Evening star., 1932-01-01
Hindenburg Tells the World.

| Americans who understand the Ger
man language yesterday had another OF
those epochal privileges which radio is
continually bringing to the world when
they listened in to New Year eve
address by President Won HindenbUrg.
Delivered in the presidential palace Ht
Berlin, the hal'owed walls within which
Bism9rck oEce lived and reigred, the
old Field Marshals cultural tones
doomed through the Atlantic cthe~
with amazing c,earness. Even listeners
to whom German is mysterious and
impossible tongue could not fail but
grasp the power and intensity of the
Reich Presidents appeal to the world
rot to impose unbearable burdens upon
the German people or keep them in a
permanent state Of defenselessnesS.
There is obvious significance in the
choice of this moment fer Hinden-
berg's first broadcast to foreign coun-
tries, Great Britain in addition to the
United States having been one of the re-
gicns which his voice reached. European
thought is riveted upon the approach
ing reparations and debt conference
at LauSanne-that council of our debt
orS from which the United States
is to remain aloof. The conference
will be called upon to determine Ger
many'S immediate economic fate. That
it will find and proclaim the Reich's
incapac;ty to maintain reparation
payments on the Young plan scale is
sufficiently indicated by the advance
report to that effect by the World
Bank Advisory Committee.
President Won Hindenburg contends
that "the magnitude of the sacrifices
we Germans are making" gives them
a right to demand consideration from
other nations. Plainly, the venerable
soldier statesman infers that the Reich
can be pressed by its creditors to a
point that would automatically destroy
all hope of meeting its obligations.
Requirements impossible to fulfil" "
the President declares, must not be
imposed upon U.S." They would only
stand in the way Of our recovery"
There was the ring Of stern pride N
Hindenburg's affirmation that the Ger
man people have been asked to make
tremendous sacrifices" but he hardly
minced words in intimating that there
is a definite limit beyond which the
country's seIf-abnegation cannot be ex-
pected to go.
Paul Won Hindenburg burst upon the
worlds attention in 1914 when he
fought the decisive battle of the Tan
nenberg against the invading forces of
Russia One could almost sense the
emotion that filled the old field mar
shal's soul as he yesterday likened the
present plight Of the German nation
to that which its armies faced at Tan
nenberg.'
Hindenburg called upon his own
people to confront the almost equally
earnest hour" they now face with the
courage, the unity ard the patriotism
shown by his troops at Tannenberg
Practicing those virtues, the hero of
the Masurian Lakes voiced his faith
that the, forces Of economic depression
can be driven into the swsmpS and cen
quered, just as Hindenburg3 hapless
Russian foe was. He did not identify
Hitlerism, except by inference, for it is
the Fascist chieftain who Is preaching
the gospel Of despair.
Altogether it is an inspiring word
from their revered national leader with
which the Germans enter upon what
may be another year of mighty destiny
for the fatherland. 1t must have fall
len on millions of sympathetic cars far
beyond the borders of Germany.