Evening star., 1933-03-02
REICH M0DERATES
D|SMAYED bYNAz|S
HitIerites' Vigor in Building
Fascist Dictatorship Baf-
files Opponents.
By Ca BILE to The Star.

By Gable to The Star.
BERLIN, Germany, March 2.-Un-
Ger the influence of gowing Ma
ttonal Socialism, the atmosphere IN
Germany is becoming increasingly IAN
tastic.
Public opinion, in so far as it does
not have to share the Nazi enthusiasm,
seems completely disoriented.
The former moderate leaders seem
utterly dismayed and baffled - the
unexpected vigCr and energy shown by
the Nazis in their obvious effort to
build up permanent Fascist dlcta-
torship on the Italian model.
Although the Nazis, in addition to
Chancellor Adolf Hitler, have only two
ministers in their cabinet, their nffu-
ence seems predominant, with Capt.
Hermann wilhelm Goering. former fly
ing ace, as their most energetic
leader
Business Men Victims.
Even a number of conservative big
business men seems to have fallen VIC
tim to a kind of general panic. Leaders
of heavy industry, intimidated by the
vigorous NaZi advance, are reported TO
have contributed about 100000 to the
NaA electoral campaign.
Large landowners throughout the
countryside, especially when they are
known not to sympathize with the Nazi
aims are receiving letters from local
party headquarters asking them to con-
tribute live stock to needy members OF
the storm battalions as food, promising
secrecy and ending with veiled threats
in case the request is refused.
Why should the storm battallons
need food? The popular answer is be-
cause they are starting campaign
which. beginning about now, IS expect
ed to last until after the election.
This partial mobilization" OF the
storm battalions, which is being dis
cussed even in the streets, is on the
surface merely an important Demon
stration of the strength OF the new
German rulers. A large section OF pub
lie opinion, despite government denlaS,
stuhbornly believes that it is some
thing else, namely, sort of coup
d'etat due to occur March g. the day
after the election All rumors that are
current here culminate in this belief.
Mild Panic Produced.
This atmosphere is, therefore, largely
a result of the unexpected and violent
measures taken by the new govern
ment. The complete muzzllng OF po-
litical opponents like the former min
lister of the interior for Prussia, Albert
Grensinski. of former President Paul
Loebe of the ReichStag, and OF Minis
ter Hilferding: the suppression of in
Vulnerable opposition newspapers; pro-
hibition of opposition political meet
ings: the physical assault on the for
mer Catholic-Labor minister, Adam
6tegerWald, and the fact that the Nazls
are armed, cannot be arrested or prose-
cuted for violence, while their oppo-
nents are Immediately arrested by the
police if they defend themselves--all
these facts are combining to intimidate
the opposition and produce something
like a mild panic.
Some of the symptoms of this panic
are:
l. Several diplomats believe in COM
ing Nazi attempt to seize absolute
power. and have thus informed their
several governments.
2. Certain members of the diplo-
| matte CORPS here have asked their wives
to lay in an extra store of provisions in
order to be prepared for anything
3. Growing numbers of Germans are
preparing to leave Germany in double
quick time, should the need arise. Some
of them have rented furnished rooms
ClOSe W Val 11OlillIlS, oiAO ObAiNAo
have appealed to foreign diplomatic
quarters, asking if to save their lives
they would be granted foreign pass
ports, under which they might hope to
sneak out of Germany.
f. The NaZis have withdrawn pass
ports from a number OF their CHIEF op-
ponents, while other opponents are
therefore already using passports they
still possess, in order to get out while
the going is good.
S. Still other Germans have appealed
10 foreign diplomats, asking whether in
case of urgent need they would be al
lowed to seek refuge in the inviolable
diplomatic buildings of foreign govern
mentS.
MOderates Intimidated.
s. Even important politicians of the
Moderate party are thoroughly intlmi-
dated by the rigid governmental sur
veillance to which they are being sub
jected. One of them even asked for
eign friend to please visit him only
after dark.
T. Many persons claim that tele-
phones Of suspects and Of foreigners,
particularly newspaper men, are no
longer inHolate. Two British CORE
spondents who habitually telephone
their news to London have noted that
their telephone calls were broken off
Just when they were trying to send a
message, which happened to be the
same in both cases.
8. German newspapers have been
warned against reproducing certain
stories that had previously appeared
abroad in such conservative newspapers
as the London Times. The press Is
being gradually muzzled by threats and
brought into line where only the Off
cial version of all news, and very little
of that, will be offered to their readers.
9. Socialist leaders are crushed-or
seem so. One of them recently admit
ted that the work of so years has been
swept away in two years"
TO- Many workmen in South Ger
many share the view that only mon
archical restoration can prevent per-
manent Fascist dictatorship, and openly
favor the former. Bavaria would I'M
uuestionably prefer the return of the
FORMER King, Rupprecht, to Fascist rule.
Therefore, in this last week before
the coming election, the German at
mosphere, already heavily charged, has
become almost intolerably tense.
The single question is, will Hitler and
his cohorts soon be able to rule as Pre-
mier Benito Mussolini does in Italy?
None can give the real answer, but
The answer certainly lies somewhere in
the Reichswehr ministry in Berlin. For,
lin the last analysis, the decisive power
lin this country still lies With the regu-
lar army.
tcopyright.- 1a33.2