Evening star., 1932-08-31
Germany's Continuing Chaos.

Yesterday the newly-elected Reich
stag, with It's top-heavy "Nazi' plurality
of 230 members. was convened amid
, circumstances which promise little but
continuous political conflict and chaos
for Germany. BY a combination Of
National Socialist and Catholic Centrist
strength the hitherto irreconcilable
groups headed, respectively, by Herr
Hitler and the late Chancellor Bruening
elected the presiding officers of the
/, chamber. The "Nazis," because of their
numerical superiority, placed Hitlerite
in the presidency and then Joined with
the Centrists in making one of the
latter vice president. By this action a
'Nazi" Center parliamentary bloc was
formally created, which will, apparently,
at least on occasion, present a united
front against the government of Presi-
dent Won Hindenburg and Chancellor
Won Papen.
Obviously in fear cf vote of non-
confidence at its hands, the government
has moved speedily to forstall such de-
fiance Of its authority. The "baronial
cabinet" is already in possession OF q
constitutional decree signed by the
President authorizing the chancellor to
dissolve the Reichstag at his pleasure.
The date has been left open. .Cll. Won
Papen can cash his blank check when
ever conditions arise which threaten
the governments existence, that is, a
rejection of its policies by an adverse
Reichstag vote. USser the German
system such vote would automatically
require the chancellor and his cabinet
to quit ofice. The monocled militarists
now at the helm in Berlin do not intend
to be the victims of so ignominious a
fate and have resorted to the simple
recourse of dodging it beforef over
takes them.
The Won Papen government is ready
to 60 to the Reichstag with its vast
finance reconstruction scheme. 1t pro-
vides for the raising of some $780,
100000 for the purpose of speeding eco
nomic recovery and giving jobs to a
! million and three-quarters of Ger
manys five million unemployed dur
! ing the next twelve months. The
plan is revolutionary in many respects
an employers right to reduce wage
scales in proportion to the larger num-
ber of hands he puts to work is one
| of its provisions An attempt to capt.
talize future prosperity" by advance
seizure Of tax returns is another inno-
| vation. These and other features of
the governments economic program
face certain and bitter opposition in
the Reichstag. Won Hindenburg and
Won Papen, having set their !, arts on
execution Of their project, are not
minded to have 1t nipped in the bud
by the "Nazis" and their parliamentary
allies.
If the Reichstag is dissolved before
it has actually begun to function, new
elections under the law would be re-
quired in November Herr Hitler would
! then once again essay to snatch that
national power which he has so far
been denied. As far as the outside
world is able to Judge, President Won
Hindenburg and Chancellor Won
Papen are maintaining a determined
front against "Nazi" pretensions to q
Fascist dictatorship and terrorist de-
mands for preferential clemency to
"Nazi" political gunmen. But things
in Germany in these days are not al
ways what they seem, and time only
will disclose exactly who is who and
what is what in the sorely distracted
Reich.