THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1934. AN UNCERTAIN TRIUMPH.

Wairarapa Age, 21 August 1934, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1934. AN UNCERTAIN TRIUMPH.

In the circumstances in which it was organised and in the German people have been dragooned, the result of the plebiscite on Herr Hitler’s assumption of the combined offices of President and Chancellor was a foregone conclusion. Hitler did not so much ask as order the people to give him a mandate and since there is meantime no effective opposition to his dictatorship, it wss to be expected that a considerable majority of the German voters would do as they were told. The affirmative vote of over 38,279,000 is impressive and it need not be doubted that in great part this vote was given sincerely in the belief that it represented the most hopeful method of approaching stability and security. There is something to be said, however, for the view expressed by the London “News-Chron-icle” that the most impressive fact of the election is that over four millions had the hardihood to vote against Hitler. The “No” votes numbered 4,287,000, and in addition there were 871,000 invalid votes, many of them cast, it may be supposed, by people who did not choose to vote “Yes.” Bearing in mind the courage needed to oppose a dictatorship which has lately given, proof of its readiness to resort to ruthless methods in suppressing opposition, and that to many people any thought of resistance must appear hopeless, the figures of the voting cast against Hitler cannot be regarded as without significance.

Confidently as the Reich Deader declared on the eve of the pojl that “The German revolution is complet-

ed, ” it is fairly plain that the strength of his position is far from having been put to a final test. The summary he ordered at the beginning of last month are credited with having halted a second National (Socialist revolution, of a more extreme character than he is prepared to father, and ' Hitler has himself claimed that he also defeated “foreign plots,” in which General Kurt von Schleicher and others were implicated. That, the immediate effect has been to consolidate the power of his dictatorship is obvious, but that this power rests on a firm foundation is very far from being established. Much as dictatorships <which maintain themselves by force and overthrow freedom of speech and the liberty of the Press are to be mistrusted, it possibly might be a good thing for Germany and for the world if Hitler gained a really assured lease of power. As they bear on international relationships, his recent pronouncements have inclined to moderation and it may easily be believed that he is genuinely desirous of building up better and social conditions in Germany and is anxious that nothing should interfere with that aim. The internal problems with which he is grappling are of tremendous difficulty, however, and though the Germans are much more inclined than the people of some other countries to submit to a strong dictatorship, it is by no means certain that they will remain passive under the degree of efficiency in leadership that Hitler is able to give them. A negative vote in the plebiscite in the ratio even of something like one to nine is interesting and suggestive evidence that the Reich Leader’s position is by no means one of unquestioned and unassailable security.