Evening star., 1932-09-04
Dissolution of Reichstag
Now Expected i'm London
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, September 3.-The Ger
man question overshadows the European
situation. Informed opinion expects
next Tuesdays meeting Of the Reichstag
10 witness the dissolution of that
chamber despite the compact of the
Nans and the center to demonstrate
that the constitution Is workable.
whether the compact includes an
agreement on the part Of the center to
support Hitler government Is not clear,
Dut tne probabilities are that this con-
sideration will not arise.
President Paul Won Hindenburg In
oelieved to be finally committed to sup
port the Won Papen-Von Schleicher
ministry. which Is practically without
following In the Chamber, and returns
to Berlin Tuesday prepared to dismiss
the Reichstag as unworkable. That
conclusion is not tinwarranted in view
OF Adolf Hitler's notorius reputation
OF the constitution and his claim to
govern Germany on Fascist lines.
n
Assuming dissolution, speculation Is
rife as to whether Gen. Kurt Won
Schleicher can make the dictatorship
effective against formidable armed op-
position. The possibility of a Nad
march on Berlin is widely entertained,
for 1t Is agreed that If Hitler allows q
dictatorship without a challenge his
movement will lose popular momentum.
Moreover, in the present erf1bittered
state Of party feeling in Germany, few
anticipate that the country will escape
something in the nature of civil war,
In military terms Won Schleicher Is In
feriof in strength to Hitler. The
Reichswehr numbers nominally 1o0. 900.
though this is increased by the men
who have passed through the ranks.
How far the Reichswehr is infected
with Nazi sentiment is problematical,
but q considerable element of disaf-
fection is suspected.
Apart from the Reichswehr, Won
Schleicner can rely on the Stahlhelm,
OF the Nationalist This numbers 30,.
900 and It's loyalty to the govern
ment Is unquestioned.
On the other hand. the Nan storm
troops, who have been trained strictly
on militarist lines, are estimated TO
number quarter Of q million. These
are the main potential opponents. but
banner Of the Centrist party and the
militant Communists, who are equally
hostile to the government and the
Hitler1tes. Germany, in short, Ia like
an armed camp. and the DEVELOPMENT
of events sfter Tuesday is awaited with
the utmost apprehension.
The gravity of the internal situation
must be apreciated in order to under
stand the significance of the govern
ment's external policy. This week il
formally raised with France the uues-
tion OF the rearmament of GERMANY
under the guise Of demand for the
reorganization of the Reichswehr. This
means that the 12-year period Of serv-
ice stipulated by the Versailles treaty
would be reduced, so that the number
OF trained men in Germany would be
increased beyond the present maximum.
But 1t is known that Germany also
asked that the weapons to be per-
mitted the allied powers ut the Dis
armament Conference at Geneva 90
conceded to Germany also. If they are
legitimate because defensive for other
powers, she argues, they are legitimate
for her. In short, the German claim
amounts to this: That If the other
powers refuse to fulfill the Versailles
and initiate q general limi-
tation Of armament of all nations and
reconsider and revise armaments at
least every 10 years, then Germany
must be allowed TO rearm like the
other powers
fCopyrisht. 1ss7)