought relief from magicians, astrologers, and similar persons. It remains to be seen how far these peopde are responsible for the mental disorder which led Herr Hess to take this step. Knew Hitler’s Peace Plans "He knew the Fuhrer's peace proposals better /han anyone else, thus, obviously, he thought that by a personal Interview he could bring to an end the horrible events which, in his eyes, could only lead to the destruction of England. The Nazi Party regrets that this idealist took this fateful step, the consequences of which he is unable to foresee. This incident in nowise changes the conduct of the war, which will be waged until the British are overthrown or are prepared for peace.” A message from Berlin states that the newspapers subordinated the story of Herr Hess’s flight and played up the successes of the German submarine and air warfare against Britain. A report from, Rome states that the newspapers published an Inconspicuous Berlin version of Herr Hess’s flight. The news of Herr Hess’s flight was given great prominence in the newspapers in Spain, both the British and Q^. al 4> SS S WS? , he l n £ Printed fully. The British United Press says the Berlin official spokesman quallfed the earlier communiques with an admission that Herr Hess could not be considered 100 per cent insane. He was an able man except when pain from wounds received In the last war induced illusions. This reply was given sanity r ttieory. Wh ° ‘» UestlOned the IN-

Mr Ward Price, In the “Daily Mall,” eys in Herr Hess we have gained a emendous asset. Let us make the maximum use of It. Imagination and swift action is needed to exploit an undreamed of situation. Herr Hess knows the closest secrets of the Nazi war plans aqd Hitler's covert designs against M. Stalin, General Franco and Mussolini. How can Germany be sure that al) this vital information will not henceforth be In our hands, so let us tell them that we possess It. Let us Unpress upon them dally that their strategic schemes and covert plots are rtow an nnen book to us. All the work Goebbels ha* done for the Nazi cause was cancelled when Herr Hess’s parachute floated down near Glasgow "The Times’’ in a leader says that although Herr Hess acted alone there must be many in Germany envying his exploit and drawing therefrom confirmation of their own doubts about tne issue of the campaign of brutal conquest and domination on which Hitler’s ambition launched the German nation. British authorities naturallv bear in mind that the whole Hess affair may be a fantastic German plan and that the German leaders for their own purposes wish the world to believe that a maggot is already in the anole. Goebbels has used such inverse propaganda before now. but all the evidence so far suggests that Herr Hess deliberately escaped. Herr Hess, it is believed, became more and more disgusted at the trickery and shamelessness of Hitler’s entourage. Furthermore, horrified by the bloodshed around him and the prospect of still further bloodshed, Herr Hess, more than any other German leader, always insisted that the true aim of the German army should be a final peace.

' Commander O. Locker-Lampson, M.P., said that a visitor had arrived from the skies bringing the best piece of propaganda yet heard. If Herr Hess was fed up with Hitler there was hope for the rest of the world. Herr Otto Strasser, formerly one of Hitler’s financial backers, who is now living in the United States, said that Herr Hess’s flight indicated a breach between the army chiefs and the Nazi Party. If Goering came to power, he said, Herr Hess’s life, as leader of the party, would not be worth a minute’s purchase. "I Have Came to Save Humanity” It Is now revealed that Herr Hess