COLOURED GLASSES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 1

COLOURED GLASSES.

No Inroads on Working Class Bloc. PARTIES REVIEW RESULTS. (“ Star ” Radio.) (Received August 2, 11.30 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. The papers are full of analyses of the election results, which interpret them through glasses coloured by their respective party convictions, but in the process several interesting features emerge. The National-Socialists (Nazis), speaking generally, receded in the cities and industrial regions, but made still further great progress in the agrarian districts, except in the Rhineland and West Germany generally. For the first time they attained the position of being the strongest party in Bavaria, where they bridged the small margin separating them from the Bavarian People’s Party, though their gains were small compared with those of the SocialDemocrats and Communists. The Republican Press seeks to explain this by putting the blame for the sudden rise of the Hitlerite total on North German visitors to the Bavarian highlands who voted under the so-called travelling legitimation system. A curious point is that yesterday’s polls reversed the decision which a few weeks ago placed the National-Social-ists in power in the States of Mecklen-burg-Scnwerin and Oldenburg, in both of which they have now been put in a minority, though since it is a Reichstag and not a Diet election, this leaves their tenure of oftice there untouched. There seems to be a general concensus of opinion that whatever the election may, or may not, prove, it at least has shown that there has been no inroad by the Hitlerites on the so-called working class bloc. All are agreed in looking upon the progress ot the Communists, which they had not expected, as an alarming sign. The fact most stressed by the London Press is that the composition of the new Reichstag ensures the continuance of Captain von Papen’s Cabinet, in view of the impossibility ot replacing it by anything else. New York papers, on the other hand, tip a coming coalition between the Right Parties and the Centre Party, which would alone give a stable Parliamentary majority. Messages from all over the world testify to the keen interest aroused by the German elections,-.but none of the foreign Press commentaries so far shine through originality of ideas. Part of the French Press is still running after the imaginary German Monarchist hare. ‘‘Le Journal” calls the result a real victory for General von Schleicher, whom it considers the strong man of the present Cabinet. Other papers more to the left write that the result is a triumph for Dr Bruning. DELIBERATE MURDERS.

Lawlessness Will be Put Down. (“Star” Radio.) (Received August 2, 11.30 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. Profound emotion has been occasioned in the country by the news of the outrages committed in the small hours of the morning in Konigsberg (Brunswick) and other towns and villages, notably in turbulent Schleswieg-Hol-stein, by the National-Socialists, who threw incendiary bombs and hand grenades into the houses, offices and newspaper buildings of Communists and Republicans. Nazis assassinated the leader of the Konigsberg Communists in bed and attempted to murder the ex-Governor of that city. The outrages so far have resulted in eight being killed and a number severely wounded. In response to urgent appeals for help from the population, the Government has ordered to Konigsberg police reinforcements. The police forces throughout East Prussia have been put into a state of constant preparedness, and armoured cars are patrolling the streets of Konigsberg. The “ Berliner Tageblatt,” in a leader, points out that these events point to a new departure in so far as they did not result in clashes between political opponents, but apparently in deliber-ately-planned attempts at murder and arson. An excellent effect has been produced in this connection by the energetic proclamation by Dr Bracht, act-ing-Reich Commissioner for Prussia, in which he declares that the restoration of public order is the prfme necessity of the moment. He added: “ Force and terror must definitely give way before respect for law and the sacredness of human life must and shall not be infringed. I give a supreme warning that the Government will not hesitate to adopt the most draconian Yneasures to ensure order. I warn all organisations as well as individuals to refrain from inciting to bloody terror.”