Evening star., 1933-01-31
Hitler at the Helm.

actual authority to q degree that clips
his wings to the point of harmlessness
His National Socialists are far from
being monarchs of all they survey. To-
gether with Nationalist and Steel Hell
met representatives they comprise a
minority of the new cabinet which the
Brown Shirt gcneralissimo heads.
Hitler forthwith swore allegiance to
the republican constitution, pledged
himself to seek policy Of peace with
all nations, disavowed program Of re-
pressive political measures and re-
nounced adventures in financial expert
mentation." Thus, before the 'Nazi'
chancellorship was twenty-four hours
old. it succumbed to that sense of re-
sponsibility which almost invariably
overtakes even the most radical Of
regimes suddenly vaulted into the seats
of the mighty. Europe and the whole
world breathe the more easily today in
consequence of that revelation at Berlin
The former Austrian corporal last
Summer scorned the chancellorship at
President Won Hindenburg's hands un-
less he could have 1t as "the Mussolini
Of Germany 1t was denied him on
those terms, and it is denied him now
Even with his Co-rightist supporters
in the Reichstag, Hitler musters a
parliamentary strength Of but 247 votes,
or forty-six fewer than the 293 neces-
Sary to a majority. The new chancel-
lor can only govern under the con-
stitution If the Roman Catholic Center
party. with its Reichstag balance Of
power, approves "Nazi" programs. The
Centrists hitherto have displayed no
enthusiasm in that direction. A curbed
Hitler cabinet may present policies de-
signed to enlist their concurrence. If
Chancellor Hitler has no better luck
with the Reichstag than Chancellor
Bruening, Chancellor Won Papen or
Chancellor Won Schleicher had. sue
cessively, since last June, the Fascist
boss may easily be toppled from grace
as ANONYMOUSLY as his three imme-
diate predecessors were. Perhaps the
wire-pullers in the Wilhelmstrasse, fore
seeing that inevitable consequence, have
given Hitler rope. assured that sooner
or later he will hang himself
Col. Won Papen was the motive
power behind the scenes which shifted
suddenly in Hitler's favor during the
recent week end Due to his influence,
President Won Hindenburg was induced
to abandon his objections to inviting
Hitler into the chancellorship under
any conditions, while the "Nazi" chief
tain on his part retired from the trucu-
lent position that he would accept Of
flee only as dictator. AS the whirli-
gig finally turned, Hitler was bequeathed
a cabinet, rather than being permitted
to form one.
Time. and probably a relatively short
time, will tell where sorely-tried Ger
many goes from here. Hitler's dealings
with the Communists may be an early
index Of the direction things are des-
tined or doomed to take. The German
Reds have already signaled a general
strike as protest against the Hitler
chancellorship. But for the moment
Europe has no apparent cause for alarm
or anxiety because Of the German
To CT ~ toll
built up his fabulous personal political
power and his private storm army
Of 100000 fanatical followers by
breathing damnation against the treaty
Of Versailles and all its works. He
would renounce reparations out Of hand.
He would blot out the Polish Corridor.
He would set Germany free" from all
the shackles placed upon her by the
peace her conquerors imposed.
But the "Nad" upstart is today a
different Hitler from the one who blus-
tered himself into the chancellorship.
He is bridled Hitler who is unlikely,
at least within the measurable future,
even to venture to crafty the longings
Of Wilhelm Won Hohenzollern to resume
residence in Germany. The ex-Kaiser
is quoted as regarding Hitler's arrival
in the seat Of Bismark as a step in
the right direction" But the fugitive
of Doom will undoubtedly find that
there are many more and much longer
steps to take before he can return from
exile to- the Fatherland he brought to
the brink of ruin. Europe has long sus-
pected that Hitlerism is Hohenzollern-
ism in disguise. That Europe would
see the mask torn off and the dis
credited dynasty restored on the wreck
age of the Weimar Republic Is con-
tingency which borders on the un-
thinkable.