The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-03-24

| was defeated. and is known to be a close friend of the president. It is reported that the charge | against him is based on the con- tention that as head of the asso- citation of country districts he em- bezzled the associations funds to finance "personal political aims. The nature of these aims is not disclosed, but it is recalled that it was while Gereke was head of the Association of Country Districts that he organized his election com burg.
 Karl Severing, socialist deputy and until recently Prussian minis ter of the interior in charge of po- lice, likewise was arrested yester- day charged with misuse of funds in the same elections. It was alleged that Severing and ex-Premier Otto Praun of Prussia had used Prussian state funds, ear- marked to combat crime, in their 1892 election campaign against Hitler.
 Similar charges were lodged against Braun, now fugitive in | Switzerland. The fund was alleged to have been employed with the knowledge of former Finance Min ister Dietrich to aid in the re-elec- tion of von Hindenburg. Severing was relee ed last night after questioning.
 | The arrest of Gereke, according to one story, is also linked with the recent arrest of former Finance Minister Andreas Hermes, also charged with embezzlement o1 public funds.
 Will Visit Rome
 London, March 24-(UP)-A battalion of German "steel hel- mets'', Nazi troops will visit Rome early in June to cement friendl, relations with Premier Mussolini's black shirts there, reliable dis. patches from Berlin said to-day. The information came with re- newal of previous well established reports that Chancellor Adolf Hit Ter would fly to Rome to confer with Premier Mussolini early il April.
 l Premier Mussolini recently in vited steel helmet leaders to visi him, and they have announced their plans to do so, with a battal ion of troopers as escorts. Tn, plan was viewed here as of con siderable diplomatic importance il view of recent fears elsewhere fl Europe of an alliance between Nazi Germany and fascist Italy.
 Other Berlin advices said tha unidentified persons recently paint ed Death to Hitler" on the chan cellor's airplane at Tempelhof air port outside Berlin.
 | Dictatorship Powers Il Berlin, March 24-(UP)-Th, dictatorship granted to Chancello Adolf Hitler by the reichstag give him executive and legislative pow CTS of the broadest nature, includ ing authority to deviate from tn constitution.
 The enabling act provides tha the prerogatives of the presiden remain undisturbed. Thus he stil has the right to dismiss Hitler O. memb bers of the cabinet and ap point new ones. Nevertheless, tn, act empowers the cabinet to issu, decrees and promulgate laws with out consent of the reichstag. ant without following the constitutions provisions that they must be an nounced by the president, and b, subject to national referendum 1 challenged.
 I The act guards against abolition of the reichstag or federal counci by the government, but otherwiss the reichstag, for the duration ol the dictatorship, has little legisiat i've power. acting more in an ad. visory capacity.
 l The government may negotiate treaties with foreign powers and make loans and credits without Iauthority of the reichstag.