The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-22
BY WEBB MILLER
United Press stan Correspondent

'NpbNiikHb. 1901 DN DulteQ EIeSSl
MUNICH, GERMANY, Dec. o.
More than 100000 picked men, or
ganized on a military basis modelled
after the old German imperial
army, form the backbone of the
German Fascist movement, sworn
to obey only Adolph Hitler.
This great force, the weapon with
which Hitler intends to rule Ger
many if his party is voted into
power, is one of the most significant
phases of the Fascist, or Nazi,
movement. Despite the potential
strength Of his unarmed forces, Hit
Ter has declared he will not attempt
to use it to seize power by revolu-
ton.
With arms, Hitler's forces would
be double the number of men per-
mitted the German army by the
treaty of Versailles. Although he is
man without a country, having
been de-nationalized by Austria and
refused naturalization by Germany,
as supreme commander of the
storm division" of the Nazis, he has
absolute control Of one of the most
powerful organizations in Germany.
Similar to BIackshirts
Nazi members we're reluctant to
supply information about this mill
tarily-formed body, which has
many points Of similarity with Mus
solini's blackshirt Fascist militia.
A candid member of the party adj
mitted to me that if Hitler came to
power, undoubtedly one of his first
actions would be to arm the or
ganization and constitute a sort of
police force and party guard, SINH
lar to MuSSolinis militia.
The organization is divided into
two divisions, the "sturmabteilung"
or storm detachment, and the
"Schutzstaffer-picked mobile de-
tachments for special duties.
The former are uniformed in
brown military pants, brown shirts
and Sam Browne belts, high
crowned hats and an arm band
with the sWastika cross, emblem of
the party. The latter are dressed
similarly except they wear black in
stead of brown and their belts are
black.
Copy Imperial Army System
The similarity with the old i'm
perial army exists right down the
line. For instance, the Nazi flag is
red with a large black swastika
cross on a white plaque, which are
the old imperial colors.
General orders to the Drown
army" as many newspapers call it.
always are couched in the military
style OF the old army. CThe imper-
lal colorS were black, white and red:
the republic colors now are black,
white and gold.
Distinctive marks on the uniform
collars indicating divisions, are the
same as those of the imperial army.
Hitler recently arranged that Nazi
headquarters shall be established
in every town where there is a
headquarters of the present army"
which coincide with the old i'm
perlal army headquarters. The
Nazis recently moved several of
their headquarters to perfect the
arrangement.
100000 May Be Enrolled
Some observers contend the Nazis
are concealing the actual numbers
OF the army, and estimate its
strength at as high as 100000.
Members of the army are classi-
he'd according to their military
qualifications. For instance, if a
- man was a machine gunner during
the war, it is duly noted for possible
future reference.
Originally only former soldiers
were accepted. Now men with suit
able qualifications of physical con-
dition and loyalty, who have been
members of the party for one year,
are accepted in the first category.
The second, picked category, or
schutzstaffel, is moer difficult to en-
ter and requires one years service
in the first category, plus special
qualifications.
The Stettin division, whose en-
blem is the skull and crosSboneS,
accepts only men six feet tall who
would have qualified physically for
the pre-war PruSSian guard.
NaZiS Taunt Police
The training of the army is &C
complished by route marching. ply
steal exercising and boxing. Before
Chancellor Heinrich Bruening'S re-
cent decree prohibiting uniforms at
political meetings for the present,
the organizations duties largely
consisted of electioneering tours
and guarding NaI meetings against
a