The Wanganui Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1941. RUDOLF HESS ESCAPES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 111, 14 May 1941, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1941. RUDOLF HESS ESCAPES

best guess at the uiuiuent as to the cause of Rudolf Hess fleeing from the Keich to the United Kingdom, is that he knew that he would be safer there. In short, nc followed the advice given by “Old Bill,” Bairnsl'ather s character, namely : “If you knows of a better ’ole, go to it.” Hess went to a better ’ole.

Rudolf Hess lias been regarded, and rightly so, as Hitler s alter ego. These two adventurers were in the .Munich Busch : they went to prison, and it was during this incarceration that Hitler dictated to Hess the book “Mein Knmpf.”

Extremely good looking, he appears to be a man of determination and marked self-control, and such qualities would doubtless be called for by anyone who was for long a companion of so irrational, so emotional a man as Hitler. Hess was evidently an indefatigable worker, one who could lift from Hitler’s shoulders the burden of detailed work. He has also been spoken of as unimaginative, and this too, is probably correct, because a man of constructive imagination could not for long avoid a clash with Hitler. It has also been said of Hess that he was both faithful and honest: and again these qualities would be essential for the continuance of the partnership. Yet on the stage of events Hess appears to have been but a minor character. A hasty perusal of .Sir Nevile Henderson’s “Failure of a Mission,” fails to reveal his name, and yet Hess has been Hitler’s deputy time and time again at important Nazi Barty functions. Hitler always speaks of himself as a man destined for an early grave, and consequently it became necessary to make a show of providing for that eventuality. He therefore drew up his political testament, whereby he appointed Marshal Goering as his immediate successor and Hess as his second choice. The testament appeared to be based on expediency: compulsion because of Goering's popularity, and tact because of Hess’ improbability as a rival during Hitler’s lifetime.

What has occurred to cause the breaking of the nexus between Hillel' and Hess, will probably be revealed in the near future, but. it is clear from the fact that the break has occurred that the situation inside Germany to-day is so unsatisfactory as to disrupt this association which has endured through failure and success for twenty years. It is improbable that Hess has become ambitious and desired fo displace Hitler, for it must have been clear to him that he did not possess the personal qualifications for the role of Fulirer. Nevertheless, the break did occur, and Hitler was after the body of Hess. The former knew that the latter would attempt to escape by aeroplane, and steps were taken to prevent this being accomplished. But Hess did escape: and he. was wise in doing so, for it had been demonstrated before his eyes often that “revolution devours its own children.” He had witnessed the “bloodbath’’ of June, 1934, when Roehm was executed, and he knew that were he to remain in Germany while in disfavour his days would be numbered. Field-Marshal von Fritsch had disagreed with Hitler, and had lost his command in consequence, but, being popular, he met his death in Poland under circumstances which were unusual, to say the least. When Dr. Brinkmann, Director of the Reichsbank and Minister of Economies, faced up to the awkward economic condition of Germany and publicly discussed its weaknesses with a view to overcoming them, he suffered “a nervous breakdown,” and was accommodated in a hospital. Dr. Rauchsning', of Danzig, who persisted in pressing for a realistic policy in this direction, also expected to be taken care of in the same way as was Dr. Brinkmann, but he took the precaution to escape to England. Having had ample opportunities of watching the patients undw treatment for Nazi nervous breakdown, Herr Hess decided to follow the Rauchsning precedent. He only just escaped from Ihe Reich which, according to Hitler’s poltieal testament, he was destined one day to rule, the greatest political entity in Europe, the result of twenty years of his own collaboration with Hitler, and Himmler with Goering- and Goebbels. What an amazing career, what a dramatic finale 1 He flew away from the Frankenstein monster which he had laboured so long to create, because that monster was about to devour him. Rudolf Hess at long last has at least come to some wisdom.